Puzzling Police Action regarding fake gun
This is particularly puzzling since Australia has a 100% ban on all guns. That means there are no guns in the country so how could this guy possibly have a gun!
That last sentence is quite disturbing. Could this be us in a few decades?
By REUTERS
Published: May 24, 2007
CANBERRA (Reuters) - An Australian movie fan on his way to pose for a Star Wars 30th anniversary photo shoot was arrested by police after his replica laser pistol was mistaken for a more earthly machine gun, media reported on Friday.
The 32-year-old man, dressed in black and carrying a backpack with a replica laser blaster poking out the side, alarmed diners at a food court in central Melbourne.
``It was a replica gun. We weren't sure what we were dealing with,'' Senior-Constable Daniel Sage told the Herald Sun newspaper. Photographs showed a gun closely resembling the weapon carried by Star Wars rogue Han Solo in the cinema classic.
The man had been on his way to pose for a community newspaper ahead of the 30th Star Wars movie anniversary when he was surrounded by armed police, forced to the ground and handcuffed.
Police said despite being a harmless replica and a close match to a weapon from a galaxy far, far away, the man would be charged with possessing an unregistered firearm.
That last sentence is quite disturbing. Could this be us in a few decades?
By REUTERS
Published: May 24, 2007
CANBERRA (Reuters) - An Australian movie fan on his way to pose for a Star Wars 30th anniversary photo shoot was arrested by police after his replica laser pistol was mistaken for a more earthly machine gun, media reported on Friday.
The 32-year-old man, dressed in black and carrying a backpack with a replica laser blaster poking out the side, alarmed diners at a food court in central Melbourne.
``It was a replica gun. We weren't sure what we were dealing with,'' Senior-Constable Daniel Sage told the Herald Sun newspaper. Photographs showed a gun closely resembling the weapon carried by Star Wars rogue Han Solo in the cinema classic.
The man had been on his way to pose for a community newspaper ahead of the 30th Star Wars movie anniversary when he was surrounded by armed police, forced to the ground and handcuffed.
Police said despite being a harmless replica and a close match to a weapon from a galaxy far, far away, the man would be charged with possessing an unregistered firearm.
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It must suck living in fear. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
It must suck living in fear.
Can't imagine living in such a society.0 -
Arrested for possession of an unregistered firearm?
It was a plastic toy/space lazer blaster?
Australia has gone insane.0 -
Hans Solos blaster was a highly modified Mauser C96 Broomhandle Pistol, not a Machine Gun.
What's next?
Arresting little kids who point their fingers and say bang?0 -
Soooooooo.......where exactly is the "fire" in the plastic starwars "gun" that the police are going to charge him with having an "unregistered firearm?" 0 -
slipgate,
While I agree with the reactions to the article in total, you are slightly misinformed about Australian gun laws. I routinely work with several Australian shooters that hunt and compete with firearms. They are allowed under some conditions to not only own some firearms but to buy new ones as well.
Best.
These same attiudes occur here in the U.S. as well. People are not used to seeing firearms and have been programmed to believe that ALL firearms are dangerous and illegal. Our children cowered in the corners of their classrooms at VT instead of being pro-active about taking responsibility for their own safety. How many of us have had to explain to a LEO that it is perfectly legal to carry a firearm. I know I have and I live in an Open Carry state. Some officers don't agree with the laws so they take it upon themselves to question you.
This anti-gun programming is extremely pervasive here in the U.S. We need to be responsible to help train our fellow citizens back into the world of firearms.
Best.0 -
It's all in the mind of the scared population and LEO's.
Unregistered firearm !!! It's a toy, idiots !!0 -
Actually I wouldn't be to upset about the police putting my ass on the ground, if I was careless and had a realistic toy gun exposed like he must have...But after the truth was known being arrested.. totally freaking WRONG!!!! 0 -
I wrote a friend that moved to Sydney when this was posted. This was her reply;
"Yeah, most likely it's true. People here are pretty dumb and uptight about $#&@ like that".
It's such a nanny state that you are fined A$500 if you put your arm out an automobile window. No kidding.[xx(]0 -
Hence my distaste for visiting Australia, except as a waypoint for going somewhere else.
Son Dave spent may very enjoyable days (and nights) while there, though, while he was in the Navy. That would be the American Navy.
Doug0 -
Where is bondia right now I tell you what!? 0 -
Sounds like about where 50% of this country would like us to be...[V][:(!] 0 -
Your Quote: This is particularly puzzling since Australia has a 100% ban on all guns. That means there are no guns in the country so how could this guy possibly have a gun!
My understanding is that they lost all Semi-autos rifles and shotguns, semi-auto pistols and all pump shotguns and rifles.
They still have bolt action rifles, maybe lever action rifles, and single shot shotguns.
I am not sure about single action handguns or revolvers.
Australia did not have a bill of rights or a second amendment in their Constitution. It was the same jerk from the UK that went after Canada and Australias guns. She is pushing to remove our guns now through UN action. Bolton shut her down quickly and that is one reason why our liberal socialist congress would not confirm him.0 -
Yeah.. this discussion has raised some interesting points..
The guy who wrote the article forgot to mention that in conversation with police at the scene, the reporter was told "If the replica could indeed fire 'blank' ammunition, then yes the offender will be charged with Possesion of an unregistered firearm. On the other hand if its just a piece of plastic then he will immediately be released".
Don't you have reporters in the US too, or do they only exist in Hollywood?
Maybe the US has the right idea with the right to bear arms.. maybe not.. maybe it comes down to the facts
US 340 million people ~11000 deaths from gun related crime
AU 20 million people ~100 deaths from gun related crime
US per capita deaths from gun related crime 1 in 31 thousand
AU per capita deaths from gun related crime 1 in 200 thousand
So don't you have parents in the US that want their children to live in a less fear, safe environment?
As for the comment about the AU$500 fine for putting your hand out the window.. our driving lanes are much thinner here, by about a foot and a half, the fine is really pittance to losing your arm.. but then again.. some teenages don't have a lot of common sense...
again.. Don't you have silly teenages in the US too?
As for our system of government.. actually we are not a Republic.. we have not yet voted to cut our ties with England, and the Queen is still our Head of State - nobody really takes any notice of that, yet it is fact. We had a vote in 2001, 100 years after our Federation and becoming a country rather than a colony of England. In that vote.. the Republic scored about 47%.. almost there.. we still have many old people that remember WWI and WWII and still hold onto the 'England is home' ideas.
again.. Don't you have old people in the US that remember what it was like in olden times?
It is easy to critise others.. but without an objective arguement stating the flaws in your own country... well it doesn't do much for your credibility.
Cheers0 -
Our country has many flaws. The right to bear arms is not one of them PERIOD. [:(!] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by bigtire
What's next?
Arresting little kids who point their fingers and say bang?
I'm pretty sure that has already happened.0 -
In an uncharacteristically crude comment, Doug says:
"Go F''K yourself, A*SH*LE"
Maybe the next time you (and your "empire") need to be saved from the Japs, we'll decide to let you do it yourself.
If you don't like our FREE society, stay the hell away.
Respectfully(HA!),
Doug0 -
Who the hell would spell "Graham" with an "e" on the end ??
Would the be pronounced GRA-HAM-E ??
See you, partner.
"don't come around here no more"
Doug0 -
One thing I always find fascinating is how people from Australia and the UK especially always want OUR gun rights taken away. To be honest I could give a crap about what happens with their laws in those places, why should they care about our laws here? I don't know, I just have never gotten that one. 0 -
Fellow American forum members - please forgive me if I offended your sensibilties.
You others - go to hell and pull it in after you.
Doug0 -
"How do ya like me NOW??"
Doug0 -
quote:Originally posted by Grahame
Yeah.. this discussion has raised some interesting points..
The guy who wrote the article forgot to mention that in conversation with police at the scene, the reporter was told "If the replica could indeed fire 'blank' ammunition, then yes the offender will be charged with Possesion of an unregistered firearm. On the other hand if its just a piece of plastic then he will immediately be released".
Don't you have reporters in the US too, or do they only exist in Hollywood?
Maybe the US has the right idea with the right to bear arms.. maybe not.. maybe it comes down to the facts
US 340 million people ~11000 deaths from gun related crime
AU 20 million people ~100 deaths from gun related crime
US per capita deaths from gun related crime 1 in 31 thousand
AU per capita deaths from gun related crime 1 in 200 thousand
So don't you have parents in the US that want their children to live in a less fear, safe environment?
As for the comment about the AU$500 fine for putting your hand out the window.. our driving lanes are much thinner here, by about a foot and a half, the fine is really pittance to losing your arm.. but then again.. some teenages don't have a lot of common sense...
again.. Don't you have silly teenages in the US too?
As for our system of government.. actually we are not a Republic.. we have not yet voted to cut our ties with England, and the Queen is still our Head of State - nobody really takes any notice of that, yet it is fact. We had a vote in 2001, 100 years after our Federation and becoming a country rather than a colony of England. In that vote.. the Republic scored about 47%.. almost there.. we still have many old people that remember WWI and WWII and still hold onto the 'England is home' ideas.
again.. Don't you have old people in the US that remember what it was like in olden times?
It is easy to critise others.. but without an objective arguement stating the flaws in your own country... well it doesn't do much for your credibility.
Cheers
Grahame,
Getting Doug stirred up on your first post is really something.[:p][:D]
I met Grahame when he came to the states for a friends wedding. He got to shoot an AR-15, a MAC 10, and a FAL at my shop. He's really an okay guy. I forwarded this topic to him for authentication.
Grahame, no one ever said the cost of freedom was cheap. Whether it's an arm getting ripped off or some nut shooting the place up, most Americans (here anyway) would prefer to take their chances in a society that has a non intrusive government. Not having a nanny looking after you tends to make you think before you act.
Welcome to the forum by the way!
Mike0 -
Ooops.
D.0 -
Something in the ausiees statment rings of cowerdness. Do we want our children to be raised in fear because of guns? Well if all the children were taught about guns and how to use them the right way, and required to have them the deaths by guns would be 1/4 that of the UK REALM.
Also for a country in witch gguns are outlawed I tyhink their death ratio is much worsee than ours. No guns and still 1 in 200,000
Some one figure that out in per capa. We've got a *ell of a lot more people living here then they have there. Stupid limmies.0 -
Grahame-
There are many points that could be made in response to your post.
The first is that our Constitution allows us to own and bear arms. The cost in lives really doesn't matter. The problem arises in part from the fact that our leaders in government have restricted them (many times in direct violation of the constitution).
That allows predatory persons to feed on the weak, infirm and vulnerable. Many of those predators would have been eliminated in the early days of our country by solid citizens who were ARMED. Instead in a great many areas of this country, the general population has been disarmed, leaving them to do nothing but wring their hands in despair and watch while their friends and families have been victimized by these predators.
Where the people rights have been unimpeded or restored, the violent crime rates have stayed low or dropped.
You are right that no person should have to live in fear. They should protect themselves and their friends and family. And the one thing we in the US should have to fear the least, is our government. More so, it is the duty of Americans to understand our Constitution and our form of goverment and use it to keep those who do not believe in it from pushing their oppresive rules upon us. That is what our forefathers fought and died for.
What you choose to do in your country is your business.
Respectfully, (and I mean that)-what we choose to do in ours, is not up to you. You clearly don't understand what real Americans are all about.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Grahame
Yeah.. this discussion has raised some interesting points..
The guy who wrote the article forgot to mention that in conversation with police at the scene, the reporter was told "If the replica could indeed fire 'blank' ammunition, then yes the offender will be charged with Possesion of an unregistered firearm. On the other hand if its just a piece of plastic then he will immediately be released".
Don't you have reporters in the US too, or do they only exist in Hollywood?
Maybe the US has the right idea with the right to bear arms.. maybe not.. maybe it comes down to the facts
US 340 million people ~11000 deaths from gun related crime
AU 20 million people ~100 deaths from gun related crime
US per capita deaths from gun related crime 1 in 31 thousand
AU per capita deaths from gun related crime 1 in 200 thousand
So don't you have parents in the US that want their children to live in a less fear, safe environment?
As for the comment about the AU$500 fine for putting your hand out the window.. our driving lanes are much thinner here, by about a foot and a half, the fine is really pittance to losing your arm.. but then again.. some teenages don't have a lot of common sense...
again.. Don't you have silly teenages in the US too?
As for our system of government.. actually we are not a Republic.. we have not yet voted to cut our ties with England, and the Queen is still our Head of State - nobody really takes any notice of that, yet it is fact. We had a vote in 2001, 100 years after our Federation and becoming a country rather than a colony of England. In that vote.. the Republic scored about 47%.. almost there.. we still have many old people that remember WWI and WWII and still hold onto the 'England is home' ideas.
again.. Don't you have old people in the US that remember what it was like in olden times?
It is easy to critise others.. but without an objective arguement stating the flaws in your own country... well it doesn't do much for your credibility.
Cheers
I'm one of the old people in the US. I can remember what it was like to live in a FREE COUNTRY. I'd like to hang on to the remnants of freedom we still have. I can even remember when England and the Commonwealth including Australia enjoyed a certain amount of freedom. It doesn't seem that long ago. Time was I really loved Australia and New Zealand. I considered living there. Now I just consider Australia a good example of bad government.0 -
I visited Perth on several occasions, and always thought that it reminded me of San Diego. It looks like I was right[:(][:(] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Grahame
Yeah.. this discussion has raised some interesting points..
The guy who wrote the article forgot to mention that in conversation with police at the scene, the reporter was told "If the replica could indeed fire 'blank' ammunition, then yes the offender will be charged with Possesion of an unregistered firearm. On the other hand if its just a piece of plastic then he will immediately be released".
Don't you have reporters in the US too, or do they only exist in Hollywood?
Maybe the US has the right idea with the right to bear arms.. maybe not.. maybe it comes down to the facts
US 340 million people ~11000 deaths from gun related crime
AU 20 million people ~100 deaths from gun related crime
US per capita deaths from gun related crime 1 in 31 thousand
AU per capita deaths from gun related crime 1 in 200 thousand
So don't you have parents in the US that want their children to live in a less fear, safe environment?
As for the comment about the AU$500 fine for putting your hand out the window.. our driving lanes are much thinner here, by about a foot and a half, the fine is really pittance to losing your arm.. but then again.. some teenages don't have a lot of common sense...
again.. Don't you have silly teenages in the US too?
As for our system of government.. actually we are not a Republic.. we have not yet voted to cut our ties with England, and the Queen is still our Head of State - nobody really takes any notice of that, yet it is fact. We had a vote in 2001, 100 years after our Federation and becoming a country rather than a colony of England. In that vote.. the Republic scored about 47%.. almost there.. we still have many old people that remember WWI and WWII and still hold onto the 'England is home' ideas.
again.. Don't you have old people in the US that remember what it was like in olden times?
It is easy to critise others.. but without an objective arguement stating the flaws in your own country... well it doesn't do much for your credibility.
Cheers
Apparently you gratefully buy into the practice of some elementry school teachers. That is, if a few in the class violate the rules or otherwise act up, the punish the entire class.
But if you are dealing with adult citizens, in a country that is supposed to give those citizens maximum freedoms, then you have to be more reasonable about how you handle those citizens. You cannot punish the entire country simply because a very small percentage of those citizens don't know, or won't, handle their freedoms in a responsible way.
Many of us here in America believe that, until a citizen's actions prove that they cannot be trusted with maximum freedoms, that citizen should enjoy maximum freedoms. We believe this even though sometimes there is a cost and a downside to allowing such freedoms. We continue with this policy because the only alternative would mean over time many of our freedoms would erode to the point that somemtime in the future we would find that we had lost way too many freedoms.
This is the slow motion version of how slaves or slave states are created.0 -
quote:Originally posted by bigtire
Hans Solos blaster was a highly modified Mauser C96 Broomhandle Pistol, not a Machine Gun.
What's next?
Arresting little kids who point their fingers and say bang?
I think the kid'll get slapped with Gang affiliation if there were three of them around[:D].0 -
Sorry for the late reply.. been so busy with work.
Well, for my first post I think I hit a few raw nerves. Actually that was not my intention. I was looking at things from a more circumspect point of view, or put another way.. a more looking inward at ourselves point of view. I should have worded things a bit differently to make that more obvious.
For example, I said before "Don't you have reporters in the US too, or do they only exist in Hollywood?" - I was poking fun at paparatzi in Hollywood for their obvious stretching of the truth sometimes.
and I should have said "Is any country immune from reporters that stretch the truth to make for a more 'saleable' story for their paper?'
Or what about my comment about number of deaths per capita? I should have included a few African countries statistics being much worse than the US, which I hope would have put things in a different perspective.
I think it comes down to this. Initially you were poking fun at Australia for the obvious ridiculous nature of being arrested for having a plastic gun. My point was.. Is any country on earth immune to obvious ridiculous individual stories about itself, and don't we all poke fun at them?
for example in the US I know of a story where a man had 12 very rare cigars which he had insured for $4000 each. He then smoked them and attempted to claim the $48000 insurance. The insurance company decided to go to court and the man defended that he 'lost the cigars to a series of small fires'. The insurance company then sued the man for 12 counts of arson and won. Doesn't that bring a bit of a laugh to you guys in the US? Isn't it healthy to have a good laugh at ourselves once in a while?
Do you think its possible to find similar indivdual stories about people in Canada, the UK. China, India, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy or any of the ~160 countries in the world? Ever lookind at the Darwin Awards website www.darwinawards.com?
If you then take an individual story and paint the whole country with it for example 'Australian's cant own guns' seems a bit ridiculous yes? Just the same as if I said 'Americans are stupid enough to believe they can defraud insurance companies in an obvious manner', natuarally this is also a ridiclous statement. Wouldn't you agree it's a ridiculous statement?
What you always need to consider is that I am not here to hit raw nerves, push sensitive buttons, offend the easily offended or get too serious ourselves, but to engage in a little truthful and fun debate.
Cheers to all.
Grahame0
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