I marched for my sport.
Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 11:47 am
Whilst having a jolly good clear out of life's detritus I came across these in a drawer.
A little later I found I still retain the bulk of the paperwork surrounding the organized confiscation of legally held property known as
The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997
Arrangements For The Surrender Of Prohibited Firearms And Ammunition.
It brought back memories of the unfettered hatred of the media levelled against some of the most decent, trustworthy, and law-abiding citizens in the UK. I remember the police filming us all on the peaceful protest marches as if we were members of some violent activist group prone to acts of civil disorder.
I remember the politicians treading over the bodies of the slain at Dunblane to make political capital and further their sleazy careers. I remember all the bullshit we had to endure for the sake of one incompetent senior Scottish policeman.
For me 1997 marked the end of faith in democracy, fair play, due process, logic, our police, and the nonsense touted by the EU pertaining to the right of citizens to property as enshrined in Protocol 1 Article1 of the European Convention on Human Rights "Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions."
That protocol is immediately neutralized by the following words: "No one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and by the general principles of international law. "
Have you noticed every proposal to further infringe civil liberties is now suffixed by the words in the public interest?
The day I was scheduled to hand in my firearms was a particularly busy one for me. I had to hand in my LL.B dissertation that morning, then had to go to Witney to formally hand over my firearms and equipment. Immediately after that my girlfriend and I were off for a two week driving holiday in Cornwall. I planned to do it all in one rolling hit.
First stop was my college. In summer we had a manned police station on campus comprising at least two uniformed officers. I stopped off at the police station and explained I was on the way to hand in my firearms after dropping off papers at college. I asked if it would be possible to leave the huge holdall of firearms, ammunition, and sundry equipment. I showed the officers my letters and FAC and told them I would literally be five minutes - I just didn't want to leave them locked in the car with its flimsy roller-blind luggage cover (Porsche 944).
They declined. One was just off on patrol and the other was about to go to lunch. They were completely unperturbed by my cache of firearms and said it'd be fine for me to carry them across campus with ammunition. Depending on who you ask this was either confirmation on just how decent and law-abiding firearms owners actually are in the eyes of the police or an example of shocking negligence.
I was somewhat disappointed - it confirmed in my eyes that we were being railroaded out of political expediency and not genuinely considered a safety risk. Also try toting some twelve handguns, equipment, and umpteen boxes of ammunition on a hot summer's day for any distance - they are heavy. I REALLY would have appreciated them looking after them.
A little later I found I still retain the bulk of the paperwork surrounding the organized confiscation of legally held property known as
The Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997
Arrangements For The Surrender Of Prohibited Firearms And Ammunition.
It brought back memories of the unfettered hatred of the media levelled against some of the most decent, trustworthy, and law-abiding citizens in the UK. I remember the police filming us all on the peaceful protest marches as if we were members of some violent activist group prone to acts of civil disorder.
I remember the politicians treading over the bodies of the slain at Dunblane to make political capital and further their sleazy careers. I remember all the bullshit we had to endure for the sake of one incompetent senior Scottish policeman.
For me 1997 marked the end of faith in democracy, fair play, due process, logic, our police, and the nonsense touted by the EU pertaining to the right of citizens to property as enshrined in Protocol 1 Article1 of the European Convention on Human Rights "Every natural or legal person is entitled to the peaceful enjoyment of his possessions."
That protocol is immediately neutralized by the following words: "No one shall be deprived of his possessions except in the public interest and subject to the conditions provided for by law and by the general principles of international law. "
Have you noticed every proposal to further infringe civil liberties is now suffixed by the words in the public interest?
The day I was scheduled to hand in my firearms was a particularly busy one for me. I had to hand in my LL.B dissertation that morning, then had to go to Witney to formally hand over my firearms and equipment. Immediately after that my girlfriend and I were off for a two week driving holiday in Cornwall. I planned to do it all in one rolling hit.
First stop was my college. In summer we had a manned police station on campus comprising at least two uniformed officers. I stopped off at the police station and explained I was on the way to hand in my firearms after dropping off papers at college. I asked if it would be possible to leave the huge holdall of firearms, ammunition, and sundry equipment. I showed the officers my letters and FAC and told them I would literally be five minutes - I just didn't want to leave them locked in the car with its flimsy roller-blind luggage cover (Porsche 944).
They declined. One was just off on patrol and the other was about to go to lunch. They were completely unperturbed by my cache of firearms and said it'd be fine for me to carry them across campus with ammunition. Depending on who you ask this was either confirmation on just how decent and law-abiding firearms owners actually are in the eyes of the police or an example of shocking negligence.
I was somewhat disappointed - it confirmed in my eyes that we were being railroaded out of political expediency and not genuinely considered a safety risk. Also try toting some twelve handguns, equipment, and umpteen boxes of ammunition on a hot summer's day for any distance - they are heavy. I REALLY would have appreciated them looking after them.
