A LIVING HISTORY BLOG.

18TH CENTURY LIVING HISTORY IN AUSTRALIA.

Sunday 30 December 2012

Australian Firearms Legislation & our Rights as Law Abiding Citizens.

Just think about this, let us just for a minute pretend that the only guns we were allowed to use in Australia were flintlock muzzle-loading guns. Bear in mind that right now, this government groups muzzle-loading guns in with breach-loading guns, same registrations requirements, same licence requirements. Did you know that the special advisory committee for firearms legislation does not exist? That's right, they let us believe that they were taking advice from experts. I wrote to the powers that be, and I said, how come you have a special advisory committee and yet you make the mistake of classing muzzle-loading guns along with breach-loading guns? how come a pre-1900ad flintlock muzzle-loading gun does not require registration or licence, but a post 1900ad flintlock muzzle-loading gun does require a licence and registration? No reply was forthcoming.


Now we know why, there was no special advisory committee, it never happened. They will put $5 million into gun confiscation like the gun buy back scheme, but will not finance an advisory committee to make sure we have fair and sensible gun legislation. So I reiterate, just pretend that all we have are flintlock muzzle-loading guns, nothing else. The crime rate has soared, gun crime is on the increase. Do you think they will finally see the light and give us our breach-loaders back? Not a hope! Do you think they will leave firearms legislation alone and allow us to keep our muzzle-loading guns? I very much doubt it.


Right now, because of the governments knee jerk reaction to firearms crimes, we are not allowed to answer the door with a firearm in our possession. We are not legally allowed to use a gun to protect our lives and the lives of our families unless we have already been shot! What does this say about a government? Does it sound like they care for our well being? Do they care about our safety? Do you think that our government considers that we have a right to protect ourselves and our family? If you think for one minute that our government cares about our safety and our right to pursue happiness, then you join the anti-gun brigade. But if you think that they only care about votes and making money, if you think you should have the right to defend yourself and your family, then you better start doing something right now. 


The only ones carrying knives, axes and guns on the streets right NOW, are criminals or people who fear for their own lives and are prepared to take the risk of imprisonment if they are caught. If I want to attend a Living History Rendezvous in Victoria, I have to apply for a special permit to transport my tomahawk! My wife had her multi-tool pocket knife which she used for preparing food when attending conferences away from home confiscated by police! We are not allowed to carry an ordinary single bladed pocket knife in NSW! 

I fully realise that voting for our rights to own a gun usually means voting against other preferences such as the environment, but we can only win one battle at a time. Right now we are losing on both fronts, firearms and the environment, so let's put all our efforts into one thing at a time. 

We need to legally have a right to defend ourselves, at the very least in our own homes. We need gun licence fees to be reduced, they are far too expensive. Flintlock muzzle-loading firearms need to be available off licence, no registration requirements and no special permit to acquire ( we are talking muzzle-loading here, a gun that needs a piece of rock to make it work! Give me a break!). We need assurance that we can keep the guns that we presently own legally, no more firearms legislation aimed at making it hard for law abiding citizens to own guns. Now if you think this post makes sense, then post the link around. Write a post on what you think is fair and just firearms legislation. But be realistic, be fair. There is a real problem with crimes involving firearms. We do not want to make it worse for ourselves by going off half cocked like the government. We need to give it some thought, we just want a fair go.
Regards, Keith.

3 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

I don't wish to offend you, Keith, but if I understand them properly, your last three sentences seem to indicate that even you think there is SOME link between guns and violence. Laws against the means, will never affect the actions, for the simple reason that criminals and madmen pay no attention to laws.

As for fighting for your rights, if you don't currently have an organization like our NRA, you need to start one and make it clear that your objective is to end the political career of anyone who supports gun control.

Sixbears said...

Thanks for your post. It's a cautionary tale for us in the US. Muzzle-loading guns can still be bought and shipped through the mail, as they are not considered "real" guns.

Philip said...

This makes me appreciate the freedoms I have in regards to firearms (for the present time) in Oklahoma. I hope your legislators come to their senses!