tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353823463654367453.post4231346983262385821..comments2023-11-22T06:24:23.650-08:00Comments on Awkwardness a la carte: Concealed Carry Permits and the lack thereofNinja Pharmerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15385786760716618896noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353823463654367453.post-52306333214925221372010-07-09T07:17:21.081-07:002010-07-09T07:17:21.081-07:00Jenny - why would you legalise the carrying long k...Jenny - why would you legalise the carrying long knives and guns in the UK? You appear to be staying 'so that people can defend themselves'. <br /><br />This is a slippery slope IMHO. I live in a relatively crime free area. Most of the crime around here is burglary - car crime - theft etc. There is practically no violent crime against people here. This being the case, why would you legalise carrying guns and knives in the UK?? You are inviting people who choose to break the law to use the weapon they would legally hold. So the burglar who breaks into a house, if disturbed, now uses his legally bought firearm/knife against the occupant.<br /><br />There are some inner city areas in the UK which I almost certainly wouldn't want to walk around at night. Having said that I lived in London for 11 years and didn't ONCE see any violent act against another - unless you count the Poll Tax riots - and that was violence against the police. I shudder to think what would have happened in the Poll tax riots if firearms had been legal. Areas of central London would have been no-go areas.<br /><br />If you give people the right to carry firearms you also, presumably give them the right to use them against another. Two wrongs do not make a right - something I am trying to instill in my two boys :-)<br /><br />Thankfully violent crime is not as common in the UK as it is in the US but I think it would have the capacity for being so if firearms were legalised as you suggest.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353823463654367453.post-76645245968944063162010-07-08T05:53:24.251-07:002010-07-08T05:53:24.251-07:00Anonymous - Your first line tells me that you'...Anonymous - Your first line tells me that you're not aware of anyone around you who may have been a victim of crime. I also live in the UK, in a relatively crime free area but am aware that only criminals commit crimes and it doesn't really matter what laws are brought in, there are going to be people out there who will break them to get their own way. <br /><br />There are people in my life who have been mugged both at knife and gunpoint. The muggers were junkies and/or gangmembers. These friends and family members are law-abiding and did nothing to attract the attention of these 'people' who think it is ok to do as they wish, apart from being in the wrong area at the wrong time.<br /><br />The UK needs to wake up to what is going on. There are too many laws now, leaving the Police with too much paperwork to do so they spend most of their time in the office filing reports that nobody's going to read. <br /><br />It is currently illegal to carry a locking knife or a knife longer than the palm of your hand (approx. 3 inches or 76mm) without a 'valid reason'. The validity of this reason is decided on the spot by the policeman who has stopped you. The law that Labour were looking at bringing in was going to stop people carrying knifes at all. So if you go to your local supermarket to buy a knife block and then carry it home you could have been facing an automatic prison sentance. Luckily, this has been repealed as the prison service is so overcrouded that they cannot deal with what they currently hold.<br /><br />I say legalise knifes and guns, give us all a chance to defend ourselves and not have to face handing over our wallets and phones when threatened, and then having to deal with the fall out, ie having to wait days for the police to come and take statements and then never hearing anything again because your case is now just a number in amongst all the other numbers they are dealing with at the time...Jenny Irvinenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353823463654367453.post-29055065715659379292010-07-07T14:07:40.103-07:002010-07-07T14:07:40.103-07:00Anon: My point was that anti-gun supporters claim ...Anon: My point was that anti-gun supporters claim that banning guns reduces the overall violent crime rate, and that's simply not true. If people don't have guns, they'll find another way to hurt each other. <br />The CJA 1988 states: "It is an offence for any person, without lawful authority or good reason, to have with him in a public place, any article which has a blade or is sharply pointed except for a folding pocket-knife which has a cutting edge to its blade not exceeding 3 inches." [CJA 1988 section 139(1)] . <br />The banning bare hands comment was supposed to be tongue-in-cheek: guns are banned in the UK so people use knives. If knives are banned, what's next? <br /><br />Matt: The base does not allow for concealed carry, regardless of what the state law is. I don't really mind that so much because the violent crime level on base is virtually non-existent. Off base is where the danger is - I try to avoid going to those places as much as I can, but sometimes I don't have much of an option. For instance, 3 weeks ago a woman was shot and killed on the side of the interstate in East St Louis - a road that I HAVE to travel on to get to the city. 2 years ago, a medic friend of mine was shot in the same area whilst transporting a patient. <br />I've never been of the mindset that 'I have a gun so I can put myself in any situation I care to, regardless of the danger', even when I had a CCP. I try to avoid dangerous places and scenarios, but sometimes...well, shit happens, you know?Ninja Pharmerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15385786760716618896noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353823463654367453.post-91389388608248891542010-07-07T08:47:18.658-07:002010-07-07T08:47:18.658-07:00I hate to say "give it time" but well, g...I hate to say "give it time" but well, give it time. With the recent ruling on the McDonald v. Chicago case in which "The Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment incorporates the 2nd Amendment right recognized in Heller v. D.C."<br /><br />We're likely to see a lot of state gun laws changed, particularly in non-free states like Illinois and Massachusetts and California.<br /><br />Now, my question is, assuming you could have a CCP where you currently live, how does living on base affect your ability to carry?MedicMatthewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12035794991905531929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6353823463654367453.post-8337833735106377882010-07-07T04:26:30.747-07:002010-07-07T04:26:30.747-07:00Hi - I am in the UK and live in a part of the coun...Hi - I am in the UK and live in a part of the country where knife crime is not an issue. <br /><br />Personally, I would much rather people 'stabbed one another' than criminals ran around with guns! The risk to others of a knife in an attack, IMHO, is far less than someone carrying a gun - no chance of stray bullets or other people being threatened.<br /><br />I don't know anything about the law you talk about regarding the length of a knife, but assume that the longer the knife, the more damage that can be done, hence shorter knives are maybe 'less' dangerous. <br /><br />Your suggestion that the UK would 'ban people from using their bare hands' is way off the mark; why do people want to fight anyway??!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com