New law to ban swords

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,8907485%5E2862,00.html

SWORDS will be outlawed from July under new laws to curb the growing use of the weapons in street brawls.

Police Minister Andre Haermeyer said the ban would help police overcome a culture of young people arming themselves with swords. "For most people running around the street carrying swords there is absolutely no reason for them to be carrying those weapons," he said yesterday. From July, anyone found possessing or selling a sword without a permit will face up to six months' jail and fines of up to $12,000. Existing sword owners must surrender their weapons to police, sell them to a licensed dealer or apply to the Chief Commissioner for specific approval.

Collectors and people with legitimate cultural, religious or military reasons to own swords will be exempted from the ban, but must store them under lock and key and have a burglar alarm.
The sword ban follows a string of recent attacks and a regulatory impact statement undertaken by the State Government last year.
Last week, a 13-year-old boy was arrested and charged after allegedly charging police with a sword near Castlemaine, in central Victoria.

A 21-year-old man had his hand severed by a samurai sword in a confrontation between 40 men in the Fitzroy Gardens a fortnight ago -- the second brawl involving swords in 24 hours.
Huy Huynh, 19, was chased from the Salt nightclub and hacked to death nearby in July 2002 by a mob using samurai swords and machetes. The new laws will make it illegal to sell swords to anyone who does not have a permit. Sword sellers will have to keep a register of buyers' details and make it available for police to inspect. Mr Haermeyer said groups such as highland dancers, historic re-enactment groups, bonafide collectors and people with family heirlooms could apply for an exemption from the licensing services branch of Victoria Police. "Legitimate sword owners understand the importance of ensuring that their swords do not fall into the wrong hands," he said. "The vast majority of the community would say, 'Look, there's no place for people just being able to go out there and buy these things and carry them around the street'." Mr Haermeyer said the exact definition of a sword under the new regulations was still being considered. He said machetes would remain a controlled weapon, requiring a person to have a legitimate reason for carrying them. The Government is also looking at bans on some other weapons, such as crossbows, and greater restriction on the sale of prohibited and regulated weapons at weekend markets.
Mr Haermeyer warned that police would be actively hunting for knives and swords after being given new powers and 480 metal detectors late last year, allowing them to search people they reasonably suspected were carrying weapons.
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:eek7: Swords? Get on the slippery slope and soon ice picks and butter knives will be illegal.

I can understand a law that would keep people from walking around with a sword, but making it illegal to own one?













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A long time ago in China, the general populace was banned from posessing weapons and practising martial arts.

What developed was new styles of martial arts disguised as theatrical and intoxicated pass-times. e.g. animal styles, drunken style.

As for weapons, skills were developed to use everyday items with deadly effect. e.g. nunchaku - a device for threshing rice, sickle, axes, staffs etc.

Modern day equivalent - a credit card sharpened along the edge. Are they going ban sharp pencils and pens as well?

I have two long bows in my shed that I haven't used for 15 years. I don't even have strings and arrows for them anymore. It would be ridiculous if I needed a license for them.

I think this is all the fault of the gun ban in Australia. If they just let them have unlicensed handguns, there wouldn't be this problem with the violent street gangs having to use swords!

A long time ago in China, the general populace was banned from posessing weapons and practising martial arts.

What developed was new styles of martial arts disguised as theatrical and intoxicated pass-times. e.g. animal styles, drunken style.

As for weapons, skills were developed to use everyday items with deadly effect. e.g. nunchaku - a device for threshing rice, sickle, axes, staffs etc.

Same reason why Capoeira evolved to its current form in Brazil. It was touted as a "dance".

All they're doing is creating a new underground.

Personally, I think having someone who has to train hard and dedicated months of their life to technique to become a lethal weapon themself is more preferrable to having someone who picks up a sword, gets the feel for it in a day and then goes out chopping people up with it.

That being said, I have some martial arts training, including Kendo, and I own a sword myself, a Paul Chen wakizashi. It's a devastating and deadly weapon, and if the government required me to register it for special purposes or surrender it for destruction, I'd be willing to comply. Why, because it's a deadly weapon, and it's made with the expressed purpose of causing grievous bodily harm to people.

It's the exact same issue as handguns.

I think this is all the fault of the gun ban in Australia. If they just let them have unlicensed handguns, there wouldn't be this problem with the violent street gangs having to use swords!

HOLY FUCKING SHIT! Please tell me you're being sarcastic because if you're not my world is going to cave in! Cbass the liberal actually thinks that the REMOVAL of guns is the cause for more violent crime!?!?!? I need to go buy a lottery ticket, weird shit is happning....

I'd be willing to comply. Why, because it's a deadly weapon, and it's made with the expressed purpose of causing grievous bodily harm to people.

It's the exact same issue as handguns.


Nevermind... and here I thought I was gonna win millions....

That being said, I have some martial arts training, including Kendo, and I own a sword myself, a Paul Chen wakizashi. It's a devastating and deadly weapon, and if the government required me to register it for special purposes or surrender it for destruction, I'd be willing to comply. Why, because it's a deadly weapon, and it's made with the expressed purpose of causing grievous bodily harm to people.




I though the katana was the dedicated war sword with the wakizashi being more ceremonial.

Technically, the "samurai Sword" or Katana, is the long weapon of choice for battle on foot. The Wakizashi is the shorter variant, usually allowing for a one-handed or hand-and-a-half grip. The Wakizashi was commonly used as the weapon for beheading the vanquished foe, also, it was the adornment to be worn inside buildings, where lower ceilings and tight passageways made the potential use of a full length sword difficult. The two swords, when worn together were a symbol of rank/power- any conscripted samurai was allowed to carry a sword, but the wearing of two swords was more exclusive. Generally, any sword can be used ceremonially, however, the Tachi (or slung sword- the really curved ones) were often considered a more ceremonial piece, and was created for cavalry (which is naturally a more ranking position, as one is on a horse instead of on foot.) This is how I understand it.

Oh yeah, and I whole-heartedly agree with anyone who holds the opinion that thugs will just compensate for the sword ban, making it a rather futile attempt. Ban/heavily control firearms, and they resort to swords. Ban/heavily control swords, and they'll resort to large kitchen knives. Ban/heavily control large kitchen knives, and they'll resort to something else. You can prevent an item's use by any potential criminal, but you can't prevent the potential criminal use of any item.

The Wakizashi was traditionally a seldom used, but in the right hands it is just as effective as a Katana, often more effective.

http://www.mantisswords.com/Shinto_Dia_Sho_II.JPG

The blade is only a few inches shorter than a Katanas, but it is lighter, and allows the free use of your left arm. Good stuff :iceslolan

thanks for the info guys :)

While I don't think that legislation can eliminate the use of objects as weapons, I do think there is a place for weapons control.

Fire-arms allow a person to inflict several casualties, in a very short time, from a remote position - especially automatic fire-arms. They should be controlled.

Handguns are made for one thing only - shooting other people. They are useless for hunting etc. and the whole concept of a handgun is that it is easily carried and concealed. They should be controlled.

Swords and knives at least are personal weapons - meaning you have to get within fight-back range to use one and the victims at least may have a chance to fight back or flee. You will still have people killed and maimed from these, but not on the scale of a shoot 'em up fest. That said, it is wholly inappropriate that people should be able to carry them on the street without being challenged by the law.

It does seem ridiculous that a sword carried into a public place is not controlled considering all the fuss about box-knives.

Hey Cbass, I'm interested in Kendo. Is it a good martial art? It looks VERY interesting.

Collectors and people with legitimate cultural, religious or military reasons to own swords will be exempted from the ban, but must store them under lock and key and have a burglar alarm.


I hope they make special provisions for immortals. After all, there can be only one! :D

Seriously, this is just evidence of the circular nature of weapon bans. The problem is not the device, it's the attitude of the user. We must use the law to encourage responsibility, not disable everyone. Consider this: if you follow the logic of complete disarmament, then the only way to prevent rape is to castrate all but a select few who will perpetuate the species.

In the case of the guy who lost his hand, the sword may have actually saved his life. A mob of 40 guys can do a lot worse than amputation, and it may have been the shocking sight of his severed hand that stopped them from killing him. I'm not saying that we should let people roam around with swords, but obviously, the sword was not the root of the problem. A mob of 40 people can do damage whether they have guns, swords, rocks, or bare fists. Watch the news and see Palestinian mobs destroy vehicles and buildings with rocks and bottles. I guess we have to ban those too...

BTW, handguns can be used for hunting. Granted, the vast majority are not, but there are definitely notable exceptions. Many people prefer using handguns. The .357 Desert Eagle, arguably the most accurate handgun in the world, is a good example. Many large handguns are not easily concealed, but ideal as easy-to-use home defense weapons. It is a minconception to think that handguns are only made for concealing and dealing out wholesale destruction. Most of the highly concealable handguns available (especially the cheaper ones) are chambered for small caliber ammunition and have small capacity magazines. Add to this the fact that they have short barrels (low muzzle velocity and poor accuracy), and you get the effective range of - guess what - a knife! You don't get a lot of rapid fire from a double action trigger, either.

Don't think that I'm jumping on any of you, or that I don't like you; Saturday Night Special is a decidedly anti-gun song, but I still like Lynyrd Skynyrd. This is one of those issues where people are always going to disagree. It does seem, however, that those who are better acquainted with firearms come most quickly to their defense. Maybe we just don't want to give them up, or maybe we just realize that human beings can handle the responsibility. Who knows?

BTW, I have a 42" Scottish claymore that is probably about as dangerous as a refridgerator magnet in my hands. I'll have to remember this article the next time I join an angry mob.

Hey Cbass, I'm interested in Kendo. Is it a good martial art? It looks VERY interesting.

It's different from most martial arts in that it centres around the use of the sword exclusively. It's not all that pratical for self defence, unless you happen to have a sword or a stick on hand at the time, but if you do, god help whoever is threatening you :iceslolan

Check your yellow pages for martial arts schools, you might be able to find a kendo school in your area. Check it out, it's a lot of fun.

Thats what Im after, fun and something cool and interesting.

I know theres a club around here somewhere. Ill have to put my Holmes hat on and find them.

Cheers!

Thats what Im after, fun and something cool and interesting.

I know theres a club around here somewhere. Ill have to put my Holmes hat on and find them.

Cheers!

You might want to check into Escrima, or also known as Kali. It teaches you that weapons are but extensions of the hands, and whatever technique you learn with a weapon, you can use bare-handed, and vice-versa.

Nice. I'll look into that one too.

Thanks.

More dumb legislation..........Hey look! People breaking the law!What can we do about it??.........I know! Let's make another law or two!

If they ever invent semi-automatic,or pump-action swords,I want one.

Thats what Im after, fun and something cool and interesting.

I know theres a club around here somewhere. Ill have to put my Holmes hat on and find them.

Cheers!

Just be warned, it is a VERY physical martial art, and you will probably be quite sore for your first few months :naughty:

The advantage is, you pick up a 1m chunk of 20mm aluminum round stock, and you can effectively disarm and disable 3 people at once.