A horrible story about a gun massacre at a school in Brazil. Sort of like the ones that come out with grim regularity in countries where guns are readily available. I don’t know much about gun control in Brazil, but I do see that voters rejected more controls on guns and ammunition in 2005.
I don’t really want to focus on the religious leanings of the killer. Nor do I want to argue that greater gun availability tends to lead to more gun violence. I guess people do still get killed with guns in Australia, despite the heavy restrictions. (Australia is that tiny sliver down the bottom — it’s kind of hard to see.)
No, I really just want to brag that my state, Western Australia, has implemented a crossbow ban.
WA Police Minister Rob Johnson said the new laws followed an agreement by the Australasian Police Ministers’ Council that crossbows should be banned across Australia.
“The changes will limit the circumstances under which crossbows can be lawfully purchased,” he said.
“We want to reduce the likelihood that a crossbow falls into the wrong hands and is used to injure or kill a person or animal.”
The only exceptions will be genuine crossbow collectors, people engaged in crossbow events who belong to an Archery Australia club, and film producers.
Not only is it hard to get a gun, it’s also hard to get a crossbow. And that’s fine with me.
I used to live in America, so the lack of reaction is puzzling to me. Where’s all the hand-wringing about our right to grab a whole bunch of guns to protect ourselves from people with a whole bunch of guns? Why isn’t anyone saying, “See, if you ban guns, people will pick up crossbows. What’s next, a knife ban?”
Strangely, it doesn’t come up. I guess we’re busy with other issues besides fearing for our lives.
UPDATE: Stephanie from comments informs me that some crossbow fans are indeed chafing under the yoke of oppression. All I can say is, I’m sure glad we’re having this discussion at this level, instead of further on down the track. Aren’t you?
8 April 2011 at 2:40 am
Actually, one of my friends is a big crossbow fan and enjoys using them recreationally. He's quite upset, and posted to facebook:
"Better join an archery club then. Better also register as a chef before the carving knife ban."
and
"Stupid police state."
And yet, at the same time he's very keen on smoking bans?
8 April 2011 at 3:17 am
I probably just don't know enough people.
8 April 2011 at 5:04 am
I think a large part of the hand-wringing in America stems from gun ownership's archaic enshrinement as a constitutional right. I assume there's no similar enshrinement in Australia, and thus you have the advantage of being able to discuss gun laws more rationally than we can.
8 April 2011 at 2:52 pm
I like the last line tagged onto the press quote: "and film producers." Don't want to limit anyone from remaking Xena or another version of Robin Hood, do we?
30 August 2011 at 4:24 pm
its amazing to read your comments. A murderer can buy a car and run over innocent people. so why dont you ban cars. a psychopath can purchase gasoline and burn down a house with a family of 5 inside, so lets ban matches and gasoline. when will your people realize that murder was invented long before the gun, crossbow, machete, butterknife and even the wooden club. you cant just ban something and think that murder will go away. Its a ridiculous notion put forth by ridiculous people.
30 August 2011 at 4:28 pm
And Stephanie, Smoking bans and crossbow bans are apples and oranges. I've never heard of someone using a ciggarette in self defence. but a firearm and a crossbow could be used to save a life just as it can be used to take a life. a ciggarette only has negatives, no positives. to compare the two is nonsense.
1 September 2011 at 11:16 am
"Where's all the hand-wringing about our right to grab a whole bunch of guns to protect ourselves from people with a whole bunch of guns?"
It's here Daniel:
OffTheGrid said…
"I've never heard of someone using a ciggarette in self defence. but a firearm and a crossbow could be used to save a life just as it can be used to take a life."
12 August 2012 at 4:18 am
Hi Daniel, I'll fill you in on whats happened as I have been gone through the process and was in touch with the police minister regarding this issue. Your probably not aware of how this has affected real crossbow archers.
What has actually happened in WA is just that the 10,000 plus crossbowers were made illegal overnight without even the oppertunity to join a club become legal. None of these crossbows were handed in to police, which I believe was a disaterous outcome due to the poor legislation. I believe forcing people to go under the radar instead of joining a club legally was a very bad move by the government.
The Police minister said to stay legal as a crossbower you had to join an "Archery Australia club" and then apply for an "exemption letter" from the Police minister. Sounds reasonable to the public doesn't it….
Well, The over 98% of Towns in WA don't even have an "Archery Australia club" and they wouldn't accept other local archery clubs. They wouldn't even accept the WCSA World crossbow shooting association who was the Crossbow competition body we shoot competition under here in WA !
Further more Archery Australia clubs in WA don't allow sporting crossbower members at all. I'm an archer with a crossbow, and rang every Archery Australia club withing 100km radius of Perth. All gave different excuses for not accepting them. A call to the CEO of Archery australia said although officially we do accept them, he knew there was acceptance issues of Archery Australia clubs in WA.
This scenario is like saying if you want to have a mobile phone it has to be with Optus, but not with telstra, vodaphone,orange,3, etc.
The reason you haven't heard anyone speak out is because the law was passed before any crossbowers heard about it. There was no notice given to any crossbow accepting clubs or associations. So as they were illegal and threatened with a $35000 fine, this meant there was no-one silly enough to stick there head up.
To get my crossbow exemption I had to drive 540km round trip from Perth to the only AA club that would accept crossbows in. As you can see its very unreasonable. Crossbow is also a disabled friendly sport, with rules specially for people with injuries and disabilities who want to continue archery. But no more, as now my disabled friend, nor anyone can ever get an exemption again in WA under current law. Even 2 World crossbow champions who live in WA and have contacted our club.
Also the police comissioner has told us we can not hold anymore National or International crossbow competitions here anymore, because he won't accept anyone here without an exemption !!!
Our club gets hundres of calls every month from people who are just finding out about the law. Unfortunately we have to let them know we can't help them as the law stands. We are fighting this law and the poor implamentation of it. But after a year of hard work, meetings, and letters, now we have a new police comissioner to deal with and it will all start again!!!
For anyone who want help or information on this issue get hold of the GSB "Great Southern Bowmen" . They are the only group of crossbowers who were lucky enough to survive this legislation from what I hear.
9 December 2013 at 4:02 pm
Yes it sucks. I bought a beautiful antique crossbow (250+ years old) as I am a antique collector
The crossbow doesn't even have a trigger and cant fire. I wrote to the police told them I had guns at home and the crossbow cant fire and I have somewhere safe to store the beautiful piece of history. They rejected my b709b form. Sometimes commonsense provails and the law sucks.
9 December 2013 at 4:13 pm
The law sucks and common sense prevails. I bought a beautiful piece of history
a antique crossbow that couldn't even fire. The crossbow is about 230 years old
I have guns at home, I wrote to the cops and told them I have somewhere safe to store the crossbow, its a rare antqiue it is safe and cant fire. Sent them photos and my 709b form got rejected. They said return the crossbow or it will be destroyed. It makes me so angry. Bows are just as dangerous I think.
27 December 2013 at 9:30 pm
The author of this story is an idiot as are the "authorities" you people live under – you should over throw your government and march their a$$'s into the gas chambers as Hitler would have – makes me think we were on the wrong side during WW2
12 March 2014 at 11:51 am
I agree with John Glendenning the author is a moron
14 April 2014 at 8:20 am
If you want to kill somebody with a xbow, its very easy to make one.