Cossomby, ".. if you want to influence those who are against guns"

No-one is trying to convince you. That would be a waste of time. You and others have had the facts put before you many times over.

However I for one am not going to stand idly by while you and others spread untruths and misinformation aimed at blackening the names of the many thousands of solid, dependable, law-abiding citizens from all walks of life whose legitimate, legal, formally approved activities don't happen to suit you.

Where citizens with firearms licences are concerned I know I am dealing with the very best - reputable people of solid, impeccable character and good standing in the community. They are people whom others will formally vouch for, having know them personally for many years. They have been fully checked by police.

Yet astoundingly, the lunacy of the Howard inspired 'gun control' has put all of their names and personal details onto police computers as 'persons of interest'. Police conduct random inspections in their homes - with fully marked police vehicles parked in their driveways. Their names flash red on police car computers, along with their vehicle registration. It is bureaucratic lunacy, like something out of Catch 22. Hundreds of police and police weapons branches look over their shoulders monitoring them. Those police should be out collaring the bad guys.

Meanwhile, some terrorist inspired Muslim with a record, who was known to police, but wasn't on anyone's watch list wreaks mayhem in Martin Place, Sydney. To top it off, the hugely expensive White Elephant gun registry (another Howard 'initiative') very strangely and impossibly credited the offender with a legal firearm.

Great stuff eh Cossomby and you want more of it.

Peter and the other Apostles carried swords and if Christ were on Earth today, Peter being a practical man, would probably carry a 9mm Colt 1911 Model.

Don't be silly Is Mise.
Jesus and all the apostles would have been totally faithful to the 10 Commandments and never carry a weapon surely.
Thou shalt not kill?

Suse,

Christ knew that Peter and the others carried swords and obviously approved, otherwise he would have forbidden the practice.

you obviously have little knowledge of the Ten Commandments.
"Thou shalt not kill" refers to murder not legitimate self defence.

"2321 The prohibition of murder does not abrogate the right to render an unjust aggressor unable to inflict harm. Legitimate defense is a grave duty for whoever is responsible for the lives of others or the common good."
http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s2c2a5.htm

"Defense of life and person

Everyone has the right to defend his life against the attacks of an unjust aggressor. For this end he may employ whatever force is necessary and even take the life of an unjust assailant.... The life of another person may be defended on the same conditions by us as our own....A father ought, for example, to defend the lives of his children; a husband, his wife; and all ought to defend the life of one whose death would be a serious loss to the community. Soldiers, policemen, and private guards hired for that purpose are bound in justice to safeguard the lives of those entrusted to them."
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13691a.htm

Dear Suse,

The original biblical commandment is "Thou shalt not murder". No idea why is was mistranslated in the English versions into 'kill'.

I think I should've stayed in bed and not write such a contentious piece ? Anyway, I did and that's the end of it.

It's not the licenced, legitimate F/A owner and user, that concerns me personal, rather it's the crooks who can get their grubby little hands on any weapon they chose, provided there's plenty of 'doh ray me' around to pay for it !

I've heard mention of varying numbers of illegal handguns that are around these days, and I would probably near double that figure ? It's my information, that it's the 'one percenter's' who run the illicit gun market in Sydney. With a couple even skilled enough, to act as armourers also ?

I'm not suggesting they're true journeymen, but they have sufficient skills to effectively remove serials, shorten barrels, and in one instance, render a mini 14 Sturm Ruger .223, into full 'rock 'n roll' mode ? I've not seen the work, still from what I've heard, this bloke is pretty handy ?

Which raises the question of personal (self) defence ? In NSW, you can't obtain a pistol licence, or any F/A licence for that matter, for the purpose of self defence, unless you can show a particular need ? There are a number of gem dealers in the city who carry pistols, because they carry huge quantities of fine gems about.

Their licence is granted, not to protect their precious gems, it's for their own protection. As an example, a person suddenly grabs a jewellers bag containing the gems, and decamps from the scene. The armed jeweller can't draw his .454 Casull and fire at him to recover his gems ? It's for his own personal protection only !

Sad but true. As it's always been asserted - 'the law is an ass' ?