Australia Weapons Ban (I Love Throwing Knives)

When I was a kid, I loved weapons (I suppose I still do). I used to spend my days in the library reading up about firearms, and medieval warfare. I didn’t care what the weapon, I loved reading about them, and using them. I used to hang out with friends practising archery in the backyard. We used to make our own swords and armour and have mock battles in the vacant block next door. Well, ‘mock’ battles, they were real battles, just not to the death. I still have the scars to prove it. My friend learnt how to make chain mail and other armour on his Dad’s forge (he still makes weapons to this day). We’d test out the armour using different weapons to see what was effective and what wasn’t. But my favourite weapon, by far, was the throwing knife. That’s not me suggesting they’re a good weapon, just my favourite. I’ll get to that soon.

0:00 I Love Weapons
0:51 American’s Thoughts on Weapons Ban
3:25 Queensland Weapons Laws
5:07 Reasons Throwing Knives Suck
5:24 1. Disarming Yourself
5:37 2. Stopping Power
6:25 3. Accuracy
7:14 They Suck, but I Still Love Them
7:57 Weapons Ban Thoughts

I know this American guy who lives in Australia. He’s been here for a few years, and generally speaking, he likes Australia. But there’s one thing that really gets his goat. Although self-defence is legal in Australia, the Australian Government have essentially made it impossible in practice, at least, not with weapons. You see, using a weapon in self defence is essentially illegal here in Australia. He comes from a constitutional carry state, Arizona I believe, and he legally carried a concealed pistol back home, as did many of his friends. They all belonged to the local gun club and I have no doubts that they were highly trained and treated their weapons with respect. There’s no doubt he enjoyed his right to bear arms to protect himself and his family.

That said, he kind of understands that Australia doesn’t allow guns, well not as a defensive tool, but what he can’t understand is that pretty much all defensive tools are illegal. Stun guns, tasers – they’re illegal. Knives of course, cannot be carried defensively. But the one that he has the most gripes about is that pepper spray and the like are illegal. He thinks that’s just bordering on criminal that we allow the government to disarm us to such an extent.

Look, I’m not here to convince you either way. I’m just telling you what some people think. His argument is pretty simple, weapons’ laws only serve to disarm innocent people. Obviously, criminals have their own code of ethics, and by their very nature (that’s why they’re called criminals), ignore any laws that don’t suit them. Criminals, yes, even here in Australia, have no qualms carrying a knife, or a pistol or anything else. To this day, innocent people still get shot by law-ignoring criminals. Yes, I know the opposite argument, less guns means less gun deaths. True.

So anyway, my favourite weapon as a youngster was a throwing knife. My uncle happened to gift me a couple. I became good at throwing knives, at trees, but the moment I tried to throw them at moving targets, I quickly realised they were not very good practical weapons. Combine that with the knife’s limited range, light weight, not to mention that you’re throwing your weapon away, you would probably be better off walking up to the bad guy and stabbing him with it. Look, I still love throwing knives. I think they’re a cool weapon. They require skill. They require a lot of practice, but in reality, you’re pretty much better off with any other weapon. Even with years of training, I would suggest that throwing a knife is still slightly less effective for self-defence than say throwing a nice-sized rock. Rocks are cheaper, heavier, and often more aerodynamic.

Some Americans feel sorry for us here in Australia, because they think that the government have take away all our weapons. But that’s simply not true. You can buy a nice hatchet at Aldi this week, for example. You can buy weapons. You’re just not allowed to use them as weapons unless you want to go to prison.

Anyway, that’s my comments on knife throwing and other weapons in Australia. What’s your favourite weapon, and can you legally carry it?

QUEENSLAND POLICE SAFER LIVING
https://www.police.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/2018-08/SaferLiving_Website.pdf

VICTORIA RECORDS HIGHEST NUMBER OF ANNUAL SUICIDES SINCE 2000 AMID FEARS OF NATIONAL TREND
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/feb/06/victoria-records-highest-number-of-annual-suicides-since-2000-amid-fears-of-national-trend

ALBANESE LABOR GOVERNMENT FAILS TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH RELIEF AS SUICIDE RATES RISE IN THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS
https://www.liberal.org.au/latest-news/2023/09/07/albanese-labor-government-fails-provide-mental-health-relief-suicide-rates

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Allégro by Emmit Fenn