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Dunblane Massacre Resource Page

"These [common law] rights consist, primarily, in the free enjoyment of personal security, of personal liberty and of private property…to vindicate these rights when actually violated or attacked, the subjects of England are entitled, in the first place, to the regular administration and free course of justice in the courts of law; next to the right of petitioning the king and parliament for redress of grievances and lastly, to the right of having and using arms for self preservation and defence."

"Commentaries on the Laws of England"
Lord Justice William Blackstone

(Don't worry everyone, that's not in any Bill of Rights - well, not one that counts, anyhow.)

I started this page with the intention of building a resource of documents and links that came to my notice and that relate to the Dunblane Massacre, the Inquiry by Lord Cullen (which see for details of the events at Dunblane on 13 March 1996) that was held in Stirling, and the individual, public, political and legislative responses to these events. As that event fades into the past the page begins to address more contemporary events, as befits a web document. However, I still see the Dunblane Massacre and the public and "official" responses to it as a defining event in British public and political life so the page title stands.

Anyone with suitable contributions or questions, pro- or anti-, email me.

Note: opinions expressed here are my own. I represent no body or organisation other than myself. Any other personal, or group, opinions represented on these pages are attributed where applicable and do not necessarily represent views endorsed by me.
readme.1st

Johnny <johnny@dvc.org.uk>
Revised: Wed 23 Jul 2008

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News/Articles

2008

The Times: Baikal: the gangsters' gun
Apparently "gun control" is a woman's issue, since this was placed in "Life & Style, Women" section.
Of course a journalist can't be expected to tell the difference between a revolver and a semi-automatic pistol, even with pictures.
The Independent: 'Craft guns' fuel West Africa crime epidemic
Via sympathetic magic the guns cause the crime, it being Africa and all. They forgot to mention that the local Witchdoctor blesses each one so's to turn the bearer into a spree-killer zombie.
Damn those witches in league with Satan. Think of the children!
Only a fraction of mankind has emerged from the Dark Ages. Have you?
See also my 2003 article, Controls on Replica Guns. Although maybe I need to revise it, since toy guns are banned and you can be arrested for having one in a public place nowadays.
The Guardian: Don't shoot that burglar

"But does it really give the householder a new legal right? That is how it is being presented. But it looks uncannily like the old law to me, now in a new act of parliament."

I'm amazed by the fact that, in The Guardian of all places, a British journalist is calling out the Government on its propaganda. (Of course, The Guardian retains plausible deniability by putting it in the "comment is free" section.)
It's highly unusual to observe this sort of behaviour on the part of mainstream media but, once in a while, the truth slips out. Gordon Brown must be really unpopular with the political classes.
The offending statute is the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 (c. 4).
The Independent: 14,000 knife victims a year

"Knife violence in Britain is far worse than official statistics suggest, with almost 14,000 people taken to hospital for injuries caused by knives and other sharp weapons last year."

The Guardian: Knife crime: Anti-stab protection vests given to key staff

"Stab and bullet-proof vests are being ordered in their tens of thousands to protect employees from increased levels of aggression, a move described as 'a shameful indictment of violence in Britain today'."

Expect another round of banning things to "solve" the problem, followed by much self-congratulation by the chattering classes. More laws. That always helps. Gordon Brown breaks record for new laws (Daily Telegraph).
Plus, of course, "adjustment" of the crime figures to "reflect new measures taken" - which can always be relied on to "bring crime down."
Check out The War Nerd Gary Brecher's Shank You Very Much, The fine art of prison war for why banning knives won't get you very far. Duh.

"We're suffering from a plague of sentient knives jumping out of cutlery drawers and flying around the streets, like something from an Iain M Banks novel, looking for somebody to stick themselves into."
the other rob, Samiszdata.net blog comments.

The Times: Top police officer Barbara Wilding: gang life replacing family life
The political classes have spent a generation deconstructing British civil society and the family and now they're surprised at the results?
And: Cherie Blair: 'I fear for my children' (The Independent) - WTF! She has the gall to say this! (For our foreign readers, Cherie Blair is the wife of our former Prime Minister who presided over policies directly responsible for the state of Britain today.) Her answer is, of course, more of the same failed, Stalinist police state policies that contributed to the problem in the first place.
DC vs Heller judgement from SCOTUS, Thu Jun 26 2008
District of Colombia et al v Heller [PDF 938K]
Although not a unanimous decision, there was unanimity on one very important point: the Second Amendment protects an individual right. Well, duh. This is hardly news to those of us who've studied the issue but it seems to be a shock to the press.
Note on p19 in the majority decision Justice Scalia (who, masterfully, completely trashed the dissenting opinions) talks about the natural law right to armed self defence that pre-exists the US Constitution and is recognised in English common law. Now perhaps someone will believe me when I say it.
And now the fun really begins: lots of lawsuits…Mayor Daley calls Supreme Court's gun-ban reversal 'a very frightening decision' (Chicago Tribune). Presumably he's worried because Alan Gura is on the case: ChicagoGunCase.com.
The NY Times weighs in with, Gun Laws and Crime: A Complex Relationship. Howard Nemerov's analysis, The Brady Campaign to Define 'Sensible Gun Laws', gives us a more informative empirical analysis of "gun laws."
This judgement will have implications for the UK, at the very least it will put a brake on far the United Nations can go with civilian disarmament.
Head on down to the The Volokh Conspiracy for analysis, notably Interpretation vs. Construction in Heller.
Scottish Daily Express: Law Can't Protect You From Criminals Any More
pic: Headline: Law Can't Protect You From Criminals Any More.
2008-06-20
But for the "any more" on the end I could agree with the Sheriff. What it should read is:

"Law can't protect you and they've even given up pretending but will punish you for trying to protect yourself."

Don't bother to waste your time phoning for help: Rural people 'isolated' by plan to cut 999 calls (Telegraph).
The prisons are full anyway: Anger as violent criminals get fiscal fine deals (The Herald).
I don't understand why people can't wake up and smell the coffee. What is wrong with you people?

"There are none so blind as those who will not look. If you are one of those who will look, take a look around. You are surrounded - surrounded by millions who will not look. These are the blue pill people. Who are these blue pill people and why won't they look?"
Morpheus, The Matrix, 1999

Channel 4 TV: Disarming Britain Poll
Register your vote in the poll, for what it's worth.
The UK's Channel 4 weighs in with its Disarming Britain series, the same old anti-gun, anti-knife, anti-self defence propaganda BS that's been peddled by the UK media and political establishment for half a century and probably longer. The same failed strategy repeated over and over again. Of course, this time it really will make a difference, what with the intarw3bz and all.
According to all reports, attempting to make a pro-self defence comment (however anodyne) on the blog will not get past the moderators.
Mail Online: One-legged war veteran saves mother and baby from thugs … only to be arrested for carrying a truncheon
And people say I'm crazy for saying that the police are a big part of the problem.
Only free men - or Janissaries - are allowed to bear arms, in case you hadn't noticed.
At least in Canada you're still allowed to defend yourself, Montrealer acquitted in shooting death of policeman (globeandmail.com) but don't worry, the Canadian government is working hard to put a stop to that.
Daily Express: Scots Top UK Death League
Problematically for the gun and knife banning crowd, this can't be blamed on differences in laws within the UK: although Scots and English Law are significantly different, laws on firearms are reserved to the Westminster Parliament. Scotland, if anything, has more statutes bearing on knives… Sword ban is unkindest cut for Highland dancers (The Scotsman).
BBC News: Plan to restrict sales of airguns
Guns (especially given a sufficiently loose definition) aren't illegal enough already, apparently. Scottish politicians are concerned they don't look foolish enough and are redoubling their efforts. More laws - that always helps.
Meantime, a triumph for Japan's "strict gun controls" - Six dead in Tokyo stabbing spree (BBC News).
Sky News: On Gun Patrol In Manchester Gangland
Saturation police presence. They've fixed it, so they say. And I have a castle I can sell you…
Daily Mirror: Armed police safety fears after gun mistakes are revealed
It certainly used to be the case that an interest in firearms disqualified you from being in a police firearms team. A very sensible policy, obviously.
I gave weapons instruction in the Army, including in the Browning 9mm pistol, and I can assure you that this level of incompetence was not evidenced in the British Army at that time.
One problem is that that individual police officers need to have control of their personal weapons at all times and practise with them a lot more.
Guns are tools like any other, sensible handling and safety precautions in their use are not difficult for anyone to learn. Certainly, a lot easier than handling a car…then again you should probably worry somewhat more about police driving…Police Crashes (BBC News).
See also, SWAT Team Leader Uses Wrong Hand Signal Again (The Onion Radio News).
Meantime, in the US, the expansion of civilian gun ownership has been concurrent with a drop in firearms-related accident statistics: Firearm Safety In America 2007 (NRA Institute for Legislative Action).
Mail Online: Armed police raid home after mistaking Lara Croft dummy for gunman
Britain is now a bizarre anarcho-tyranny, strange and unrecognisable from the perspectives of my childhood and young adulthood. Laws and regulations proliferate so fast that nobody can possibly keep track of them. Worse than that, British Law is now a weird mashup of traditional English common law principles and the alien (and frequently philosophically incompatible) European Code Napoléon (Scottish and English law still haven't been reconciled after 300 years, what are these people thinking!). The laws and regulations are enforced both selectively and arbitrarily, depending on local circumstances and the phases of the moon. No one can be sure they aren't guilty, since no one can ever be sure exactly what the crimes are.
The laws that are especially vigorously enforced are to do with revenue raising, collecting taxes, fines, forfeitures and license fees.
The police, and the legal system, in the UK are now more of a liability than a help in pretty much any situation you can imagine as an individual or a family. Cops 'Target Law-Abiding To Hit Targets' (Sky News).

"Do you really think we want those laws to be observed? We want them broken. There is no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is to crack down on criminals. When there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking the law. Create a nation of lawbreakers and then you can cash in on the guilt. Now that's the system!"
Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged, 1957

BBC News: Soldiers 'supply guns to criminals'
This is an issue I've remarked on before (see my essay Controls on Replica Guns) and something that the Army has in secret taken very seriously for a long time. Units coming back from training abroad get very vigorous inspections of equipment and personal kit - certainly, at least, during the Cold War to my personal knowledge.
However, good soldiers are resourceful and highly adaptable whatever they're engaged in…you'll just have to content yourselves with hand-wringing and ponder on the hypocrisy of sending young men abroad to take democracy (whatever that's actually supposed to mean) and "freedom" at gunpoint to the heathen whilst the fundamental human right of self defence is denied in the UK.
BBC News: 'New tack' sought on gun control
By which they mean passing some new laws so's to ban things some more, including things that are already banned.
Predictably enough, the after action report is: Call for tightening of airgun law (BBC News).
Passing more laws. That always helps.
When it comes to government, nothing succeeds like failure.
The Scotsman: Rape victim's brave message to waiting police
pic: FORCE THE DOOR. When seconds count, the police are only minutes away…and then they stand around and do nothing very much. I really didn't know whether to laugh or cry when reading this. Seriously. Are you all completely mad?
And you think I'm crazy for wanting a gun to protect myself?
The Observer: Reichsjugendführer von Brown backs army cadet corps plan for schools
So first they ban guns then they make military training compulsory for schoolchildren because they need canon-fodder for their illegal invasions and occupations of foreign countries… reminds me of somewhere… ah well… Nothing to see here…
I really couldn't make this stuff up!
Terror threat to UK 'is growing' (BBC News) so we'll be holding rallies to celebrate the might of the British Army, Brown supports 'Armed Forces Day' (BBC News) and the Government's determination to fight the good fight against Terror. Meantime, we have you under surveillance, Council admits spying on family (BBC News).
Of course, you're still officially crazy if you want a gun to protect yourself.
Equal Opportunity Gun Ownership
A picture paints a thousand words. Indeed.
As is often the case with Blogs, the comments are the best part.
In this case "the pro-gun lobby" is one guy, Oleg Volk, an émigré Russian Jew living in America who supports himself as a freelance photographer and graphic artist: VolkStudio. In stark contrast the anti-gun lobby and the massive propaganda campaign associated with it, said propaganda parroted uncritically by the mainstream media, is heavily funded by governments and international business corporations.
YouTube (Al Jazeera): Guns in Montana
"THIS is what a free people look like."
BBC News: Teachers 'find drugs and weapons'
Of course things are perfectly safe in the UK now handguns have been banned (ABC News).
Meantime, round-ups of toy guns continue: Police to hold fake gun amnesty (BBC News). I couldn't make this stuff up… no really, I'm living in bizarro world…
USA Today: High court likely to favor gun rights
Not! If you believe that I'll have some of the pills you're taking.
Having managed to avoid the issue for most of the 20th Century the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is addressing the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution.
Being American and legally trained plain English is somewhat challenging for them. They're even quibbling about the punctuation.
Various State Constitutions also have arms-related clauses, it seems highly unlikely this will settle the matter.
The SCOTUS decision in this case could limit how far UN treaties can go in disarming American citizens and by implication the rest of the world. However, it seems clear to most informed commentators that SCOTUS will hand down a decision that effectively eliminates constitutional protections for gun ownership (for instance as they have for property ownership).
My expectation is that "shall not be infringed" will mysteriously allow for "reasonable regulation in the public interest" which do not have to pass strict standards of necessity, despite that being in blatant contradiction to all the facts of the matter.
See, Going Up for Second by John R Lott Jr (National Review) and DC vs Heller, Media Briefing Book from GunFacts.com.
Meantime, American citizens are moving the debate on: Packing in public: Gun owners tired of hiding their weapons embrace 'open carry' (LA Times).
The First Post: The middle classes are tooling up
See also, Jean Pierre Fusil armurier French arm regulation.

Homer: I'd like to buy your deadliest gun, please.
Gun Shop Owner: Aisle six, next to the sympathy cards.
 - The Simpsons: "The Cartridge Family."

YouTube (NRAVideos): NRA: To See Where Gun Licensing Leads, Look To England.
"The other side of the argument" that you'll never see in the UK media.
Meantime, supposedly the problem is the law is too lenient: Judges criticised over gun crime (BBC News). Apparently criminals start obeying the law if it's strict enough, you've just got to convince them you really, really mean it because, obviously, they all know deep in their hearts that they're going to get caught and punished.
Times Online: Police face new test: how to stop child of 8 armed with a gun?
Clearly "gun control" is working well in the UK.
Ideas in Progress (blog): In America Even Peasants Own a Car
Couldn't have put it better myself.
Granny get yer gun.
YouTube: 11yo Girl Sets New Record for Field Stripping Her AR15
Now that's what I call a wholesome, character-building activity for an 11 years old.
The comments are also worthwhile.
St Valentine's Day Massacre
An email correspondent helpfully sent me a link about the latest "school shootings" - as if it wasn't all over the UK news already.
Check out, Google Video: Suzanna Gratia-Hupp: What the Second Amendment is REALLY For.
"Gun Control" and the US Presidential hopefuls
Whatever the failings of the American political system, at least there are some obvious differences between the candidates on key issues - which is more than can be said here in the UK.
But see, San Francisco Chronicle: Rule by fear or rule by law?
BBC News: Anger over school shooting range
The government needs - young - people to fight in their illegal wars. If you aren't able to hold two contradictory ideas in your head at the same time nothing the government does will make any sense. Yes, time for you to re-read George Orwell's 1984 and ponder on Newspeak.
The Rochester Study may give some clues to those of us with open minds who want real solutions and not empty rhetoric.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
The Mail on Sunday: Pensioner arrested and locked in cell for shouting at yobs who threw stones at ducks
Yahoo: Man BRUTALISED by armed police who thought his MP3 player was a gun
Sadly, in the UK today, these sorts of incidents are commonplace. The police here are a part of the problem, not a part of the solution. But what am I saying, of course the police are always there to help (BBC News). I could not make this stuff up (Daily Mail).
BBC News: Summit plans to reform gun laws (Scotland)
Translation: second-rate political hacks want to ban some things some more and pretend they have the moral high ground. More gesture politics and nothing important will be done except for wasting a lot of public money and making life more difficult for law-abiding gun owners.
In addition, they may well be picking a fight with Westminster since regulation of firearms and explosives is a reserved power. Indeed, mysteriously the BBC's headline morphed from the one here to "Air weapon ban proposals rejected" at some point after it was posted. Perhaps they realise that people are beginning to notice that all this "urgent political action" doesn't appear to be having the desired effect.
See also, BBC News: Airgun ban takes a step forward.
The last thing they'll do is admit it's their failed social policies, including their denial of that fundamental human right, the right to keep and bear arms, that have lead us to the sorry state of Scotland - and the rest of Britain - today. European Commission report: Crime, Security and Safety in the EU [PDF 591K].
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html It's safe to assume I won't be invited to the summit.
BBC News: Deactivated gun ban 'by year end'
Accompanied by the customary shroud-waving, more of the same old bullshit.

"We already have the tightest controls in Europe but there is more we can do."
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith

Well, yes, for some definition of "controls." You can get into trouble for having toy swords (Evening Standard): Panto pirates told to report their plastic swords to the police. I could not make this stuff up.
What next… banning machine tools… cutting off people's trigger fingers? Years ago I commented about the futility of banning simple mechanical objects, when will people get finally a clue?
The Independent: Gun scourge on our streets: Nearly 1,000 shot this year
"The number of people treated for gunshot wounds has reached a three-year high - and more than one in 10 of the victims are under the age of 14 - prompting fears that Britain is in the grip of an escalating problem."
If "gun control" is "the answer" that's not evident here in the UK.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
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2007

Mos Maiorum: The Ancient Ways of Rome and United Kingdom by Guy R Leven-Torres [PDF 133K]
Leven-Torres succinctly outlines what myself and many others researching the British Constitution have come to recognise: many politicians and public servants of this country have been, and continue to be, engaged in illegal and treasonous acts calculated to destroy British sovereignty and deny the constitutional rights and liberties of the British people.
Required reading.
Hamesucken, killing of a house-breaker
Ancient rights and liberties are guaranteed by both Scots and English constitutions and statute law, don't let anyone persuade you otherwise.
YouGov: Gun and Knife Crime, 11/09/2007 [PDF 119K]
You will note that the results of this poll call into question many of the Government's claims about gun crime.
Times online: Ministers 'covered up' gun crime.
BBC News: Shot boy's parents speak of loss
The response from the MSM (mainstream media) and politicians is the same tired old "we must get the guns off the streets," "tougher sentencing," chorus repeated ad nauseam.
Telegraph online: Former detective: It is a gangland culture.
The Rochester Study may give some clues to those of us with open minds who want real solutions and not empty rhetoric.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
The Human Right of Self-defense [PDF 1.08M]
The ever-reliable Eisen, Gallant, and Kopel deliver a timely, and thorough, review of National and International Law.
An important conclusion is reached after careful consideration of the facts:
"No government has the legitimate authority to forbid a person from exercising her human right to defend herself against a violent attack, or to forbid her from taking steps and acquiring the tools necessary to exercise that right."
Required reading.
See also, An International Human Right To Keep And Bear Arms, by Christopher J Schmidt.
Home Office Research Study 298 of 2006 - Critique by Colin Greenwood
More proof (if it were needed) that the Home Office doesn't commission research, it commissions results.
The Guardian: Police call for tougher gun crime laws
Not content with Victim Disarmament, the UK authorities now want to jail you for being a victim of gang violence.
High profile shooting incidents in America are always an auspicious time for calls for more 'gun control' in the UK.
BBC News: US university shooting kills 33
The highest death-toll in a mass shooting in America. The gunman roamed around for a couple of hours after an initial shooting incident.
Already UK news commentators are anticipating the American authorities using it as an excuse to disarm law-abiding American citizens. It's laughable to imagine (even if, for instance, Hillary Clinton manages to get elected as President) that the US is anywhere in sight of the level of so-called 'gun control' that signally failed to prevent the Dunblane Massacre - and even if it was, the numbers of firearms and ammunition in circulation in the black market will be enormous for decades to come.
The gunmen walking the streets in the UK are, apparently, of little concern since handguns are banned here.
As ever, I see it as yet another demonstration of the real problem: that a disarmed population cannot defend itself. WorldNetDaily: State quashed bill allowing handguns on campuses.
I still can't get my head around how can you imagine that making yourself defenceless can make you safer.
It's interesting that the killer turns out to be a Korean…Seoul is stunned by policeman's slaying of 56.
In case you imagine that 'modern' weapons are required for a lone psychopath to commit mass-murder, take a look at the Bath School disaster of 1927.
At present, it appears this was a classic "lone gunman" case (the fact he may have been taking prescribed psychoactive drugs is rather significant, however). Nonetheless, the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) had previously issued a warning about a possible Beslan-style militant attack on a location such as this. Whatever is to be done, disarming the law-abiding isn't going to be an effective response - if you really want to prevent tragedies such as this.
I'm hopeful that public opinion is beginning to change, people are beginning to understand that the solution does not lie in 'controlling' things. Fundamental changes are required to make individuals more aware and more able to actively protect their own safety and that of others.
The government, and its agents, have no duty to protect you and government employees may even be penalised for doing so: Fireman faces punishment for risking his life in rescue.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
Guns in Northern Ireland
Report from a source in Northern Ireland (NI) about Personal Protection Weapon (PPW) permits in the province. NI is a part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, however many things are done somewhat differently there than the rest of UK for all sorts of very complicated reasons.
ANANOVA™: Reid moves to toughen gun crime law
More of the same tired old bullshit that's lead us to where we are today. You know what they say - "Insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results."
BBC News: How Trident hones in on gun crime - "Gun crime across England and Wales has increased every year over the last decade."
Be sure to read They have no guns - so they have a lot of crime by Dr Paul Gallant and Dr Joanne Eisen. The disparity between the UK's homicide rate and America's might not be as you imagine.
Gun Control: Does Biased Research Foster Workplace Danger? by Howard Nemerov demonstrates techniques used to lie to you.
See also, How governments create crime, by Dr Lech Beltowski [PDF 1.2M].
An email enquiry resulted in this Correspondence with the London Evening Standard, Feb 2007.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
Telegraph.co.uk: Time to bite the bullet on gun ban
All for "sporting purposes" of course.
Having spent all that money compensating gun owners for their confiscated guns, now suddenly let them buy new ones. In what way does that make any sense?
Putting more guns into circulation whilst continuing to deny the law-abiding their right to self defence with effective weapons means that all this proposal would do is raise the spectre of a "legal handgun" being used in homicide or suicide.
This is sophistry, propaganda intended to divert attention from discussion about the real need to allow citizens of the UK to own, carry, and use handguns for self defence.
However "strict" licensing regulations are they are no protection from anything. Currently in the news a highly trained, highly selected, US astronaut who went off the rails. How can you be so foolish as to imagine "background checks" and police examinations can see into the human mind? In any case, why should policemen be allowed such discretion, such power over the individual? Is that a free society…or is that a police state?
Either we all have guns, or only the criminals and the government…though I'm not convinced they're so very different in character - both desire a monopoly of force in inter-personal relations.
In a free country we should all have guns. For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
BBC News: No 10 rejects police state claim
Well they would, wouldn't they.
By any reasonable objective standard Britain is a police state. Britain is the most heavily-policed country in the world. Britain is an Elective Dictatorship, the Doctrine of the Sovereignty of Parliament means, in actual fact, that a British subject has no rights.
Don't believe me? Check out the Australian High Court ruling from June 2000.
The words of (or attributed to) Martin Niemöller "First they came…" should weigh heavy on us…but, apparently, they don't.
How eager you are to become slaves.
Guardian Unlimited: 'There is no war on terror'
Try telling that to Blair and Bush. "Culture of legislative restraint"…if only
Freedom in Peril. Guarding the 2nd Amendment in the 21st Century [PDF 3.9M]
Leaked draft of the US National Rifle Association's, hard-hitting, controversial booklet.
ABC News: NRA's Graphic Attack on Its Enemies Leaked Onto Internet.
I love it.
» menu

2006

A petition for Concealed Carry of Weapons (CCW) permits in the UK
Our Government "consulting the people" in a trendy "new" way by using "E-Petitions."
Speeches from Ministers about the new "service" make it clear that petitions, and pressure groups etc., that conform to desired government policies are used for propaganda purposes, whilst the others are dismissed as unrepresentative. See, for instance, Times online: A million motorists embarrass road price ministers.
ABC News: Gun control - a new study has found the 1996 gun buy-back had no effect on firearm deaths
(Australia.) Excellent discussion, with some objectivity creeping in to news reporting…I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.
See also the c.l.a.s.s. coverage of this report and various responses to it…
Study shows buyback had no effect on the murder rate.
BBC News: Huge weapons cache found in house
A useful propaganda coup in light of recent headlines about gun deaths. It's not clear whether this is in truth anything to do with criminal activity. Certainly it won't be a problem for the police to discover many technical violations of the UK's baroque "firearms control" laws, even if the gun-dealer was not of criminal intent.
I expect we would find that the "revolvers" mentioned in the report are legal to own (with a licence) black powder, cap and ball revolvers (modern reproductions of antique weapons).
Either way, it's guaranteed to make no significant dent in the illegal market in firearms in the UK. Most illegal guns in the UK are believed to be sourced from eastern Europe not America.
As always, the test of police efficiency is the absence of crime and disorder not the visible evidence of police action in dealing with it.
June 2007: my scepticism proved correct… BBC News: When is a gun not a gun?
Simply one of the more egregious cases of the Police ignoring the law and persecuting law-abiding citizens.
BBC News: Criticism over released offenders
Yet more evidence that the government and its agents cannot protect you. Not that they're not legally obliged to protect you in any case. If you don't protect yourself and your loved ones, nobody else will.
BBC News: Dangerous Assault Knives banned
Truly the lunatics are running the asylum.
If at first you don't succeed, redouble your efforts and look even more foolish.
Or perhaps we're turning Japanese - see, Japanese Gun Control by David B Kopel.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
Brietbart.com: 8 Grocery Employees Stabbed in Tennessee
"MEMPHIS, Tenn.
A knife-wielding grocery store employee attacked eight co-workers Friday, seriously injuring five before a witness pulled a gun and stopped him, police said. …Police said two large kitchen knives used in the attack were found at the scene."
The police, supposedly, were almost there at the time. Yeah, right.
A citizen, successfully, using a gun to defend life. We won't be reading that in the national press, either in the USA or here - and certainly not without the spin.
Telegraph.co.uk: A manifesto for radical law and order reform: how Britain can beat the menace of crime
A manifesto for business as usual. If putting people in prison was the answer then Britain would have the lowest crime rates in Europe. If passing laws was the issue then the Labour Government has certainly done more of that than any government on record.
You can lead a horse to water…
BBC News: Opposition urge Clarke to resign
The unsightly, jug-eared, Charles Clarke as Home Secretary was the head of the UK Government organisation, the Home Office, tasked to "…ensure the protection and security of the public is aintained" (quote from the Home Office website).
'Systemic failure'
See also, Telegraph.co.uk: The violent criminals who walk out of prison at will.
Get a clue people, can you not wake from your slumber and simply open your eyes? The government cannot protect you or the ones you love - it's up to you do that!
That's why every home should have a gun. At least one.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
The Independent: Helen and Sylvia, the new face of terrorism
We're all terrorists now.
See my letter to my Member of Parliament entitled, New Labour Police State.
Small Arms and Light Weapons: Making the UN Programme of Action work
A revealing piece. By way of justifying any statements of purported fact it starts with the tired old rhetorical trick of argument by anecdote and eventually makes it to argument by assertion.
The article is a clear exposition of how so-called "international law" is intended to do an end run around national government, local political accountability, and national constitutional guarantees of fundamental human rights.
The "human rights" advocated by the UN and its NGOs bear only coincidental similarity to the rights recognised in the common law and in British constitutional documents like Magna Carta and Bill of Rights 1688.
Notice the fact that the Brazilians claimed back their right to self-defence is waved off, without any supporting evidence, as a protest vote against government economic policies and nothing todo with RKBA.
The agenda of these so-called NGOs, who are in reality almost entirely funded by governments unless they are lobbying bodies for a cartel of business interests, is to rob you not only of your ability to defend yourself but also of any ability to have any effective say in the matter.
The American National Rifle Association is practically unique amongst NGOs in being largely funded by the subscriptions from small businesses and millions of individual American citizens.
Either a country can control its borders or it can't. If it can then it doesn't matter what's happening next door. If it can't then history amply demonstrates that it's ridiculous to imagine international bodies are up to the job of organising anything for the benefit of anyone other than the cartel of international banking interests. (Then again, whether a country's government chooses to control its borders is another issue.)
See "More deadly U.N. issues" by Dave Kopel, Paul Gallant & Joanne Eisen for a dose of reality.
BBC News: Summer knives amnesty announced
Nope, it's not April Fool's Day yet but the Establishment is having a laugh anyway. Pointy stick amnesty coming real soon.
Meantime it's politically convenient to have recorded violent crime as lower - Violence Down Amid Pub Law Change. The coldest winter months for decades certainly helped put a crimp on carousal in public spaces.
Taking the two articles together that's an "11% fall" in October-December after a "4% rise" previously in July-September. Time to revisit your stats books and the original data perhaps? (Are even BBC journalists really that stupid they can believe government statistics, or are we supposed to be that stupid?)
BBC News: Italy approves self-defence law
It appears that there are at least some Europeans with enough cojones to emulate the way Brazilians claimed back their right to self-defence.
The BBC report, predictably, re-iterates the tired old "blood will run in the streets" nonsense that is invariably trotted out at any suggestion of civilians defending themselves.
Meantime, the UK Government doesn't like the crime figures so they're thinking of changing them.
The Times: Gun ban 'damaging Olympic hopes'
Now that Britain's Olympic bid has succeeded it's hard to see why this is deemed newsworthy.
An interesting factoid not mentioned is that Malcolm Cooper was the designer of the highly successful Accuracy International L96 Rifle as used by the British Army and many other armies and police units worldwide. It's hard to imagine that civilian shooting will, or can, make any significant contribution now or in the future to the defence of the realm after the highly effective civilian disarmament campaign run by the British Establishment against its own population.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
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2005

BBC News: Personal security dominates Brazil poll
It seems Brazilians aren't as lame as Britoids and can act in the belief that they and the majority of their fellow citizens are responsible adults capable of making important choices in their own lives - the public resoundingly rejected unilateral civilian disarmament.
The BBC exposes its anti-gun bias by parroting the transparently bogus statistics regarding the Brazilian gun amnesty put forward by the anti-gun forces. Clearly Brazilians are rather more sophisticated in their analysis than BBC journalists - not difficult to imagine.
This, via email, from a Lawyer in Rio,
"I'm sure these numbers are doctored. Every governor changes the way statistics are produced to suit his own aim of showing drops in high profile selected crimes. They exclude, for example, "robbery in public transport" from "general robbery" and then claim "general robbery" went down on their watch. That is why statistics in Brazil are unreliable. Didn't they claim that 90% plus of the victims who reacted to a mugging died or were shot? Isn't it obvious that when we successfully set a perp on the run we don't then go to the police station to file a report? So only the unsuccessful reactions make statistics…"
The Sunday Times: Scotland tops world league for violent crime
Obviously "our" Government "adjusts" its statistics to its purposes; there is no clear source of data that isn't tainted by political direction. The UN is a highly politicized organisation but they don't have any obvious axe to grind that would suggest they somehow treated Scotland unfairly in this report.
Whatever the UN report actually purports to represent it's not encouraging for those who claim that disarming the law-abiding is the way to reduce violence in a community.
Scottish politicians have responded, predictably, by promising to ban some new things and ban the old things some more.
BBC News: MPs 'must review shooting policy'
Not "gun-control" but the propensity of the UK Police to shoot first and try not to ask questions afterwards.
"The IPCC is investigating the shooting. On Friday, it announced it was also investigating leaks to the media about details of its inquiry."
"Those details appeared to contradict some of the initial police claims in the wake of the shooting."
I've commented before that the Police expect to be given a license to kill and this is more evidence of that attitude. Given that Israeli conscript soldiers manage to capture real suicide bombers alive, that dead men don't tell tales, and the "dead man's switch" is an old idea, I can only see this as gross stupidity and breathtaking incompetence on the part of the Police.
Even hardened SAS soldiers, not known for being shy about the use of lethal force, find the Metropolitan Police's gestapo-styled, balaclava-clad, thugs a bit hard to stomach - SAS trainers denounce `gung ho' armed police.
The Independent carried an interesting commentary on the situation in Oct 2005, Shot dead by police 30. Officers convicted 0.
What mystifies me, as ever, is why the public trusts the Police to protect them when "the authorities" are manifestly incapable of doing any such thing - in fact are much more likely to be a part of the problem than anything to do with the solution - see, "More deadly U.N. issues" by Dave Kopel, Paul Gallant & Joanne Eisen.
Crime in England and Wales 2004/2005
Produced by the Home Office research development statistics (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 11/05) published July 2005.
Gun Control: Examining the 2005 FBI Crime Statistics by Howard Nemerov, is an interesting dissection of supposedly comparable American statistics.
BBC News: Crime bill targets replica guns
A grab-bag of various authoritarian measures, a Bill of fifty or so pages of the same old nonsense from the same old people.
Bans on various types of replica guns have been brought in periodically with much self-congratulation on the part of the chattering classes. The UK media establishment fails to question why banning more and more things leads to the requirement to ban even more things rather than "solving" the underlying "problem."
As various commentators have remarked, bans on pointy sticks can't be far away at this rate.
The British disease - redoubling your efforts and looking even more foolish - in full song, as ever.
BBC News: Doctors' kitchen knives ban call
I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again: I just couldn't make this stuff up, it's too crazy.
How often is it necessary to point out that the problem is the people not the things. Banning knives, or air guns, or whatever else it is this week will not stop people using tools to kill or injure or other people. Get a clue!
BBC News: Mothers march against gun crime
Banning handguns isn't enough: more things need to be banned some more, apparently.
Liberals' Total Focus On Guns Is Misguided
In Canada (of all places) a politician who has a clue about the "gun control" issue. Sadly, no sign of anything like that on this side of the Atlantic.
Why parliament will not restore the householders' right to self-defence
Quality article by Joyce Lee Malcolm. Though I can't see why she thinks the public is likely (or even able) to do anything constructive. It's certainly not clear to me that public opinion in reality plays any part in informing Tony Blair's policies, for all the media hype to the contrary. And the Tory Party, who in any case are currently led by the guy who banned handguns in the first place, are in no position to win an election in the foreseeable future - as if they would be any different.
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2004

BBC News: Met boss backs attacking burglars
Original report in The Daily Telegraph Time to let people kill burglars in their homes, says Met chief. Specifically mentioning he doesn't want guns involved. Somebody should mention that to the burglars perhaps.
A burglar is defined in English Law as a person who makes a forcible entry into a house after dark with intent to steal. It's an old common law tradition (derived from Biblical Law, see Exodus 22:2, KJV) that burglary represents an escalated threat of violence and justifies the use of lethal force by the householder.
Perhaps he's heard about the Scots Law on Hamesucken, killing of a house-breaker
It's not clear to me what Sir John Stevens is saying about self-defence in general.
I find it hard to see how you can properly defend yourself without effective weapons, i.e. firearms, to do so.
BBC News: More police join firearms protest
My take: we plebs are penalised heavily for attempting to defend ourselves, but the Police expect to be given a license to kill.
The government, realising you can't operate a police state - oops, I mean a modern liberal democracy - without jackbooted thugs with assault rifles, has done a deal: Met police call off gun protest
Allowing policemen to get away with murder makes us all safer, apparently.
BBC News: Gun crime figures show fresh rise
"No amount of government spin will hide the fact that violent crime is out of control. We now have record levels of gun crime, rocketing sex offences, a further 14% increase in violent crime and overall crime is nearly 750,000 higher than 1998."
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis
You'd hope gun fatalities would be in decline with all the money being pumped into the NHS.
BBC News: Crime reduction strategy 'flawed'
"There are 'significant flaws' in the principles behind the government's crime reduction strategy, according to a report by an independent think-tank."
For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert.
BBC News: Police chief sorry for 999 delay
Don't worry, the police will protect you.
Police Abandon 12-Year-Old Child As Father Is Arrested
The Canadian Police move on owners of unregistered firearms in September 2004.
For more background, see CBC News: Protest leader arrested on Parliament Hill
Canadian gun owners seem to have bit more nerve than their British counterparts in protesting unreasonable laws.
And read the Gallant and Eisen article, "Canada: Lies To The North Of Us".
BBC News: Violent crime figures rise by 12%
What you measure is what you get. Crime is up…No, crime is down…No, crime is up…No, crime is down…No, crime is up…
Economist.com: Sloppy stats shame science
"What is published in scientific journals may not be as true as it should be" - seems the people at the The Economist buy into the post-modern theory that "truth" has varying degrees depending on circumstance.
Why fact-checking is important to you especially when you're dealing with "the experts."
The Economist article calls into question people who are inadvertently making statistical mistakes. However, in the "gun control" debate (particularly on the 'anti' side) there's plenty of deliberate falsification (not only of data, but also by the use of inappropriate statistical techniques) and misrepresentation.
Caveat lector.
You might like to try…
John Brignell's Numberwatch
Steve Milloy's Junk Science Homepage
BBC News: Gun legislation 'faces overhaul'
"There is statistical evidence that firearms incidents are increasing, and we should not be complacent"
Assistant Inspector of Constabulary Tim Hollis
The authorities feel there is the need to ban guns some more. The word is that further restrictions on shot gun ownership are waiting in the wings for a propitious moment.
"We need to prevent guns getting into the wrong hands while allowing legitimate shooters to pursue their sport without danger to public safety"
Home Office minister Caroline Flint
What exactly is a "legitimate shooter" pray tell, when more and more types of guns and gun-like things get banned with every passing decade?
Yes Virginia, these people are as crazy as they seem.
See also my 2003 article, Controls on Replica Guns.
The Home Office produced, Controls on Firearms Consultation, a "consultation" document.
Crime in England and Wales 2002/2003: Supplementary Volume 1: Homicide and Gun Crime 01/04 [PDF]
"Gun crime" in England and Wales according to the Home Office.
As per usual, firearms-related crime is highest in major metropolitan areas - least legal guns and most policemen - and lowest where there is highest legal gun ownership and fewer policemen.
CCRKBA Takes Gun Rights Battle International, Opens Office in London
An American pro-gun group, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA), thinks the time is right to open a London office.
London is a world city not representative of the rest of the UK but since Parliament is there it's where the action is as regards the law.
The Guardian: Anger over Tory MP's gun gaffe
In which we see that the Dunblane tragedy continues to be invoked during media posturing re Britain's "gun laws."
Also see The Guardian report: Death in Woolwich - "Guns are becoming ever more common in British cities, and rates of shootings and murders are spiralling."
The Guardian: Gun crime sparks body vest rethink
Seems the Metropolitan police are worried that drive-by shootings are becoming fashionable in London.
BBC News: Martin backers' law bid 'to fail'
In a BBC Radio poll of 26,000 people, the use of lethal force against an unwanted intruder in the home was the favoured choice of a large proportion. Those people appreciate that someone who is prepared to break into an occupied dwelling is likely to be prepared to engage in lethal violence. Our Right Honourable leaders don't approve of people defending themselves however - usually claiming their absurd belief is that the public are valuing property over life, which is not the issue. It's about the right to defend yourself against those who intend to do you harm.
What really puzzles me is that the great British public doesn't understand the difference between Direct Democracy and Representative Democracy and think they have a say in things in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
See "The truth about gun control" [PDF 117K] by John Johnson, a supporter of Tony Martin and RKBA.
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2003

BBC News: Firearm crime continues to rise
Still no explanation from the Home Office as to why the "small weapons" ban doesn't deal with this.
BBC News: Arms fair policing attacked
Europe's largest arms fair is held in London Docklands.
All those automatic weapons drugs gangs use come from somewhere: as the second largest arms exporter in world the UK is surely doing its bit.
What do you know, representatives from Syria - fingered by Dubya as sponsors of terror - have been invited to the arms fair.
It's protesting against arms sales that makes you a terrorist it seems: some demonstrators were arrested under anti-terrorism legislation.
Hypocrisy doesn't even begin to cover it.
The Scotsman: Concern over guns amid rise in sale of firearms
Although the number of holders of firearms licenses is falling, this hardcore of gun nuts are holding larger numbers of weapons. Presumably a stop will be put to that now it's been noticed. The Scotsman (displaying their usual "high standards of journalism") originally got this report wrong by claiming the official statistics represented handguns rather than firearms, having forgotten that handguns ("small weapons") were prohibited in Scotland in 1997. They printed a (small) notice of retraction in the next day's issue.
Somehow illegally-carried knives are something to do with this too, at least in the febrile minds of The Scotsman reporters. But I guess that's as logical as imagining legally-held firearms relate to criminal usage of firearms without any evidence to show that to be the case. And they're too feeble-minded to question the proposition that "successful policing" means more criminals.
BBC News: Fight on crime 'being lost'
Even after the figures have been "adjusted" violent crime is shown as being up. The government is, of course, blaming everyone and everything but themselves.
Thought Crimes and the British Gestapo
The shocking tale of a British gun-owner, his wife, and the British Police State.
The Scotsman: Robertson sues over Dunblane killer allegations
When a UK politician sues for libel you know you're on to something.
If I posted a fraction of the allegations I receive of satan worshipping paedophile rings with top politicians as members…there probably wouldn't be space for much else on the server.
Quite apart from the Dunblane angle, an interesting test case for law and the Internet.
See also the discussion group, http://groups.msn.com/DunblaneInquiry
The Observer: The uncovered poll
An Observer/ICM poll on public attitudes to crime in Britain. Fascinating that, in spite of relentless anti-gun propaganda from the British media, as high as 25% would have a gun for self-defence if it were legal in the UK (which currently it certainly isn't).
This was published as part of The Observer's "Crime Uncovered" reporting. The accompanying editorial claims that public perception is wrong that crime is up but official statistics saying crime is down are right. Heaven forefend: who are we lowly peasants to be stupid enough to believe our lying eyes?!! - even given that the Police fake crime stats.
See They have no guns - so they have a lot of crime by Dr Paul Gallant and Dr Joanne Eisen.
Meantime, the UK Government is planning to improve legal protection for burglars and violent criminals going about their business…
Government lawyers say burglars 'need protection'
An article in The Daily Mirror confirms that the people aren't convinced by cooked-up figures: Britain a Nation in Fear of Thugs and Thieves.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
"Gun Ownership and Human Rights" [PDF 200K]
David B. Kopel, Joanne D. Eisen, and Paul Gallant, "Gun Ownership and Human Rights," The Brown Journal of World Affairs, Winter/Spring 2003 - Volume IX, Issue 2.
"The previous issue of the Brown Journal of World Affairs (Volume IX, Issue 1) contained a collection of articles arguing for dramatically reducing the numbers of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in the hands of 'non-state actors.' In this article, we suggest that such a reduction is neither realistic nor desirable. Should the reduction project succeed, the result might well be a substantial increase in mortality."
BBC News: Firearms amnesty launched
This time in Scotland - aren't people tired of this kind of bs propaganda yet?
News from Iraq is that UK troops are setting up a gun amnesty in Basra. It's what occupying forces do, clearly. And obviously it's such a good idea to make yourself defenceless in the face of marauding gangs of looters.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
BBC News: Dunblane reports made public
Or rather, a token few are made public. I tend to go with the stupidity rather than malice explanation for the secrecy surrounding the Dunblane documents. The complete incompetence of the various authorities in dealings with Hamilton is clear from what is already public knowledge, in any case.
Excessive secrecy has long been a major flaw (from the standpoint of the average joe public) in the British system of government.
BBC News: Gun amnesty details announced
It seems some people haven't noticed handguns were banned in the UK in 1997. I'm sure as soon as they realise they'll hand them in straight away.
Don't you feel so much safer already?
BSSC Snubs US NRA
Yet more evidence, if that were needed, that the British Shooting Sports Council (BSSC) is part of the problem, not part of the solution. BSSC is not even representative of the shooting public let alone the British public in general.
BBC News: Doctors under fire over gun crime
"Doctors are not agents of the police and it would be wrong to put calling the police before the needs of their patient."
I can't see that idea lasting for much longer, what with "The War Against Terror" (TWAT).
And yet another reason to view Government statistics with scepticism.
National Post: The guns are in Britain despite gun control
The Canadians aren't exactly shy about banning guns but at least there is some genuine debate about it their newspapers.
The Guardian: Parole denied to farmer jailed for killing burglar
A close friend of Martin's, Richard Portham, said: "He told me he had seen one of the reports from a probation officer who said he shouldn't get released because he was a danger to burglars."
I guess my uncle in Texas wouldn't understand: he has a sign nailed to his garden wall that says "Trespassers will be shot" and his M1 Garand (my favourite rifle, I imagine it was at Iwo Jima) under the bed - so far it's worked for him.
Fri 9 May 2003: Martin stays in prison to save burglars
Fri 13 Jun 2003: Shot burglar wins right to sue Martin
Sat 26 Jul 2003: Police watch Martin home
See "The truth about gun control" [PDF 117K] by John Johnson, a supporter of Tony Martin and RKBA.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
BBC News: Should the police be armed?
A BBC "vox pop." This is my favourite…
"I was under the impression that the police were armed already. Perhaps that's just because I work in the City."
Russ, London, UK
I don't approve arming the police while private citizens have no right to self-defence.
BBC News: Why Britain needs more guns
BBC news reviewing Joyce L Malcolm? I definitely woke up in bizarro world today. I think they posted this to fool American readers of the BBC website into thinking there's some kind of RKBA debate going on in the UK. There isn't. Hell will freeze over before any remotely electable UK politician backs RKBA.
Lessons of History: Firearms Regulation and the Reduction of Crime by Joyce Lee Malcolm. [PDF 111K]
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
BBC News: Guns amnesty agreed at summit
Quite why gangsters will suddenly see the light and hand in their guns is beyond me, but I guess "something must be done."
BBC News: Gun crime soars by 35%
Of course, since Police fake crime stats we can only wonder as to what the real situation is. Given that the murder rate is at the highest level ever recorded I think it's safe to infer that the increase in gun crime isn't a matter of changes in reporting methods or statistical analysis.
See They have no guns - so they have a lot of crime by Dr Paul Gallant and Dr Joanne Eisen.
BBC News: New controls on replica guns
From this article it can be seen the various political parties are in step on "gun control" and concerned that more stuff should be banned.
New laws banning the sale, possession and importation of some types of air guns are due to be announced shortly.
You can read my article, Controls on Replica Guns, if you want to try and make some sense of all this.
Steve Kendrick's article, "Another day, another knee jerks…", contains further useful information and comment.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
BBC News: Two teenage girls shot dead
The police have said little substantive but have indicated it does not involve "terrorism" but is linked with Birmingham's gang culture and that the girls were bystanders caught as collateral damage in a gunfight. Radio and TV news reports have talked of a "bullet-riddled" car and large quantities of empty cartridge cases. It's believed that at least one automatic weapon was involved. Police say that witnesses are frightened to come forward for fear of reprisals. How I laughed at Morris's misquotation of Edmund Burke, I hope it was irony on his part but I fear it's just stupidity. Here's a real quote for him (and you):
"It is an advantage to all narrow wisdom and narrow morals that their maxims have a plausible air; and, on a cursory view, appear equal to first principles. They are light and portable. They are as current as copper coin; and about as valuable. They serve equally the first capacities and the lowest; and they are, at least, as useful to the worst men as to the best. Of this stamp is the cant of not man, but measures; a sort of charm by which many people get loose from every honourable engagement."
Edmund Burke, Thoughts on the cause of the present discontents, 1770. In The Works of the Right Honourable Edmund Burke, edited by Henry Froude, Oxford University Press, 1909, Volume 2, page 83.
The witnesses are caught between a rock and a hard place: on the one hand they have the gangsters with machineguns who will kill them if they speak out, and on the other they have the policemen with machineguns who are taking bribes from the gangsters to turn a blind eye to the drug-dealing…
"Because of the huge explosion in organised crime and drugs money we've now got police officers who can take bribes of £50,000 or £80,000 to subvert an individual job or series of jobs or who are prepared to recycle drugs for significant profit."
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Paul Condon, The Guardian, 29 Jan 1998 (forced to comment on incontrovertible evidence of police corruption).
Not an auspicious way for Birmingham to start the New Year. Sadly this type of incident is becoming ever more commonplace in modern Britain's metropolitan areas.
Judging by commentary in the UK media it looks likely to be used as an excuse to promote further "gun control", including pushing UN efforts to "internationalise" gun control. Of course, automatic weapons used in crime in actual fact originate from government armouries (well, mostly, given how easy they are to make) so it's clear that disarming law-abiding private citizens isn't going to interfere with gang warfare using military weapons.
Apparently it's not rock n' roll, the Devil's music is rap. Maybe they've been playing the records backwards. I've said it before and no doubt I'll say it again, I couldn't make this stuff up, it's just too crazy.
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2002

BBC News: New Year gun amnesty planned
"Figures due out next month are expected to reveal that record numbers of offences are being committed using guns."
More gun bans for the new year. More of the same with more of the same result.
BBC News: More armed police in London
"Illegal use of firearms rose by 20% this year compared to 2001."
Other Metropolitan areas in the UK have seen similar increases in both firearms crime and the numbers of armed police deployed. Policemen with holstered Glock Model 17 9mm pistols are becoming a familiar sight for more and more British subjects.
BBC News: Police spokesman calls for routine arming of police
"We must have the ultimate protection of a firearm to protect not only society but ourselves."
Norman Brennan
If only because they're so busy preventing me from protecting myself perhaps? I say no to routine arming of the police unless or until the right to keep and arms for citizens is recognised. The police should not have rights and liberties a citizen doesn't have, which they surely do now. (If you don't like it, get a different job.)
Note Brennan's words: the duty of the police is protect public order not to protect you, the individual. It's up to you to do that.
It's quite simple - because they're actively disarming the law-abiding general public the British police are part of the problem, not part of the solution. See Richard Munday's essay "Bill of Rights" from 1996 for analysis of the problematic nature of the British Parliamentary system.
"More deadly U.N. issues" by Dave Kopel, Paul Gallant & Joanne Eisen explains why I don't like the idea of only the police and military having guns. They're the ones who carry out the genocide! If you think "it couldn't happen here" you'd better start reading your history books.
Don't say I didn't warn you.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
In Praise of Chaos
What I think the "Maryland sniper" tells me about "gun control" - or how I learned to stop worrying and love the gun.
I have to admit, however, that I'm not optimistic as to the likelihood of the required systemic change in political beliefs on the part of the public and political classes actually coming about. People in Britain seem minded to reward the multifarious and manifest government incompetence by agreeing to pay more taxes. Go figure.
Sunday Times: "Murder rate soars to highest for a century"
David Leppard and Rachel Dobson, 13 Oct 2002.
"Britain's murder rate has risen to its highest level since records began 100 years ago, undermining claims by ministers that they have got violent crime under control."
You'd think it's not exactly a vindication of the UK's confiscatory "gun control" policy and the handgun ban…
"Commander Andy Baker, who is in charge of more than 900 detectives investigating all murders in London, blamed drugs and a greater availability of guns."
Murder rates in America, where gun purchases saw a boom after 9/11, have fallen since 1995 as have those of France and Germany.
Given how hard the Government works to massage these figures downwards, particularly you'd think right now with opinion polls reporting public unease about violent crime, you've got to wonder just how bad the real figures really are. Check out my essay about UK homicide statistics written in 1996. (The suicide rate is also under scrutiny so it's going to be harder to hide murder in the suicide figures in future.)
Mike Burke's April 2000 essay on "Reasonable Force" seems even more pertinent today. The truth is timeless.
It's official that the prisons are full already, the UK imprisons more people per capita than any other European country, so some new thinking is long overdue. I say it's long overdue to give the guns back to the people. Tony Blair gave up on his Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament belief in unilateral nuclear disarmament but he won't end unilateral disarmament of the British public.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
FOX News: Lessons From History
A new book from historian Joyce Malcolm, published by Harvard University Press, has some interesting things to say about "gun control" in England seen from a US perspective.
Also reviewed at TCS :: Europe: British History Lessons
The level of scholarship on the other side of the debate is somewhat in question at the moment: Author of Gun History Quits After Panel Faults Research (free registration).
Scotland on Sunday: Dunblane handgun ban under review
My feeling is that the powers-that-be are getting nervous at the fact that the right to keep and bear arms is (finally) getting some press. The rise in violent crime in general and gun crime in particular spite of a handgun ban allied to the legal opposition to self-defence of any kind is making the "guns/self-defence causes a violent culture" nonsense which is the official line look blatantly absurd.
A few token "legal" handguns will always come in handy as a scapegoat to explain why a gun ban doesn't work, and this (empty) posturing will take the public debate away from right to keep and bear arms and firmly into all the "sporting use" nonsense.
Guns are weapons. Get over it.
For what I think is "the way" see, Gun Law for the 21st Century. http://dvc.org.uk/dunblane/gunlaw.html
BBC News: Gun and drug crimes threaten UK
"Anyone who wishes to obtain a firearm will have little difficulty in doing so whether genuine, reactivated, modified or replica."
National Criminal Intelligence Service report
See also, BBC News: Gun crime
The Independent: Britain is now the crime capital of the West
And we have the most feared football hooligans in Europe.
Clearly banning some more things will deemed to be the "solution". That and some serious statistical tomfoolery.
BBC News: UK Police given license to kill
(OK, so that wasn't the title they gave it.)
What this news report doesn't make clear is that they shot the unarmed man in the back.
This case still not resolved in mid-2005, BBC News: Met officers held in murder probe. But, as expected, in the fullness of time - No penalty for gun death officers.
When policemen can get away with executions like this with no legal consequences they clearly have license to gun down anyone, anytime. It's not the first such incident and it's safe to say it won't be the last…
Black and in possession of a cigarette lighter…
Shot man was 'lovely, friendly person'
Waving an air rifle around in a threatening manner…
Man shot by police 'threatened staff'
Edinburgh Evening News: Police fake crime stats
No shit Sherlock. Does any thinking person really ever believe what agents of the government tell them? So many important cases have turned out to involve faked evidence for instance in the case of the Lockerbie bombing, let alone in numerious of the trials of "Irish terrorists."
Notice the Police deflate the violent crime figures for attacks on private citizens but inflate the figures for attacks on policemen.
See They have no guns - so they have a lot of crime by Dr Paul Gallant and Dr Joanne Eisen.
As the man almost said, lies, damn lies and then what policemen tell you. See my essay about UK homicide statistics written in 1996.
It's great how democracy functions so well with such a fully-informed public.
I can attest from living there that Edinburgh is quite a lively place…
Violent crimes rocket in the capital
3 held after knife terror on street
Police probe after Princes Street stabbing
Some reports from The Daily Telegraph…
Mugger shoots girl, 19, for her mobile
Police fear crime explosion as school-age muggers graduate to guns
Clearly we're so much safer after all those guns were banned, in spite of the papers being full of this stuff and the occasional drive-by-shooting…but wait, have I slipped into a parallel universe…