Thursday, August 25, 2005

If guns are outlawed...

The Netherlands has some of the strictest gunlaws of the Western world. I don't want to go into too much detail, but trust me when I say that criminals do not turn to gunclubs when they want guns or ammunition.

But the recent unrest and feelings of insecurity mark the perfect time for the Dutch government (never miss a chance to oppress some easily oppressed sheeple) to tighten the restrictions on gun ownership some more.
To prevent criminals from learning to shoot in a club, aspiring members must also be licensed by the KNSA.

Weapons permits will also become easier to revoke. From next year, committing a crime will be grounds for losing one’s licence, as will ‘moving in criminal circles’.

The KNSA (Royal Dutch Riflemen Association) will conduct checks of affiliated clubs and issue licences to individual members.

Prospective members will have to submit a certificate of good behaviour, to prevent people with a criminal record from joining.
Of course, what this means is that it becomes more and more difficult for law-abiding citizens to buy and own guns.

If you don't pay the law too much mind however, guns are everywhere and affordable. But actually doing something against those most likely to use ILLEGAL guns against the general population, now that would be asking a bit much, wouldn't it?

Where did Mohammed Bouyeri aquire the gun he shot Theo van Gogh with? Do you think he was a member of a gunclub?

2 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The strickter gun rules are not triggered (pun not intended) by terrorism (p.e. murder of Theo van Gogh), but by three shooting incidents in one year (in Kerkrade, Tiel and Landgraaf). In total 11 people were killed, for the most part (ex-)family members of the killers.
If you get angry and you have a gun at hand, chances are that you go shoot someone.
I'm all for tightening the restrictions on legal gun ownership. Members of gun clubs can put their weapons in a safe at the club, no need to take them home.
And of course I'm also all for tightening restrictions on ownership of illegal weapons :-)

1:33 AM  
Blogger Unbelonger said...

This discussion is as old as firearms are. Here's the deal: Most (if not in fact all) people getting shot are shot with ILLEGAL firearms. Therefore, tightening control on LEGAL firearms (a very different class altogether) will do NOTHING to decrease violence in which firearms play a role. The fable that making it more difficult for law-abiding citizens to obtain and keep guns also makes it more difficult for criminals is well established.

This is not conjecture. Look at cities in the US where gun control is stricter than anywhere in Holland. Violent (gun) crime is as bad in New York or Washington as it is in Fallujah.

The source of illegal firearms is not legal owners. There is very little if any cross-over between criminals and legal gun owners.

Gun ownership should be free and unlimited to anyone of good standing. If you don't trust yourself with a gun because you might shoot someone in anger, you have an anger management problem. I guess you shouldn't drive a car then either.
Things like that don't happen with shooting enthousiasts, or when they do, they're so rare they're the exception that confirm the rule.

11:59 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home