Tuesday, September 20, 2005
If some restrictions increase violence, more restrictions will help?
Times Online: "A UNITED Nations report has labelled Scotland the most violent country in the developed world, with people three times more likely to be assaulted than in America.
England and Wales recorded the second highest number of violent assaults while Northern Ireland recorded the fewest.
So I'm safer in the U.S. where there are a plethora of supposedly easily accessible firearms than in the UK where the gun laws are becoming more and more draconian.
Violent crime has doubled in Scotland over the past 20 years and levels, per head of population, are now comparable with cities such as Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg and Tbilisi.
The violence has been rising for the last 20 years -- doesn't that also coincide with the intensified registration and confiscation of firearms?
The attacks have been fuelled by a "booze and blades" culture in the west of Scotland which has claimed more than 160 lives over the past five years. Since January there have been 13 murders, 145 attempted murders and 1,100 serious assaults involving knives in the west of Scotland. The problem is made worse by sectarian violence, with hospitals reporting higher admissions following Old Firm matches.
David Ritchie, an accident and emergency consultant at Glasgow?s Victoria Infirmary, said that the figures were a national disgrace. "I am embarrassed as a Scot that we are seeing this level of violence. Politicians must do something about this problem. This is a serious public health issue. Violence is a cancer in this part of the world," he said.
Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, head of the Strathclyde Police?s violence reduction unit, said the problem was chronic and restricting access to drink and limiting the sale of knives would at least reduce the problem. "
The great solution, more restrictions -- limit the sale of knives. Do they really think that will work -- limiting the law abiding always works to reduce violence, right? So the past 20 years have taught the UK nothing on this subject. Perhaps they're getting advice from the UN.
England and Wales recorded the second highest number of violent assaults while Northern Ireland recorded the fewest.
So I'm safer in the U.S. where there are a plethora of supposedly easily accessible firearms than in the UK where the gun laws are becoming more and more draconian.
Violent crime has doubled in Scotland over the past 20 years and levels, per head of population, are now comparable with cities such as Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg and Tbilisi.
The violence has been rising for the last 20 years -- doesn't that also coincide with the intensified registration and confiscation of firearms?
The attacks have been fuelled by a "booze and blades" culture in the west of Scotland which has claimed more than 160 lives over the past five years. Since January there have been 13 murders, 145 attempted murders and 1,100 serious assaults involving knives in the west of Scotland. The problem is made worse by sectarian violence, with hospitals reporting higher admissions following Old Firm matches.
David Ritchie, an accident and emergency consultant at Glasgow?s Victoria Infirmary, said that the figures were a national disgrace. "I am embarrassed as a Scot that we are seeing this level of violence. Politicians must do something about this problem. This is a serious public health issue. Violence is a cancer in this part of the world," he said.
Detective Chief Superintendent John Carnochan, head of the Strathclyde Police?s violence reduction unit, said the problem was chronic and restricting access to drink and limiting the sale of knives would at least reduce the problem. "
The great solution, more restrictions -- limit the sale of knives. Do they really think that will work -- limiting the law abiding always works to reduce violence, right? So the past 20 years have taught the UK nothing on this subject. Perhaps they're getting advice from the UN.
// posted by Zerin Hood @ 11:29 AM 
