Australia: Background info for Forum Owner

[AHB_Admin]

I don't think so.

That's honestly one thing about your culture I don't get. A good deal of you were put in chains and forced out of your country. On top of that you have a ton of unoccupied space to shoot. Australia should be a shooters paradise.

There are other things I don't get.

I can't see a former U.S president telling a joke like this in public
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dFSHsZhX8g

Hawkie was also a beer drinking champ and once held the Guiness Word Record for drinking a yard glass ( 2.5 imperial pints) in 11 seconds. Just don't think this sort of behaviour would help promote the political career of someone aspiring to be the next U.S president. It certainly helped Bob Hawke become Prime Minister by being portrayed as "one of the boys". As mentioned we really don't like people thinking themselves as superior,even if they do happen to run the country.

We're living in a political hypocrisy. LBJ was notoriously foul mouthed. Many presidents have been, but don't ever forget, we elected the most bad ass president to have ever existed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodore_Roosevelt

We need to return to that sort of balls in politics.

 

[Yob]

Australia should be a shooters paradise.

thanks but no thanks..

I grew up a hunter and a sports shooter, Ducks, bunny's, roo, wild turkey, Deer.. with trap and skeet shooting as well... and we ate what we shot. I very much enjoyed the sport but Id certainly not like Australia to go down the road that the US has with so many deaths by guns.

Restricting access is a good thing, I had a mate who was shot in the head.. in front of me I might add.. with a .22 from a stupid accident.. stupid people do stupid things and having these items out of their reach is a bloody good thing.

 

[Camo6]

I'm with Yob on this one. Although I'm a keen shooter and have a love of firearms, I like our laws just the way they are. The appeal with shooting for me is the ability to place a projectile, exactly where I want it, from a great distance. If I do this correctly, there's no need to follow it up another 49 times in rapid succession. There are higher categories of licence which will allow a shooter access to self-loaders but these are generally primary producers or pest controllers. I don't see the need for Joe Blow to use an AR-15 to knock off a few rabbits. Like Yob says, stupidity and accidents go hand in hand and while I haven't been directly impacted as he has, I know of one accidental fatal shooting that happened to a friends family due to pure carelessness.

Here's an Australian outlook on gun control: NSFW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fP3HJVp3n9c

And here's one on foreplay just because it's damn funny:NSFW
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnpx26zicw8

 

[AHB_Admin]

I'm sorry, I should have made clear, I respect your right to not have them.

I'm sorry to read about your friend Yob. I too have lost friends.

 

[TheWiggman]

Does anyone have any evidence that Bob Hawke actually held the world record for skulling a yard glass? It's written in Wikipaedia but the citation is this article: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/02/1070351581038.html

Looks like someone's taking the piss. Still haven't seen evidence that the record exists. There is no doubt though that the man could knock back a beer and was popular amongst the common folk.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

the other aspect is that a lot of our native wildlife is unique to Australia, and many species (some iconic) are on the brink. Destruction/resumption of habitat has only really been happening since the mid to late 1800s when the states gradually became self governing.

 

[RobW]

That's honestly one thing about your culture I don't get. A good deal of you were put in chains and forced out of your country. On top of that you have a ton of unoccupied space to shoot. Australia should be a shooters paradise.

"A good deal of you were put in chains and forced out of your country"

WTF does that have to do with it?

Pretty obvious metric here:


Indicator

USA

Australia

Source

Firearm homicides per 1,000,000 per annum

36.0

1.3

GunPolicy.org

All murders per 1,000,000 per annum

48.0

9.7

UNODC

Sources: UNODC: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime


I have no problem with responsible, registered sport shooters.
I do have an issue with unregulated firearm sales, and all the military-style hardware freely available in the US.
Oh yeah - and school and kindergarten mass shootings and 9 year old kids being taught to use automatic weapons.

 

[AHB_Admin]

And with the anger I'm out.

I'm down for a civil discussion, but if you're going to blame the issues with our mental health system on firearms you're way off base.

Improper firearms usage are the symptom of as greater social evil, not the cause of it.

Hammers don't build houses, men do.

 

[Bridges]

Hammers don't build houses, men do.

And if 10,000 houses fell down and killed the occupants in one year do you think your politicians would take action of some sort?
Just asking...

 

[RobW]

No anger - a little incredulity perhaps.
I didn't see any references to mental health at all.

 

[TheWiggman]

You've touched on one of these matters that the article really embraces there though Austin, that there are cultural differences that you may not understand yet have to accept - by and large Australia do not support shooting. Many (including some political left parties like the Greens and Labour, who are very influential) actively oppose shooting and if things went the Greens way they would be banned outright. Except for the criminals, as the article states.

As above I'm a shooter myself, and I share the thoughts of those above as do most shooters in Australia - and we're pro firearms. I respectfully suggest you don't advacate a model like the USA on this forum because the world largely disagrees with it. I don't think it's a discussion worth having.

 

[Camo6]

Still, while I respect our laws and limitations here in Australia, I'd sure love to head to Texas and have a go at some of your toys, Austin.

 

[TheWiggman]

Haha, agreed. Pack of hypocrites we are.

 

[Liam_snorkel]

not in my backyard! haha.

Bringing up mental health was a copout, a real leap of logic. Crazy / disturbed / desperate people will always exist, the problem is ready access to firearms. The other problem is that even if there was public support, I doubt proper gun control could ever happen in the states.

 

[2much2spend]

**** that was long!

 

[Kumamoto_Ken]

**** that was long!

:icon_offtopic:

 

[pcmfisher]

Why is there so much water In American toilets?

 

[mr_wibble]

Is it OK in America to ask an adult how old they are?

It shits me no end when (continental) europeans ask how old I am. Why don't you fricken ask if I'm circumcised at the same time if we're going to get that personal.

 

[2much2spend]

Why is there so much water In American toilets?

Different sanitary system. Their is designed to syfon AUNZ is designed not to.

 

[dent]

Is it OK in America to ask an adult how old they are?

Why does it bother you? (serious)