Posted on 03/11/2005 5:07:13 AM PST by freepatriot32
Jack McConnell has promised to "go further" than the Home Office in outlawing air guns in Scotland.
Speaking at his weekly Holyrood question time on Thursday, the first minister said the devolved executive would act "in a measured way" in response to the shooting of a two year-old boy in Glasgow last week.
But he pledged to introduce tighter controls on the sale of firearms north of the border if the Westminster government does not do enough to satisfy voters concerns in the wake of Andrew Morton's death.
Labour MSP Frank McAveety asked the first minister "what action will be taken to curb reckless and irresponsible use of air guns".
"The decent majority of people require our constant support to tackle persistent problems of anti-social behaviour," he added.
"None more so anti-social and dangerous than the use of air rifles.
"Will the first minister ensure that the executive make an urgent priority to deal with the purchase, regulation and use of such weapons in Scotland to reduce the possibility of such a tragedy ever happening again?"
Tragedy McConnell replied that "the tragic shooting in Glasgow last week demonstrated just how dangerous air guns are in the wrong hands".
"I am sure that the parliament will join with me today in expressing sympathy with the family of young Andrew Morton," he said.
"We are contributing to the current Home Office review of firearms law, that is looking carefully at whether further controls on air weapons are necessary and we will report back to parliament as soon as we can.
"As I said last weekend it would be wrong for politicians to have an immediate, knee-jerk reaction the tragic circumstances facing this family and that community. But it is also important that we do not rule out even the most severe action that we could take.
"I think we need to make it more difficult to acquire air guns, to make sure that there are less air guns in circulation, we are actively engaged with the Home Office in determining methods that will help secure those objectives.
"We in this executive are determined to close loopholes and we are determined to look all options for tighter control. And we will press the Home Office for changes that we think are required."
He added that: "The Home Office has already said that they will be taking action on replica weapons, but I believe we will need to go further.
"But we will do so in a measured way."
Amnesty He also suggested that a firearms amnesty be put in place so that gun owners and their families can take their own action in response to the killing.
"I believe there will be many gun holders and, in particular, parents of young gun holders who will be appalled at what happened last week in Glasgow and who will want to assist us in taking air guns off the street," McConnell said.
"Therefore we will work with the Scottish forces to ensure that arrangements are put in place quickly so that in every community in Scotland people who want to ensure that their children's air guns, or their own air guns, are taken out of the situation are able to do that quickly in co-operation with their local police force, to do that securely.
"My message, particularly to parents of young holders today, is bring that gun in, get it off the streets and ensure that Scotland is a safer place as a result."
Yeah because haveing no guns even friggin air guns in civilian hands made cambodia the safest country on earth in the mid 70s and hell who can forget the virtual murder free utopia russia became from 1917 to 1989 and china from 1949 to the present and england hell who doesnt walk through the parks at 2am with dozens of hundred dollar bills sticking out of their pocket because england is a gun free zone.This man needs to learn from history so he doesnt end up repeating it to the detriment of his citizens
When Daisy Red Rider BB guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have Daisy Red Rider BB guns.
I forgot to add. BB guns are vital for home defense, don't they have that movie, "The Christmas Story" in Scotland.
airguns outlawed in Scotland???.....the terrorists know next where to strike!....
An air gun is a firearm? Where's the flame?
A poster here once mentioned that this century appears to be going in a direction that will make it worse than the last. He's probably correct, the way various governments are so dedicated to disarming those that live under their regimes.
Yes there is no more treacherous, scurrilous, anti-social behaviour imaginable than the use of air rifles. And next, we're coming for you despicable types that carry pocket knives.
Yes there is no more treacherous, scurrilous, anti-social behaviour imaginable than the use of air rifles. And next, we're coming for you despicable types that carry pocket knives.
We have bagpipes!
Amen FRiend!
The sounds from those so-called "instruments" see me running from the vicinity every time!
Do you mean they need BB guns to shoot at the bagpipes? Or are the bagpipes the only weapons they need, or both.
'Pay or I play'.
What's even more depressing are the legions of indoctrinated fools who vote tinhorn totalitarians like this guy into public office. Once they become amoral and corrupt enough, the people will vote themselves into slavery. That's why all of the bally-hoo about "democracy" is so absurd. Is the EU really a free place? Is there real individual liberty there? Not really.
It's a quasi-totalitarian place where political correctness and multiculturalist doctrine is ruthlessly enforced by the police and the courts. The only "freedoms" are those for pedophiles, sodomites, and other moral degenerates - and, of course the precious favored third world parasites who've flooded in to live on welfare, especially the "religion of peace" types. Some conservative writer described the system in place in Europe as "anarcho-tyrrany", which is right on the mark. We're headed in that direction here as well. Depressing to see such utter craven idiocy coming from the land of William Wallace.
Answer: Who cares?
(Disclaimer: I like the pipes, too, and when I tell this one IRL, I make it an accordion and a bodhran.)
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