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Old October 17, 2012, 01:27 AM   #1
jimpeel
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British newsagent bans shooting magazines for kids under fourteen

The joint is up in arms over this overreach. Newsagent WH Smith has placed a ban on under fourteen-year-olds from purchasing magazines featuring shooting sports or hunting. They came to this decision after being browbeaten by animal rights groups. The problem is they think this is "reasonable."

There is a possible boycott afoot and a representative of the Countryside Alliance stated "They are now going to face the backlash of the countryside rather than a handful of animal rights activists."

We shall see.

SOURCE

Quote:
No shooting magazines for sale to under-14s

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Western Morning News

Country sports enthusiasts are furious at a decision by Britain's biggest newsagent to ban children from buying shooting magazines after a campaign by animal rights activists.

WH Smith says youngsters under 14 will not be sold shooting titles, even though it is legal to hold a shotgun licence below that age.

<MORE>
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Old October 17, 2012, 01:41 AM   #2
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Wow

Last edited by Mastergunner; October 17, 2012 at 02:09 AM.
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Old October 17, 2012, 05:13 AM   #3
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There will be some polite complaints, but all in all I think they will just accept this intrusion just like all the other intrusions. I would very much like to be wrong.
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Old October 17, 2012, 06:20 AM   #4
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Hopefully it's not as bad as it might seem. WH Smith apparently is just one "newsagent" among a greater number in the UK. And they are not very popular, according to this article:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/8708145.stm

So it might be that aspiring young hunters can find and buy the magazine at other stores, which I'd think would be a win-win for shooting sports enthusiasts.
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Old October 17, 2012, 06:23 AM   #5
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A democratic country gets such BS only after the voting population is already supporting candidates who are liberal gun haters.

I.e., the banning of guns, ammo, and gun magazines (the kind you read) is a result of the people's receptive attitudes regarding guns.

Someone has posted (not sure it's true) that England has banned sharp pointed kitchen knives.
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Old October 17, 2012, 08:12 AM   #6
Ben Towe
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Quote:
Someone has posted (not sure it's true) that England has banned sharp pointed kitchen knives.
I can't swear they are banned but they are restricted. You should see the stab proof knives they've dreamed up. Of course some thug can still cut your throat with one pretty handily.
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Old October 17, 2012, 09:53 AM   #7
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I had a professor from England yell at me for reading Shotgun News, before his biology class.

Glad those British kids under 14 don't know about the interwebs where they can read anything they want.
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Old October 17, 2012, 11:36 AM   #8
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Quote:
You should see the stab proof knives they've dreamed up.
There was also legislation to ban glass pint glasses because folks were smashing them and using them to cut each other.

England chose a different approach to the problem of violence. It hasn't worked, and I find it deeply flawed in concept. We're welcome to discuss the failures of their approach, but let's not sink to bashing the English in general.
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Old October 17, 2012, 01:09 PM   #9
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Quote:
You should see the stab proof knives they've dreamed up
I thought this was a joke. After looking them up, I almost can't believe someone took the time to design those.
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Old October 17, 2012, 01:48 PM   #10
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I don't see what the issue is on a broad scale. The government did not force this and the public has other options from which to buy their magazines. It was a private business deciding how they wish to conduct business.

Personally I think it's a silly business decision, but it seems to be within their legal ability(since there is no mention of possible violation of some sort of discrimination law) to decide what they sell and who they sell it to.
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Old October 17, 2012, 02:23 PM   #11
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Quote. NRA_guy. Someone has posted (not sure it's true) that England has banned sharp pointed kitchen knives.

Don't believe everything you read or hear. I can tell you that's rubbish.
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Old October 17, 2012, 03:06 PM   #12
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Business decision made by a formerly thriving newsagent chain, now in chronic decline. Plenty of other places to buy them. To be honest, it is such a non-issue for almost everyone that I am surprised WH Smith bothered to come up with this inane rule.

As for the no stab knives and the banning of knives and whatever else people have heard, sorry, no. I am sure someone has dreamt up a design for no stab knives, but we have normal knives here, promise. Knives are restricted in the sense that kids cannot buy them, owning them as an adult is perfectly legal.



The thing about shatter proof pint glasses actually made some good sense in some areas. I think it originated in Manchester, the next city over from my one. ''Glassing'' attacks are one of the main forms of drunken violence that blight British towns and cities and they are absolutely horrific. It was not so much an issue of smashing then using the sharp edges of the glass as a weapon, people smash them into each others faces. I have seen it happen, it causes horrific injuries, massive mutilation to the facial tissues, people lose eyes etc. So, they swapped the glass for a high strength, low weight plastic in some pubs/clubs in Manchester which had particular problems with violence. They are not that widespread, and are quite widely disliked because it is impossible to enjoy beer properly out of plastic. Pretty much all normal pubs have proper glasses, made of glass.

Just like in the States, when large crowds/groups are served beer, it often comes in flimsy, cheap plastic cup things though.

Most violence in this country is alcohol related. I can't back that with stats, but it is well known to be the case amongst those who live here. Anyway, bit of a tangent there.
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Old October 17, 2012, 04:10 PM   #13
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so would a person under age 14 beable to get a subscription for a gun magazine?
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Old October 17, 2012, 04:15 PM   #14
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Yup, just as much as they would be able to get a prescription for any other non-''obscene'' magazine.
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Old October 18, 2012, 02:12 AM   #15
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Steveno - they block out the trigger assembly in the centerfold.
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Old October 18, 2012, 03:47 AM   #16
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Yes, I fondly remember those "page 3 guns" in the firearms magazines.

Virtually everything was uncovered although as time went on, the trend toward "enhanced" fore-ends rather spoiled it for me. Call me old fashioned, but I prefer the original pre-implant fore-ends.

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Old October 18, 2012, 06:18 PM   #17
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Making things mysterious and forbidden tends to increase the curiosity about them

That's just basic human nature.
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Old October 20, 2012, 12:24 AM   #18
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A trifle unsettling.

Reading the previous post brought to mind some scummy looking guy with the inside of his overcoat stuffed with ‘Guns and Ammo’ magazines hanging around the playground going “Psst! Hey kid! Ya ever see a field stripped 1911?”
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Old October 21, 2012, 05:27 PM   #19
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Free speech includes the right to not say things. As long as it's not the government, it's not a big deal.
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Old October 22, 2012, 11:40 AM   #20
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Hear hear
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Old October 22, 2012, 12:44 PM   #21
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Free speech does include the right not to say things.

The free market place includes the right for the demand side to punish the supply side for poor business choices.

Organized boycotts are also quite in line with free speech, Buzzcook and Scouse.
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Old October 22, 2012, 03:41 PM   #22
Scouse
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Completely agree, I am sure the Countryside Alliance will do their thing, and good luck to them.

It is for sure a daft rule.
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Old October 24, 2012, 07:56 AM   #23
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Perhaps I'll start a website targeted at British children with the sole intent on getting them interested, hooked and addicted to guns.
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