tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232613925790974435.post4210082724305877593..comments2024-03-20T09:14:28.349+00:00Comments on The Moose: Kids with shotguns or self righteous MPs...Buckohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03169970711606515445noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232613925790974435.post-34746160800692289052011-11-03T10:23:44.280+00:002011-11-03T10:23:44.280+00:00AE - Sorry just picked up your comment.
Yes I'...AE - Sorry just picked up your comment.<br />Yes I'll have to agree. When I worked in the pubs I met many under 18s who were more than mature enough to sit in a pub and enjoy a pint. At the same time I met many more over eighteens who couldn't handle a couple of pints of piss weak lager and had no business drinking anything.Buckohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169970711606515445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232613925790974435.post-81607058112687100472011-11-01T16:57:33.702+00:002011-11-01T16:57:33.702+00:00Incidentally, nice to see the commenters over on t...Incidentally, nice to see the commenters over on the Mail article are overwhelmingly opposed to the idea. I have to admit I expected it to be full of 'for the chiiiiiildren' stuff demanding that the age is raised to 36 provided you can prove no history of mental illness in your entire family tree going back ten generations. My faith in human nature has just increased slightly. Doubt it'll last.Angry Exilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02491082312193274360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232613925790974435.post-88437707048378916742011-11-01T16:49:48.811+00:002011-11-01T16:49:48.811+00:00Actually I'm not sure there does need to be a ...Actually I'm not sure there does need to be a cut off point a lot of the time. Take driving, for instance. If a 16 year old was able to pass a driving test then they've demonstrated that they can safely handle a car just as every 17 year old (or older) who fails has demonstrated that they can't, or at least not yet. And if you're going to test all drivers anyway is there much benefit in picking an arbitrary age and acting as if it's relevant? In reality the 17th birthday is wrong for nearly everyone since maturing is a gradual process and some will be ready earlier and some later. Even if by some fluke exactly 17 years of age is the precise median age for reaching sufficient maturity to drive all that means is that it's unreasonably late for nearly half and irresponsibly early for roughly the same number. The thing is most or all minimum age limits really need to be minimum maturity limits, but that's rather harder to pin down so lawmakers like to pick a psychologically comfy sounding age and pretend that it's the same thing. It's another example of the state thinking it knows best for everyone rather than accepting that people are individuals and leaving the decision in the hands of people who know or can at least go talk to those individuals. The lack of a minimum age to get a shottie certificate and the consequent default back to letting parents and the local plod look at each case on its merits is one of those rare cases where the opposite is true.<br /><br />Not saying there are no minimum ages limits that are necessary, just that they are by nature a very crude and imprecise form of regulation. I can't think of one offhand but I'm sure there are a few things where there's really no alternative, but even so all the faults will still apply. If set too high they're unfair, and if set too low they're pointless, and if set just right they'll get it wrong as often as they get it rightAngry Exilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02491082312193274360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232613925790974435.post-41176680892103697422011-11-01T16:12:46.892+00:002011-11-01T16:12:46.892+00:00AE - I hate all the age restrictions on various as...AE - I hate all the age restrictions on various aspects of life. I suppose there does have to be a cut off point but there is never any common sense applied.Buckohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169970711606515445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232613925790974435.post-80869499830299069912011-11-01T16:00:48.419+00:002011-11-01T16:00:48.419+00:00'I have not heard a single coherent argument f...<i>'I have not heard a single coherent argument for why a seven-year-old, who has no legal culpability, should be allowed to have unfettered access to fire a firearm.'</i><br /><br />What a knob. Apart from the bollocks about the use of 'unfettered' when, as you pointed out, Bucks, that's clearly not the case, there'd be more benefit dropping the idea of a magic age for criminal culpability. As with all age limits it doesn't bear much in the way of logical examination - at 9 years, 364 days and 23 hours you're too innocent and unworldly to be held answerable to any crime you may commit, but an hour later awareness forms instantly? Ridiculous. Determining culpability is part of the job of courts and juries, the whole trying cases on their merits thing. Just let them do it for everyone, and in the highly unlikely event that a seven year old shotgun certificate holder goes postal with it then they can be charged.Angry Exilehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02491082312193274360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232613925790974435.post-21740797016952780032011-11-01T13:37:59.370+00:002011-11-01T13:37:59.370+00:00Julia - That's true. Guns are bad m'kayJulia - That's true. Guns are bad m'kayBuckohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03169970711606515445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-232613925790974435.post-73532574009628053072011-11-01T12:59:30.098+00:002011-11-01T12:59:30.098+00:00"If people are familiar with guns they will u...<i>"If people are familiar with guns they will use them? That's the whole point isn't it? I assume they mean for criminal purposes..."</i><br /><br />No, probably not. These people don't seem to want anyone using guns, for any purpose.JuliaMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07844126589712842477noreply@blogger.com