The Knife Amnesty in the UK....the repercussions for edged weapons collectors

Rick · 28th June 2006, 02:55 AM

There is something to be said in favor of living in "The States" .

I keep my Moro swords in a glass topped 3 drawer collector's table ; one night we had a cop in the house about some strange phone calls we were getting , he sat down on our couch to fill out his report ;when he saw the krisses he simply chuckled and quipped " what's this ; in case of emergency break glass ?"

I also think about the movie Network ; a savage commentary on American television .
I think this quote from the script fits ; maybe some of you will remember it :

" I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth, banks are going bust, shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.' Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you've got to get mad.
Howard Beale: [shouting] You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING, Goddamnit! My life has VALUE!' So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell,
[shouting]
Howard Beale: 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!' I want you to get up right now, sit up, go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell - 'I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad!... You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it:
Howard Beale: [screaming at the top of his lungs] "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

Mark · 28th June 2006, 05:35 AM

Oh, yes. We can be prisoners of our own complacency. When the news is showbusiness, and a comedy show is the most reliable news source, the signs are there. We have freedoms, in theory, but by not understanding them and, more importantly, not exercising them, they can become meaningless. Not lost, but just as bad. They become words on a piece of paper that no one reads. You don't have to be violent about exercising your rights, just firm, just certain, and hopefully informed. You have to care about it, see it as more than a morning "wasted" in line at the local voting station.

So there is my political rant. Just my opinion, of course. Now, where did I put that remote .... ?

A. G. Maisey · 28th June 2006, 05:54 AM

Yes Mark, we should defend our rights.

In the USA you do indeed have rights to defend.

In Australia we have no constitutional rights as you do, and the old Bill of Rights has long been superceded by legislation.

Many of the things that people in USA regard as God given rights are in Australia regarded as privileges.

Successive governments of both major political persuasions at both federal and state levels have methodically chipped away at freedoms that we thought we had.

The current government of this country , which is a hardline conservative government, has recently introduced industrial relations legislation that will eventually see the employer/employee relationship put back to the late 19th century. One does not have to be particularly brilliant to understand the principle reason behind the anti-weapons legislation and the relentless social engineering designed to turn the Australia population into sheep.

I am now 65 years of age, and in quite comfortable circumstances. Were I younger, or in any sort of volatile employment situation, I would probably give very serious consideration to migrating to another country.

The Australia of 2006 is not the country that my forebears fought for in two world wars, nor is it the country that I grew up in.It is nothing even remotely similar to the country presented in movies.

katana · 28th June 2006, 10:00 AM

By introducing laws g r a d u a l l y governments are able to exert CONTROL of its citizens. People tend to ignore small changes,.....but these develop, over time into radical adjustments of the law.
As Newton said 'every action has an equal and opposite reaction'. If a radical,unpopular law was introduced then there would be an intense reaction from the people. But that isn't the 'modus operatum' of most governments, it is the gradual eroding of your civil liberties that occurs ....almost unnoticed.

Elected politicians are supposed to be representative of the people....when was the last time you heard a government official ask what it’s citizens want........
It seems that many countries are becoming 'Nanny States' where more and more responsibility is taken away from its population. Where common-sense seems to be valueless and the 'dumbing down' of the population common...........rant over.......deep breath....think calm.....fluffy rabbits....and exhale........

I think, that 'the power of the knife' has been imbedded in our psyche ...... it wasn't that long ago...... that knife wielding terrorists ...hijacked several planes.....and killed thousands. (My condolences to all the victims and their families). This terrible act was facilitated by gaining control of a plane using the threat of a knife. People were amazed that the use of a simple metal implement could cause such devastation. Suddenly the knife was seen as extremely dangerous, even in today’s society.

Mark · 28th June 2006, 01:14 PM

I call it the boiling frog syndrome.

katana · 28th June 2006, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Bowditch

I call it the boiling frog syndrome.

and I think ...us frogs have just noticed the waters bubbling..... just been informed by government officials....not to worry.... it's a jacuzzi......thank God for that............I thought I was being boiled alive

Andrew · 28th June 2006, 01:52 PM

Control. It's what those in power always want. Small things like civil liberties are annoyances and the erosion of those liberties only benefits those in power.

Using fear to abrogate civil liberties is classic and effective. After all, this is for you own good....

not2sharp · 28th June 2006, 10:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

There is something to be said in favor of living in "The States" .

This might be a good time to ship parts of your collections over seas. At least then you have the option of either moving there, selling it, or moving it back when the laws permit. Just sitting there as the water rises may leave you trapped in a mess where the only option left to you is to surrender it to the authorities for distruction.

n2s

katana · 28th June 2006, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by not2sharp

This might be a good time to ship parts of your collections over seas. At least then you have the option of either moving there, selling it, or moving it back when the laws permit. Just sitting there as the water rises may leave you trapped in a mess where the only option left to you is to surrender it to the authorities for distruction.

n2s

I really hope it doesn't get as bad as that........I'll have to start collecting
guns or .... stamps

At least they haven't mentioned blow pipes...... I've got two ....

Rick · 28th June 2006, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

I really hope it doesn't get as bad as that........I'll have to start collecting
guns or .... stamps

At least they haven't mentioned blow pipes...... I've got two ....

Ahem , they're illegal in my state .
I've got one , shhhh ..

katana · 28th June 2006, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Ahem , they're illegal in my state .
I've got one , shhhh ..

A very interesting ethnographic hunting tool........not that I hunt with them myself.......to lazy......easier to 'hunt' in the super-market and the only weapon I need ...is my credit card..........and thats killing me

I vote for a credit card amnesty.... I suspect they are killing us all

Ian · 29th June 2006, 04:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katana

At least they haven't mentioned blow pipes...... I've got two ....

There are pipes for that?

ariel · 29th June 2006, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian

There are pipes for that?

Please refer to this thread:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2660

Rick · 29th June 2006, 02:13 PM

Well said tc , They will still come up with the excuse that your home could be robbed thereby supplying criminals with weapons .
I think at least one of us has had their collection stolen .
I agree about economic despair; welfare was supposed to take care of that .
In some cases welfare has actually exacerbated that problem .

A few of us have taken notice of Alan's steamroller on the horizon ; most of us have not .

Rick · 29th June 2006, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ariel

Please refer to this thread:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2660

Which , by the way, is getting rather raunchy and well past PG13 .

I'm feeling some remorse today .

nechesh · 29th June 2006, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Which , by the way, is getting rather raunchy and well past PG13 .

I'm feeling some remorse today .

Experiencing a sexism hang-over Rick?

Maybe we should ask Ann and some of the other VERY FEW (wonder why?) women who participate on these forums to give you boys a good talking too.
As Julliette Lewis said to Woody Harrelson in "Natural Born Killers" after he killed the old indian guy, "BADBADBADBADBADBADBAD!!!"

VANDOO · 29th June 2006, 06:39 PM

IN THE USA THE PRESS AND LIBERALS HAVE CREATED A CLASS SYSTEM FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT VERY RICH OR FAMOUS. THEY HAVE USED THE MEDIA THEY CONTORL TO TELL US HOW BAD SOME GROUPS HAVE BEEN TREATED IN THE PAST WHILE TRYING TO SHAME OTHER GROUPS INTO LAYING DOWN AND BEING DESTROYED FOR WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST. IT IS CALLED THE MINORITY PLAN AND ENCOURAGES HATRED, FEAR AND MISTRUST AMOUNG ALL THE CLASSES BELOW THE VERY RICH AND FAMOUS. WELFARE IS SET UP TO JUST KEEP YOU AFLOAT BUT ITS EASY FOR EVEN THE UNEDUCATED TO SEE THAT THEY HAVE NO FUTURE AND IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF HARD WORK AND LUCK TO BREAK OUT AND BE SUCESSFUL. THE MEDIA AND LIBERALS TELL THEM ITS THE OTHER CLASSES FAULT SO YOU SHOULD PROTEST BY HAVING A RIOT AND LOOT AND BURN UP ALL THE BUSINESS IN YOUR NEBHORHOOD. NOTHING THE PRESS LIKES BETTER THAN A GOOD RIOT OR DISASTER AND ITS NOT THE POOR LOOTERS WHO GET THE BLAME ITS THE CLASS THAT HAPPENS TO BE IN THE MEDIA CROSS HAIRS ALL THE TIME.

THIS SETS UP THE WORKING CLASS AND THE NON WORKING CLASS TO BE AGAINST EACH OTHER MAKEING IT EASIER TO CONTROL BOTH GROUPS. THOSE WHO THINK THEY ARE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE ENTIRE SOCIETY WILL TAKE THE WELFARE BUT HATE THE SYSTEM AND OFTEN TURN TO VIOLENCE AND CRIME TO GET EVEN WITH THE SYSTEM. THEY THINK THE WORKERS ARE FOOLS AND ENJOY TAKEING WHAT THEY WORK FOR AWAY FROM THEM.

IN MY AREA WE HAVE MULTIPLE LOCAL PROBLEMS
1. ELITE POLITICIANS WHO ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN ENRICHING THEMSELVES AT EVERYONE ELSES EXPENSE.
2. MEDIA CONTROLLED BY THE VERY RICH WHO ALSO WORK WITH OR OWN THE POLITICIANS.
3.THE CLASS SYSTEM THEY HAVE SET UP AND THE HATE ,MISTRUST AND FEAR IT ENCOURAGES.
4. THE PRESS CONSTANTLY OPENS OLD WOUNDS AND MAKES THEM A DAY TO REMEMBER WHAT ONE GROUP DID TO THE OTHER GROUP ON THAT DATE 100 YEARS OR SO AGO SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN OR FORGIVEN. THEN THE LAWYERS JUMP IN FIND A DISGRUNTLED FAMILY MEMBER OR SURVIVIOR AND SUE EVERY ONE THEY CAN AND THE TAXPAYERS END UP PAYING THE SETTELMENT AND LAWYERS BILLS. THE TAXPAYERS HAVE MADE MULTI MILLIONARES OUT OF MANY LAWYERS AND MINORITY POLICEMEN AND DISGRUNTLED MINORITYS LOCALLY INSTEAD OF FIXING OUR CITYS PROBLEMS.
5.OUR BIG COMPANYS HIRE LAWYERS WHO TELL THEM HOW TO LEGALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR WORKERS AND GIVE THEMSELVES MILLIONS IN BOUNUS FOR THE BRILLIANT STRADEGY OF LAYING OFF HALF THE WORK FORCE. SENDING THE JOBS OVERSEAS OR ONLY LETTING THEIR CUSTOMERS TALK TO ANSWERING MACHINES AND OF COURSE LAYING OFF ANYONE 50 YEARS OLD AND NOT HIREING 50 YEARS OR OVER UNLESS ABSOLUTLY NECESSARY. THEY HOPE TO SET IT UP WHERE EMPLOYEES SHOULD FIND A NEW JOB EVERY 4.5 YEARS SO NONE WILL EVER BE VESTED TO DRAW RETIREMENT. THE CEO WHO CAN SUCESSFULLY DO THESE THINGS USUALLY PUTS A FEW 100 MILLION IN HIS BANK ACCOUNT.
5.OUR STATE LEADERS HAVE DECIDED THAT WE CAN GAMBLE OUR WAY TO PROSPERITY. WE NOW HAVE MORE GAMBELING CASINOS HERE THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY THEY ARE MAKEING A LOT OF MONEY BUT OUR TAX'S ,WATER BILLS AND EVERYTHING ARE GOING UP A LOT EVEN THOUGH WE WERE PROMISED THE GAMBELING MONEY WOULD NOT MAKE THAT NECESSARY.
6. AT THE CURRENT RATE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION TO THE AREA WE WILL BE THIRD WORLD AND SPEAKING SPANISH IN 10 YEARS IF THEY ALLOW US TO STAY HERE.
7. NOT ALL ILLEGAL IMIGRANTS COME HERE FOR THE OPORTUNITY TO WORK AND THEY ALSO TAKE GOOD JOBS NOT ONLY THOSE THE AMERICANS ARE TOO LAZY TO DO AND DON'T WANT. IT IS ALSO THE LAND OF GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR CRIMINALS ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO THIRD WORLD COUNTRYS SO WE HAVE OUR LOCAL BAD GUYS AND MANY FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ALSO.

8.CRIME IS SKYROCKETING, DRUG DEALING, GANGS FORIGN AND DOMESTIC,GAMBELING, BURGARLY, AND VIOLENT CRIMES SUCH AS MURDER ARE WAY UP. AND OF COURSE THE CITY NEEDS TO RAISE OUR TAXES SOME MORE BECAUSE WE NEED MORE POLICE AND SCHOOL TEACHERS AS USUAL.
8. BUT NEVER FEAR OUR LEADERS WILL FIX IT ALL BY TAKEING GUNS, KNIVES AND ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE USED FOR SELF DEFENCE AWAY FROM THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS. THE CRIMINAL WILL STILL HAVE THEM AND THE VERY RICH AND FAMOUS WILL HAVE THEIR WELL ARMED SECURITY FORCES OR BODY GAURDS AND SPECIAL POLICE PROTECTION TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE PROTECTED SO THEY CAN LOOK AFTER US.

ONCE A BODY OF PEOPLE ARE GIVEN THE JOB OF MAKEING A LAW TO TAKE AWAY SOMETHING FROM THE LAW ABIDING THEY ARE NEVER SATISFIED AND WILL KEEP TAKEING MORE AWAY AND MAKEING MORE LAWS AFTER ALL THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEIR JOBS.

WHEN NATURAL RIGHTS BECOMES A PRIVILEGE THEN ONLY THE PRIVELEGED WILL HAVE THOSE RIGHTS!

I AM SURE I COULD COME UP WITH MORE RANTS BUT THATS MORE THAN ENOUGH.

29th June 2006, 06:39 PM	#17
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	IN THE USA THE PRESS AND LIBERALS HAVE CREATED A CLASS SYSTEM FOR THOSE WHO ARE NOT VERY RICH OR FAMOUS. THEY HAVE USED THE MEDIA THEY CONTORL TO TELL US HOW BAD SOME GROUPS HAVE BEEN TREATED IN THE PAST WHILE TRYING TO SHAME OTHER GROUPS INTO LAYING DOWN AND BEING DESTROYED FOR WHAT HAPPENED IN THE PAST. IT IS CALLED THE MINORITY PLAN AND ENCOURAGES HATRED, FEAR AND MISTRUST AMOUNG ALL THE CLASSES BELOW THE VERY RICH AND FAMOUS. WELFARE IS SET UP TO JUST KEEP YOU AFLOAT BUT ITS EASY FOR EVEN THE UNEDUCATED TO SEE THAT THEY HAVE NO FUTURE AND IT WOULD TAKE A LOT OF HARD WORK AND LUCK TO BREAK OUT AND BE SUCESSFUL. THE MEDIA AND LIBERALS TELL THEM ITS THE OTHER CLASSES FAULT SO YOU SHOULD PROTEST BY HAVING A RIOT AND LOOT AND BURN UP ALL THE BUSINESS IN YOUR NEBHORHOOD. NOTHING THE PRESS LIKES BETTER THAN A GOOD RIOT OR DISASTER AND ITS NOT THE POOR LOOTERS WHO GET THE BLAME ITS THE CLASS THAT HAPPENS TO BE IN THE MEDIA CROSS HAIRS ALL THE TIME. THIS SETS UP THE WORKING CLASS AND THE NON WORKING CLASS TO BE AGAINST EACH OTHER MAKEING IT EASIER TO CONTROL BOTH GROUPS. THOSE WHO THINK THEY ARE BEING DISCRIMINATED AGAINST BY THE ENTIRE SOCIETY WILL TAKE THE WELFARE BUT HATE THE SYSTEM AND OFTEN TURN TO VIOLENCE AND CRIME TO GET EVEN WITH THE SYSTEM. THEY THINK THE WORKERS ARE FOOLS AND ENJOY TAKEING WHAT THEY WORK FOR AWAY FROM THEM. IN MY AREA WE HAVE MULTIPLE LOCAL PROBLEMS 1. ELITE POLITICIANS WHO ARE ONLY INTERESTED IN ENRICHING THEMSELVES AT EVERYONE ELSES EXPENSE. 2. MEDIA CONTROLLED BY THE VERY RICH WHO ALSO WORK WITH OR OWN THE POLITICIANS. 3.THE CLASS SYSTEM THEY HAVE SET UP AND THE HATE ,MISTRUST AND FEAR IT ENCOURAGES. 4. THE PRESS CONSTANTLY OPENS OLD WOUNDS AND MAKES THEM A DAY TO REMEMBER WHAT ONE GROUP DID TO THE OTHER GROUP ON THAT DATE 100 YEARS OR SO AGO SHOULD NEVER BE FORGOTTEN OR FORGIVEN. THEN THE LAWYERS JUMP IN FIND A DISGRUNTLED FAMILY MEMBER OR SURVIVIOR AND SUE EVERY ONE THEY CAN AND THE TAXPAYERS END UP PAYING THE SETTELMENT AND LAWYERS BILLS. THE TAXPAYERS HAVE MADE MULTI MILLIONARES OUT OF MANY LAWYERS AND MINORITY POLICEMEN AND DISGRUNTLED MINORITYS LOCALLY INSTEAD OF FIXING OUR CITYS PROBLEMS. 5.OUR BIG COMPANYS HIRE LAWYERS WHO TELL THEM HOW TO LEGALLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR WORKERS AND GIVE THEMSELVES MILLIONS IN BOUNUS FOR THE BRILLIANT STRADEGY OF LAYING OFF HALF THE WORK FORCE. SENDING THE JOBS OVERSEAS OR ONLY LETTING THEIR CUSTOMERS TALK TO ANSWERING MACHINES AND OF COURSE LAYING OFF ANYONE 50 YEARS OLD AND NOT HIREING 50 YEARS OR OVER UNLESS ABSOLUTLY NECESSARY. THEY HOPE TO SET IT UP WHERE EMPLOYEES SHOULD FIND A NEW JOB EVERY 4.5 YEARS SO NONE WILL EVER BE VESTED TO DRAW RETIREMENT. THE CEO WHO CAN SUCESSFULLY DO THESE THINGS USUALLY PUTS A FEW 100 MILLION IN HIS BANK ACCOUNT. 5.OUR STATE LEADERS HAVE DECIDED THAT WE CAN GAMBLE OUR WAY TO PROSPERITY. WE NOW HAVE MORE GAMBELING CASINOS HERE THAN THE REST OF THE COUNTRY THEY ARE MAKEING A LOT OF MONEY BUT OUR TAX'S ,WATER BILLS AND EVERYTHING ARE GOING UP A LOT EVEN THOUGH WE WERE PROMISED THE GAMBELING MONEY WOULD NOT MAKE THAT NECESSARY. 6. AT THE CURRENT RATE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION TO THE AREA WE WILL BE THIRD WORLD AND SPEAKING SPANISH IN 10 YEARS IF THEY ALLOW US TO STAY HERE. 7. NOT ALL ILLEGAL IMIGRANTS COME HERE FOR THE OPORTUNITY TO WORK AND THEY ALSO TAKE GOOD JOBS NOT ONLY THOSE THE AMERICANS ARE TOO LAZY TO DO AND DON'T WANT. IT IS ALSO THE LAND OF GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR CRIMINALS ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO THIRD WORLD COUNTRYS SO WE HAVE OUR LOCAL BAD GUYS AND MANY FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD ALSO. 8.CRIME IS SKYROCKETING, DRUG DEALING, GANGS FORIGN AND DOMESTIC,GAMBELING, BURGARLY, AND VIOLENT CRIMES SUCH AS MURDER ARE WAY UP. AND OF COURSE THE CITY NEEDS TO RAISE OUR TAXES SOME MORE BECAUSE WE NEED MORE POLICE AND SCHOOL TEACHERS AS USUAL. 8. BUT NEVER FEAR OUR LEADERS WILL FIX IT ALL BY TAKEING GUNS, KNIVES AND ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE USED FOR SELF DEFENCE AWAY FROM THE LAW ABIDING CITIZENS. THE CRIMINAL WILL STILL HAVE THEM AND THE VERY RICH AND FAMOUS WILL HAVE THEIR WELL ARMED SECURITY FORCES OR BODY GAURDS AND SPECIAL POLICE PROTECTION TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE PROTECTED SO THEY CAN LOOK AFTER US. ONCE A BODY OF PEOPLE ARE GIVEN THE JOB OF MAKEING A LAW TO TAKE AWAY SOMETHING FROM THE LAW ABIDING THEY ARE NEVER SATISFIED AND WILL KEEP TAKEING MORE AWAY AND MAKEING MORE LAWS AFTER ALL THEY DON'T WANT TO LOSE THEIR JOBS. WHEN NATURAL RIGHTS BECOMES A PRIVILEGE THEN ONLY THE PRIVELEGED WILL HAVE THOSE RIGHTS! I AM SURE I COULD COME UP WITH MORE RANTS BUT THATS MORE THAN ENOUGH. Last edited by VANDOO; 29th June 2006 at 06:49 PM.

28th June 2006, 02:55 AM	#1
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	There is something to be said in favor of living in "The States" . I keep my Moro swords in a glass topped 3 drawer collector's table ; one night we had a cop in the house about some strange phone calls we were getting , he sat down on our couch to fill out his report ;when he saw the krisses he simply chuckled and quipped " what's this ; in case of emergency break glass ?" I also think about the movie Network ; a savage commentary on American television . I think this quote from the script fits ; maybe some of you will remember it : " I don't have to tell you things are bad. Everybody knows things are bad. It's a depression. Everybody's out of work or scared of losing their job. The dollar buys a nickel's worth, banks are going bust, shopkeepers keep a gun under the counter. Punks are running wild in the street and there's nobody anywhere who seems to know what to do, and there's no end to it. We know the air is unfit to breathe and our food is unfit to eat, and we sit watching our TV's while some local newscaster tells us that today we had fifteen homicides and sixty-three violent crimes, as if that's the way it's supposed to be. We know things are bad - worse than bad. They're crazy. It's like everything everywhere is going crazy, so we don't go out anymore. We sit in the house, and slowly the world we are living in is getting smaller, and all we say is, 'Please, at least leave us alone in our living rooms. Let me have my toaster and my TV and my steel-belted radials and I won't say anything. Just leave us alone.' Well, I'm not gonna leave you alone. I want you to get mad! I don't want you to protest. I don't want you to riot - I don't want you to write to your congressman because I wouldn't know what to tell you to write. I don't know what to do about the depression and the inflation and the Russians and the crime in the street. All I know is that first you've got to get mad. Howard Beale: [shouting] You've got to say, 'I'm a HUMAN BEING, Goddamnit! My life has VALUE!' So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, [shouting] Howard Beale: 'I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!' I want you to get up right now, sit up, go to your windows, open them and stick your head out and yell - 'I'm as mad as hell and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Things have got to change. But first, you've gotta get mad!... You've got to say, 'I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!' Then we'll figure out what to do about the depression and the inflation and the oil crisis. But first get up out of your chairs, open the window, stick your head out, and yell, and say it: Howard Beale: [screaming at the top of his lungs] "I'M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!"

28th June 2006, 05:35 AM	#2
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	Oh, yes. We can be prisoners of our own complacency. When the news is showbusiness, and a comedy show is the most reliable news source, the signs are there. We have freedoms, in theory, but by not understanding them and, more importantly, not exercising them, they can become meaningless. Not lost, but just as bad. They become words on a piece of paper that no one reads. You don't have to be violent about exercising your rights, just firm, just certain, and hopefully informed. You have to care about it, see it as more than a morning "wasted" in line at the local voting station. So there is my political rant. Just my opinion, of course. Now, where did I put that remote .... ?

28th June 2006, 05:54 AM	#3
A. G. Maisey Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 7,015	Yes Mark, we should defend our rights. In the USA you do indeed have rights to defend. In Australia we have no constitutional rights as you do, and the old Bill of Rights has long been superceded by legislation. Many of the things that people in USA regard as God given rights are in Australia regarded as privileges. Successive governments of both major political persuasions at both federal and state levels have methodically chipped away at freedoms that we thought we had. The current government of this country , which is a hardline conservative government, has recently introduced industrial relations legislation that will eventually see the employer/employee relationship put back to the late 19th century. One does not have to be particularly brilliant to understand the principle reason behind the anti-weapons legislation and the relentless social engineering designed to turn the Australia population into sheep. I am now 65 years of age, and in quite comfortable circumstances. Were I younger, or in any sort of volatile employment situation, I would probably give very serious consideration to migrating to another country. The Australia of 2006 is not the country that my forebears fought for in two world wars, nor is it the country that I grew up in.It is nothing even remotely similar to the country presented in movies.

28th June 2006, 10:00 AM	#4
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	By introducing laws g r a d u a l l y governments are able to exert CONTROL of its citizens. People tend to ignore small changes,.....but these develop, over time into radical adjustments of the law. As Newton said 'every action has an equal and opposite reaction'. If a radical,unpopular law was introduced then there would be an intense reaction from the people. But that isn't the 'modus operatum' of most governments, it is the gradual eroding of your civil liberties that occurs ....almost unnoticed. Elected politicians are supposed to be representative of the people....when was the last time you heard a government official ask what it’s citizens want........ It seems that many countries are becoming 'Nanny States' where more and more responsibility is taken away from its population. Where common-sense seems to be valueless and the 'dumbing down' of the population common...........rant over.......deep breath....think calm.....fluffy rabbits....and exhale........ I think, that 'the power of the knife' has been imbedded in our psyche ...... it wasn't that long ago...... that knife wielding terrorists ...hijacked several planes.....and killed thousands. (My condolences to all the victims and their families). This terrible act was facilitated by gaining control of a plane using the threat of a knife. People were amazed that the use of a simple metal implement could cause such devastation. Suddenly the knife was seen as extremely dangerous, even in today’s society.

28th June 2006, 01:14 PM	#5
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	I call it the boiling frog syndrome.

28th June 2006, 01:52 PM	#7
Andrew Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: USA Posts: 1,725	Control. It's what those in power always want. Small things like civil liberties are annoyances and the erosion of those liberties only benefits those in power. Using fear to abrogate civil liberties is classic and effective. After all, this is for you own good....

29th June 2006, 02:13 PM	#14
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Well said tc , They will still come up with the excuse that your home could be robbed thereby supplying criminals with weapons . I think at least one of us has had their collection stolen . I agree about economic despair; welfare was supposed to take care of that . In some cases welfare has actually exacerbated that problem . A few of us have taken notice of Alan's steamroller on the horizon ; most of us have not .