Comments on: Iemma’s power push makes sweethearts of shooters http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/19/iemmas-power-push-makes-sweethearts-of-shooters/ now with extra source Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:51:06 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: PWW http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/19/iemmas-power-push-makes-sweethearts-of-shooters/#comment-3472 PWW Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3472 Readers should be reminded that the Port Arthur murders exposed a dramatic failing in Australia's mental health system, as well as a failure of local policing, prior to the event. Individuals such as Roland Browne made it a "gun problem" and since 1996, massive amounts of time and money has been thrown at gun laws, which have done nothing to improve public safety. Meanwhile mental health services are still starved of funding and support. Almost 50% of murders are committed by people with a serious mental health condition.<br />Social Engineers, such as Roland Browne (who appears to be the only member of Coalition for Gun Control), have tried for many years to stop young people taking up safe and healthy activities like shooting!<br /><br /><br />From my own experience, teaching young people about individual responsibility, self-discipline and control via the shooting sports helps them develop into better citizens. The US Justice Department research also found that children who participated in shooting and hunting as a family activity, had a significantly lower incidence of drug abuse, crime and other anti-social behavior, later in life, compared with those who were deprived of that experience.<br /><br />The fact that the shooting sports are extremely safe, teach positive life skills and should be more readily available to young people, should be viewed against the NSW Education Department's booklet “Choosing to use”, (about experimenting with drugs) which has now been withdrawn.<br /><br />If gun ownership and shooting sports were a bigger part of young people’s lives, perhaps we wouldn’t even have a “drug problem”!<br /><br />Isn’t it much better to teach children to shoot, rather than to “shoot up”? <br /><br /> Readers should be reminded that the Port Arthur murders exposed a dramatic failing in Australia’s mental health system, as well as a failure of local policing, prior to the event. Individuals such as Roland Browne made it a “gun problem” and since 1996, massive amounts of time and money has been thrown at gun laws, which have done nothing to improve public safety. Meanwhile mental health services are still starved of funding and support. Almost 50% of murders are committed by people with a serious mental health condition.
Social Engineers, such as Roland Browne (who appears to be the only member of Coalition for Gun Control), have tried for many years to stop young people taking up safe and healthy activities like shooting!

From my own experience, teaching young people about individual responsibility, self-discipline and control via the shooting sports helps them develop into better citizens. The US Justice Department research also found that children who participated in shooting and hunting as a family activity, had a significantly lower incidence of drug abuse, crime and other anti-social behavior, later in life, compared with those who were deprived of that experience.

The fact that the shooting sports are extremely safe, teach positive life skills and should be more readily available to young people, should be viewed against the NSW Education Department’s booklet “Choosing to use”, (about experimenting with drugs) which has now been withdrawn.

If gun ownership and shooting sports were a bigger part of young people’s lives, perhaps we wouldn’t even have a “drug problem”!

Isn’t it much better to teach children to shoot, rather than to “shoot up”?

]]> By: RJG http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/19/iemmas-power-push-makes-sweethearts-of-shooters/#comment-3473 RJG Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3473 Paul Keating famously warned against standing between a premier and a pot of money. Iemma once again shows how our our modern politicians have no moral compass. With Dilemma "the end justifies the means" What is the end in this case? Filling the coffers with paper from the sale of the people's assets to finance the re-election of the Labour Government. Who the hell do you vote for these days? They are all content free, morally corrupt and incompetant and will do a deal with anyone who will get them what they want. Paul Keating famously warned against standing between a premier and a pot of money. Iemma once again shows how our our modern politicians have no moral compass. With Dilemma “the end justifies the means” What is the end in this case? Filling the coffers with paper from the sale of the people’s assets to finance the re-election of the Labour Government. Who the hell do you vote for these days? They are all content free, morally corrupt and incompetant and will do a deal with anyone who will get them what they want.

]]> By: Craig http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/19/iemmas-power-push-makes-sweethearts-of-shooters/#comment-3474 Craig Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-3474 This shows how little the Greens care for our natural environment. Pests such as Foxes, Pigs and feral cats are decimating our wildlife, all the Greens can do is try and make firearms which are used to control pests harder to get. <br />Making small changes to the current laws which will allow police to free up resources will give them more time to catch criminals. Why should laws which have no public safety benefit be retained. Would you rather police were out catching criminals with illegal weapons, or checking up on licenced gun owners who have already passed police checks and have no criminal record.<br />I also find it disappointing that whoever write this article thinks Robert Jones is a member of the Legislative Council. I have never herd of him and think this is a poorly written article giving only the Greens warped view. This shows how little the Greens care for our natural environment. Pests such as Foxes, Pigs and feral cats are decimating our wildlife, all the Greens can do is try and make firearms which are used to control pests harder to get.
Making small changes to the current laws which will allow police to free up resources will give them more time to catch criminals. Why should laws which have no public safety benefit be retained. Would you rather police were out catching criminals with illegal weapons, or checking up on licenced gun owners who have already passed police checks and have no criminal record.
I also find it disappointing that whoever write this article thinks Robert Jones is a member of the Legislative Council. I have never herd of him and think this is a poorly written article giving only the Greens warped view.

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