[MadIvan]

There has been no noticeable improvement to our public safety since the banning of firearms. This is merely an indication of leftist thinking - the way to cure people of evil, in their view, is to remove the instruments of perpetrating evil. But the problem is that instruments are easy to come by.

It's idiocy in other words.

Regards, Ivan

[David Hunter]

This is merely an indication of leftist thinking - the way to cure people of evil, in their view, is to remove the instruments of perpetrating evil. But the problem is that instruments are easy to come by.

I agree. When I was a 12 year old, I made a crossbow which could have killed someone at close range easily. A dangerous/lethal weapon can be improvised by anyone who wants it. Using, or threatening to use, such a weapon on someone is an offence and possessing one in a public place is also an offence. The problem is that the government prefers not to give juveniles, and if justified, their parents, serious punishments for using airguns as offensive weapons. They would rather try and demonise inanimate objects and restrict everyone's access to them, in order to win votes from the left-wingers and the liberals. Most of these people seem to labour under the illusion that owning any type of gun causes criminal behaviour in sane people.

The only way to discourage any person from attacking another with any kind of weapon is to have serious punishments in place for that crime. Registering airguns won't help, because the people who misuse them won't bother to register them. Teaching children the dangers of 'horseplay' with airguns and holding them and their parents reponsible for any delinquent behaviour with them, makes more sense than licensing them, or requiring them to be locked up in gun cabinets. Besides, hooligans can always get, or make other weapons; like crossbows, blow-pipes etc.