Posted on 03/01/2006 12:40:25 PM PST by neverdem
Prime Minister John Howard says he tightened gun laws after the Port Arthur massacre because he did not want Australia going down the same path as the United States.
Mr Howard, on the eve of his 10th anniversary in office, said the nation's grief over the 1996 Port Arthur massacre had been a great opportunity to tighten Australia's gun laws.
"I would call that very definitely an extraordinary outpouring of amazement and grief in this country and I knew out of that there was an opportunity to grab the moment and think about a fundamental change to gun laws in this country," he told the Nine Network.
Mr Howard said he did not want Australia to adopt the American stance on guns.
"I did not want Australia to go down the American path," he said.
"There are some things about America I admire and there are some things I don't.
"And one of the things I don't admire about America is their ... slavish love of guns. They're evil."
It could be a majority of households.
Confusing, that. But Howard is usualy a god man. But I'll disagree with him on this one.
What a ninny.
Slavish love? Oh puleeeze!
What's not to love? Well, depends on if you're already engaged to a Colt Gold Cup:>)
Did something go wrong there? Thanks for posting the quotes, btw.
To be fair, our murder rates ARE higher than theirs. What you have posted is certainly true in terms of assault, etc. Let's put Old Sparky back to work and we'll get the murder rate down , too.
And how's that workin' out for ya there, John?
Mr. Howard should read it...
:)
Gun are evil? Wow, I didn't know that! Should I have my two guns blessed and sprinkled? Exorcized? At a loss as to what I should do...
Howard, it's an American thing, you wouldn't understand.
I got this in an email yesterday from my buddy who's a Sheriff.
"
Here's a thought to warm your hearts... From Ed Chenel, a police officer in Australia.
Hi Yanks and Canadians - I thought you all would like to see the real figures from Down Under. It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by a new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by our own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars.
The first year results are now in: Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent, Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent; Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent)! In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent.
(Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not and criminals still possess their guns!)
While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since the criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.
There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the elderly.
Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in successfully ridding Australian society of guns." You won't see this on the American /Canadian evening news or hear your government or members of the State Assembly amd Ottawa parliament disseminating this information.
The Australian experience proves it. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens. Take note Americans and Canadians before it's too late!
SWEET!
And this whack-job holds the highest elective office in Autrailia?
Anyone out there know his moral stance on toasters?
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