lfcrule1972 Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Looks like Australia is making the news again for the wrong reasons, hopefully Blu and none of our members were anywhere near this ? From: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6762457.stm Manhunt closes Melbourne centre The dead person is believed to have come to the aid of a woman One person died and two were injured after a gunman opened fire on a busy street in the centre of Melbourne in Australia at the height of rush hour. The two who were hurt reportedly both suffered chest wounds and were taken to hospital in a critical condition. The gunman escaped on foot and is now being sought by police. Much of the city centre has been closed, with people being warned to stay indoors, as armed officers, backed by helicopters, search the area. A weapon was recovered from the scene, but police fear the man might still be armed. The incident on the corner of Flinders and William Streets happened during the morning rush hour, sending hundreds of commuters fleeing for cover. He let go of her hair, pulled out a gun and shot them all Witness Ross Murchie Police believe that one of the injured victims, a woman, knew the assailant. "There is no suggestion this is a random act - it appears there was a relation with the gunman and the victims, so we are asking people not to panic," Victoria Police Inspector Glen Weir said. "There are numerous police attending the search within the vicinity of the incident and there's a large cordon and containment operation under way as we speak," Inspector Weir added. Businesses closed "A girl came out of a building over the road, she was screaming and a guy had her by the hair," witness Ross Murchie told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Workers have been warned to stay inside offices and shops "She tried to grab hold of a taxi that was going by and the couple of bystanders went over to ask what was happening," Mr Murchie said. "He let go of her hair, pulled out a gun and shot them all." The other person who was injured and the one who died were both reported as male. The incident forced the closure of a number of streets in the commercial heart of what is Australia's second-largest city, with shops and offices shut as armed police and helicopters hunt for the gunman. "No-one is allowed out of the building - we have to close down everything, customers are inside, we have to remain inside," shop owner Hened Mouawad told AFP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathater Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 that is impossible guns are illegal all the lagal guns have been rounded up already, haven't they? well when they catch the guy, I hope thet don't have a bunch of bleeding hearts handling the case, like they do in the states, or he could wind up with a masters degree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus_McFartfinger Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 The USA isn't the sole repository for the criminally insane. Perhaps a history lesson. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Arthur_m...cre_(Australia) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milperra_massacre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoddle_Street_massacre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Street_massacre http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strathfield_massacre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfcrule1972 Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 To me it shows that there is no place for civilian gun ownership in society. The more there are the more this can happen...... Just my opinion..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blutach Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Just more horror and in my hometown of all places. Reckon that good Samaritan would be alive and kicking if it weren't for those 2 good buddies, Smith and Wesson. A good friend of mine just called me - she was going to a job interview not 50 yards away first thing this morning. For some reason, she decided she didn't want the job and cancelled. Lucky for her, not so lucky for the good Samaritan. Why can people so easily buy a gun? They belong in the hands of police and the military - only. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfcrule1972 Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 Exactly my thoughts blu, guns should be only used by the police Army etc not by idiots who have a problem with an ex-partner or similar. Pleased to hear you and your friend were no where near tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shamus_McFartfinger Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 Anyone taking bets on how long it will be before the gun nuts jump into this thread and turn it into a complete and utter clusterfuck? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfcrule1972 Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 It won't be long mate..... I heard Charlton Heston was registering as a forum member earlier..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlton Heston Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 "... You could say that the paparazzi and the tabloids are sort of the 'assault weapons' of the First Amendment. They're ugly, a lot of people don't like them, but they're protected by the First Amendment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altercuno Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 ...don't think it'll matter lfc. Rumors are that he has dementia... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LOCOENG Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 "... You could say that the paparazzi and the tabloids are sort of the 'assault weapons' of the First Amendment. They're ugly, a lot of people don't like them, but they're protected by the First Amendment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfcrule1972 Posted June 18, 2007 Author Share Posted June 18, 2007 ...don't think it'll matter lfc. Rumors are that he has dementia... I don't believe that would stop him from possessing his firearms tho Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blutach Posted June 18, 2007 Share Posted June 18, 2007 That was truly funny to see Charlton post. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathater Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Anyone taking bets on how long it will be before the gun nuts jump into this thread and turn it into a complete and utter clusterfuck? us law abideing, gun owners are already here Shamus unfortunatly, my web search of innocents shot by drunk "DETROIT city" police officers yeilded nothing--- the web has either been cleaned up to make DETROIT look beter or I'm just a lousy searcher. Military---hmmm--governor george wallace (alabama?) sent the national gaurd to prevent racial integration of the state college, they fired on the students more military? how about the "shot heard round the world" well thats what U.S. history books call british troops firing on british subjects in the colonys some people play golf, I shot holes in paper, its cheaper too the framers of the U.S. constitution just overthrew a tyranical government when they gave the people the right to keep and bear arms in case it needed to be done again what ? we are gonna ask the U.N. for troops to throw out a government they like? I think the arabic people would like the UN to leave also Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cathater Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/may2000/det-m17.shtml OK found some, not the one where the drunk off duty cop shot a kid while aiming at a drunk looking at his car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blutach Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 What the fuck has the "shot heard around the world" more than 225 years ago in a place 10,000 miles away from this terrible incident got to do with what happened? Ditto re George Wallace. What has this got to do with America? It seems that the framers of our constitution here were somewhat wiser than your lot when they decided it would be a tad harder to get a gun. This is why incidents such as yesterday (and others referenced to by Shamus) really shock us here - they are rare, thankfully so. Going around shooting each other is not our national pastime. What is terribly tragic is that it happened at all. No gun, then Mr Hell's Angel would have been so much less likely to have killed a man. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfcrule1972 Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 The support for civilian gun ownership is (mostly) based on historical events that happened many years ago, the real life effects of idiots who have them shooting innocent people (not paper) can be seen every day around the world..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlton Heston Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Guns don't kill people, people do ! You should try and remember that..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfcrule1972 Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 How could I forget ? Mind you I do remember the comedian Eddie Izzard's take on that... The NRA says 'guns don't kill people, people do.' But I think that the gun helps. You know? I think it helps. I think that if you just walked around going 'Bang!' you wouldn't kill too many people would you? You'd have to be really dogdy on the heart for that to work. I think that people should just try that. Walk around going 'BANG, BANG, BOOM, RATTA TAT, BOOM, RATTA TAT, BOOM!' I think that they should just try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blutach Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altercuno Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 Just some random thoughts... Since the ban on handguns here in the UK 10 years ago gun crime has rocketed. Prior to the ban I don't remember armed citizens having shootouts with armed villains, nor was that considered a deterrent to gun crime. The UK is one of the top 5 arms exporters in the world. Hypercritical or what? Nobody outside America seems to look there for an answer to any kind of crime let alone gun crime. If guns are to go the whole glorification of guns and violence in films, games ect has to go as well. Here in my home town people are killing each other very well thanks with knives, strangulation and various weapons. Last year a guy macheted two people to death. It would have been three but he couldn't catch him. Boy, you sure can run fast in that situation. Bodies turn up in fridges, in lakes, cut up into little bits. The fear of the gun is secondary in my mind to the fear of what these people are capable of with any weapon. Laws have to be enforced. As a society we need to know where we stand and be protected. People want guns because they feel its the only way they can be safe. The thought of armed citizens deciding to 'do the right thing' fills me with horror. Most can't budget a credit card let alone use a gun properly. The idea that passing a sanity test is enough for gun ownership wouldn't be enough for me. So far as I recall, the Dunblain massacre was caused by somebody legally having a gun. If somebody is shooting at you the only defense is to shoot back. Either both sides have guns or neither. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lfcrule1972 Posted June 19, 2007 Author Share Posted June 19, 2007 If somebody is shooting at you the only defense is to shoot back. Either both sides have guns or neither. The first part of that sentence mate is in my opinion worthy of the gun nuts and doesn't do you justice. There is no need for Guns in a civilised society, as I said before I think the law enforcers may need them but Joe Bloggs in the street doesn't..... I see the rise of gun crime here as attributable to certain parts of society accepting them into their homes more readily, once you do that you are on the slippery slope to mainstream ownership of them and idiots shooting innocent people on the streets and in their homes, you can't argue that because it might happen to you, you should own a gun too. Crimes commited with guns need to be punished and punished more severely so that they don't become part of the culture or viewed as a small risk to be caught carrying one..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blutach Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 It would have been three but he couldn't catch him. And that is the point. Lives were lost, but a life was saved. Yes, there will always be crime, but let's try to minimise these awful tradegies, not foster them with easy access to firearms. If somebody is shooting at you the only defense is to shoot back Too bad if you are already dead. Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Altercuno Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 (edited) Quite surprised at you two having a go at me cos I thought my post made it quite clear that I am against the arming of civilians here in the UK. What other countries want to do is up to them in my view. If America, for instance, wanted through a democratic majority vote, to arm their citizens that's up to them. My last sentence was more a confession of personal weakness insofar as if I was being shot at and I had a gun in my hand I would shoot back. Double standards I know... Edited June 19, 2007 by Altercuno Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blutach Posted June 19, 2007 Share Posted June 19, 2007 No-one's having a go at you Altercuno. Geez, you'd know it, if we were. Just if you sprout some stuff, especially like that, you may get a response. Anyway, why would we have a go at the Eye Candy Chieftain? That would be foolish and counterproductive, eh? Never figured you for a SNAG, Altercuno Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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