Posted on 05/06/2008 10:32:43 AM PDT by neverdem
ANTI-GUN campaigners have warned the Government not to relax firearms legislation in the run-up to the London Olympics, saying: "A child's life is not worth a medal." UK and Scottish ministers have agreed that from August, sportsmen and women will be given special permission to use their weapons at Ministry of Defence ranges in Britain. At present, competitors have to train abroad.
It is a major breakthrough for British Shooting, the sport's governing body, which has campaigned for years to exempt its members from the strict laws introduced after gun collector Thomas Hamilton massacred 16 children and a teacher at Dunblane Primary School in 1996.
But Anne Pearston, who led the Snowdrop Campaign that led to the Firearms Amendments Act 1997 banning the ownership of handguns, said she was opposed to the exemption. "A child's life is not worth a medal," she said.
Pearston said while there had been other school massacres around the world, the UK's tough laws had prevented further British tragedies.
She said: "I want us to get to the 20th anniversary without another school massacre. We don't want any weakening of the legislation – if anything it needs to be tightened up. The Government is supposed to safeguard the public, not be swayed by sportspeople."
The UK-wide Gun Control Network, which replaced the Snowdrop Campaign, said it had been pressing ministers to keep the handgun ban intact.
Gill Marshall-Andrews, the network's chairman, said: "We are opposed to any kind of change in the legislation, even for training purposes. Some of those who have taken up the sport are young enough to have done so since the ban was introduced, knowing that it was illegal in this country. Why should we put wider society at risk for the sake of a few sportspeople?"
John Leighton-Dyson, British Shooting's performance director, said: "We are not asking for US-style liberalisation. We just want an opportunity for a small number of sportsmen and women to be allowed to compete in the Olympics and win gold medals for their country. I'm sure that's something that every right-minded member of the public would support."
The UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport said it expected a trial exemption for sportsmen and women to begin in August after the Beijing Olympics.
The exemption would run up to the 2012 London Olympics and, if successful, be extended to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
I have to agree with some other posters. Does the UK know use children as practice targets? I mean I know the UK is looking forward to great deficits in their NH but to shoot the children??? Seems kind of overboard to me. Why not pensioners or lifers?
How do you think they perfect their skill?
Those little rugrats can RUN.
“A child’s life is not worth a medal,” she said.
Between 1992 and 1999 there were 62 drownings of children in ponds in the UK and 18 drownings in swimming pools. (http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file21496.pdf).
When is the UK going to ban ponds and swimming pools? It’s for the children!
Also, they should not defeat former colonies or protectorates.
How degrading to win Independence from an empire, then be ignominiously trounced in a public competition, using violent terror weapons like a 4.5mm airgun.
I think she means that “a medal is not worth a child’s life”.
A child’s life is worth much more than a medal!
The English seem to be about to find this out”.
Absolutely right on the mark. They are P.C.'ing themselves into the darkest of nights. Sadly, they have been so educated into Socialism and so disarmed, I doubt if they will ever be able to stand up for themselves. I think they have already surrendered. Sad.
Gott Himmel, I’m so sick to bleeding gums death of activist fruit loops. I would much prefer the presense of ten live rats to one leftist cretin.
Correct, for handguns which are banned 100%
Why should we put wider society at risk for the sake of a few sportspeople?
Why, for that matter, should they do anything only because a minority wishes it? How many people are falsely accused of a crime in their lifetimes? Not many. Why should we do anything for them?
How many people will actually be punished for speaking out against the government in their lifetimes? Not many. Why should we do anything for them?
It’s sad when a once great nation shrinks to this level.
TBH I’m not a supporter of Olympic pistol shooting and special dispensation given to these shooters. I think its an insult to all the others who, like me had their property made illegal and otherwise suffer the ridiculous laws on shooting in the UK.
But if it annoys the likes of pearston & gun control network then it might be worth it...
“Is child shooting an olympic sport now?”
Only in China, Burma, N.Korea, Saudi Arabia, ...(sarcasm? you tell me.)
Watch crime drop during that time.
Osama agrees, and promises not to attach any to the kiddie suicide vests he will distribute to UK children.
ANTI-GUN campaigners have warned the Government not to relax firearms legislation in the run-up to the London Olympics, saying: "A child's life is not worth a medal."
Riiiiiiiight. Olympic Athletes are notorious for being mass murderers, cold blooded killers and assassins.
Rumor has it that Dorothy Hamill killed four people with her curling iron for the CIA, and Peggy Fleming hid switchblade knives in her hair and was a Mafia hit-woman. And you don't even want to know what Jean-Claude Killy did with his ski poles. And the Jamaica Bobsled Team ... well, its bone chilling!
And we saved the Brits for this nonsense?!?
When guns are outlawed only the government einsatzgruppe have guns.
Thus is illustrated the difference between “subjects” and “citizens”.
They zig zag like hell, too!
How can this woman function in life? Her thought processes are irrational non-sequiturs. At the very least she's suffering from GDS (Gun Derangement Syndrome).
Not only can’t the UK team practice there, neither can any other team, although a shooting competition actually will be taking place inside of UK borders.
Since guns cause crime, it’s likely some Olympic athlete is going to go on a rampage after target practice.
I believe you are correct. I worry about our own country.
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