I think that's very bad that kids at school have real guns Is mise. They learn how to kill people when we want the guns to be taken away so no more crimes will happen. Giving kids guns at school is a no brainer I think ?? That's why the city has being so vilont is because of to many guns around take all guns away from kids and adults to ! How do you know Wolly B is not a bad person with guns at his school I'm not saying he is bad, but if all these kids had guns then we know why there are so many criminals who know how to use all these guns if they learn how to shoot them at there school, plane madness ?!

To Rhosty.

The link between genetics and criminal behaviour is hardly "tenuous" when 95% of prison inmates are males. Not just males, but usually young males. Furthermore, extensive IQ studies in the US on prison inmates reveal that the most common IQ of inmates is around 18 IQ points lower than the most common score for the general population (103). Low intelligence is usually the preserve of genetic inheritance although poor nutrition can be a significant factor. Education and nutrition can improve IQ's, but no amount of education or good nutrition can turn an intrinsically dumb person into a Mensa.

Culture is the primary reason for the acceptance of violent behaviour within groups. Culture is most usually linked to race, and races with a genetic predisposition to violent behaviour produce violence endorsing culture.

To Susieonline.

Your premise is that very disproportionate rates of serious crime are caused by poverty and discrimination. Criminologists today do not use poverty as an excuse for criminal behaviour anymore because they know that very poor and very law abiding societies have existed, and still do exist. The statistics published in Lucy Sullivans book "Rising Crime in Australia" showed that crime in Australia was at it's lowest during the Great Depression, when Australia was at it poorest. Similarly, those areas within Australia today with the lowest crime rates are in our rural areas where incomes are low, poverty endemic, and suicides related to financial despair common. Oberon NSW, (est. 1855) recently had it's first armed robbery in it's entire history.

On discrimination, black and Hispanic societies are notoriously dysfunction even in their own homelands where no white discrimination can exist. In any case, blaming the white race for the dysfunctions of other races, is racism. Hitler blamed the Jews for the woes of Germany, and that is universally considered racism. But by some process of cognitive dissonance, you are unable to see your own racism when you make the same sort of claim that Hitler did.

Misanthrope, et al,

The point I took from references to cadets being given rifles to care for was that they were responsible for them and trained in their use.

I referred earlier to US management of personal use of firearms for defence. The thing that struck me about that philosophy was that people were given training, assessed and then issued with a permit to carry a firearm.

In Australia we don't even teach our kids to drive properly. I can understand why this point is missed, but it is extremely important to the outcome.

Apart from the racism on display here, they is also a lot of dumb.
Accidental shooting deaths in the US and elsewhere where there is high fire arms ownership is a significant problem. When you add that to the high levels of drunken violence we have here, any body advocating looser fire arms laws needs take a long hard look at themselves.

I was brought up with firearms, owned several and used to hunt and target shoot with 22's, 10/40 and 12 gauge as well as 223's and 7.62 for full bore target shooting. I gave up my fire arms and let my licence lapse for 10 years. I recently went through the process of getting a fire arms licence to shoot feral animals on my land rather then pay the local roo shooter. I agree with all the hoops I had to jump through to get a firearms licence.

I can fully understand the principle the author is advocating, but I live in the real world full of people who do stupid things. Well trained police rarely have to use deadly force, I would not feel safe with a trigger happy red neck carrying a concealed 45 in his knickers.

If anything we should be making more laws, like mandatory 10 years jail for illegal guns. Keeping them out of the hands of criminals is an important activity. Unlike drugs though guns hurt who their pointed at not the user.

Oh and by the way high crime is the bedfellow of poverty not a persons skin colour.

Corncob, nobody needs a gun for any reason except police and army people nobody else. You say you need gun for shooting animals on your land why ? If animals cause trouble call correct person who can take them away or destroy them all for you, you don't need gun for any reason except you use for other reasons which are a worry?

The Colonial Boy says school boy needs guns to teach them how to use them safety why? Why do school boys need to use guns at all, other then for bad reasons? NOBODY at school ever need to learn about guns, as I said often "no brainer" ?

Only ONLY army air force navy and police people need to have a gun at all nobody else for any any any reason - PROVE ME WRONG everyone ?

No person can prove me wrong about guns, gun cause death, guns cause misery, guns cause hafok, guns only can cause crime so no guns for any real reason necessary ?? Everyone here can see me is right about guns agree ?

<You say youd carried rifles to and from your school Wolly b I don't believe you. You
<would not be allowed to have a rifle in school what a silly thing to say carrying a gun at
<school a joke of course? What are cadets at school anyway other than playing soldiers
<or something? But not have a real gun while at school anyway.

Posted by misanthrope, Wednesday, 24 December 2014 8:52:54 PM

This was the era before people were required to have licences to shot a rifle/gun.

It rifle was a 303 mark 3. We did have them until some more senior cadets decided to try and shoot fish with the rifles and blew up a barrel. Fortunately nobody was injured.

Part to the exercise was to have the barrel absolutely spotless for inspection, and a slightest hint of dirt meant ( I forget).