From: "Alex Hamilton", [EMAIL PROTECTED]
It's true in this country (to an extent, depends how big the
minority is) but I find it to be less true in most other developed
countries. Probably because they have lower population densities
so there is more room for people to do what they want.
Look at the legal environment in places with higher population
densities like Singapore or Japan.
Steve.
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You got it bang on the nail, Steve, population density has a lot to do
with tolerance, or lack of it.
This is where I cannot contribute more, because I have no personal
experience of any country with population density higher than UK.
So, how are these social problems tackled in Japan and Singapore. How
do the minorities protect their interests there when what they do is not
approved by the majority?
I think that we need to study what happens in similar environment in
other countries in order to learn how to survive ourselves.
Alex
--
I can only comment on the state of the gun laws really:
In Singapore you have to be a member of the NRA (or I think a gun club,
there are one or two there), and all guns have to be stored by the
NRA in the NRA's armoury. The licensing system is similar to here,
although it is worth mentioning that pistols are still legal.
Hong Kong has a similar system, except that you can keep rifles and
shotguns at home and I think single shot .22 pistols.
Japan is the worst, their licensing system is a nightmare, you
have to go through various exams, psychological evaluation and so
on, and that is just to own a rifled air rifle.
Shotguns can be legally owned, I think there are about 300,000 licenses
on issue (i.e. half as many as here with twice the population). If
you want a centrefire rifle you have to be a member of the Japanese
NRA, if you want one for hunting then you have to have safely owned
and used a shotgun for at least _ten years_.
Only a maximum of 500 people can legally own an air pistol at any
time (which is why the Japanese airsoft pistols have smoothbore
barrels, rifled ones are covered by this law), and only 50 people
can own a .22 pistol, and it must be stored at a police station.
Apparently only about 30 people actually own a .22 pistol because
you have to be able to achieve a minimum score with an air pistol
to qualify for the .22 license and it is extremely hard.
Of course everything has to be kept locked up, licenses renewed
every year, etc., etc.
The point that always fascinates me is that even in those places
cartridge handguns aren't totally illegal for target shooting
like they are here.
Steve.
Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org
List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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