Barnaby Just Can't Seem To Help Himself

There were a lot of funny cartoons about them being deported etc.

 

So what side of the gun debate are you on? Do you think guns should be registered and licensed in the US like we do in Australia or do you think you should have the rights to own anything.

 

That's funny. Cute.

 

I think the 2nd Amendment needs to be done away with.

 

OK that's cool, you're such a looker we will let you off.

 

You must get so discouraged by the unending gun deaths. On tv here they keep quoting 18 incidents in 45 days,

 

I think the author's of the 2nd amendment would totally agree with you in this day and age. Maybe once a long time ago it was appropriate under the circumstances and with the weapons they had, but I believe there would be 17 families today that agree with you.

 

Thelma is a famous TV star. She had her own TV show in the US, many years ago. It was a women in her 30's playing a women in her 60's; now the actress is actually in her 60's. She's a funny lady.

 

Oh yes I have seen her before. We have one of our own.

 

Barnaby?

 

Yes, I do. I haven't been in the US in nearly 15 years. It seems to be getting worse and worse.

When I was there, I was teaching in a community college part-time. I taught a writing class for students in the chef's program. In order to get an associate's degree (2 year degree) they had to complete the writing class I taught. It was a simple course--writing menus, job applications, letters, etc.

They had some general writing assignments just to practice grammar, spelling, paragraphing, etc. One guy failed the class twice and was back for a 3rd time and was failing again. It was a very easy class. Some of his general writings, journal type things, were full of blood, violence and weapons. I took an example to the head of his program and he just dismissed it. Took no steps.

One day I was called into the office of the college administrator and told that student had brought a gun to school to kill me. The student had told another student in his program about it, and fortunately that student told the authorities. The student from my class was expelled and forbidden to enter the campus.

It was an evening class, and I had a police escort from the parking lot to class and back after class for about a week. A friend convinced me to accept the loan of a rifle, and I kept it loaded in my closet for a couple of weeks, but was so uncomfortable about it, I gave it back.

I guess if that student was more disturbed and hadn't told a fellow student about it, I'd be one of the early statistics. It was a hand gun. I see no reason why ordinary citizens should have anything more than a hunting rifle, non-automatic.

 

Oh, I love Dame Edna. I thought she was from the UK.

 

None of that happened this time. If the kids were taught they aren't invincible, like most kids that age think, including me when I was their age, maybe this would happen less? I guess we can only hope? Assemblies, mandatory events and some education on inclusion and the worth of all human life might help.

 

I agree. They never imagined what is happening now. Never could have imagined and would not be pro-2nd Amendment now.

 

That's a bit unnerving. Expelled and forbidden to enter the campus. Is that all that happened to him? What about threatening to kill someone? Isn't there a law against that?

 

It was over 20 years ago, so authorities were not as vigilant as they are now. I don't know if there is a law in the US regarding threatening to kill someone, probably not. I think something actually has to be done before a law is broken. However, there are now laws about hate crimes and threats, which weren't on the books 20 years ago: but those laws vary from state to state, community to community. But that wouldn't qualify as a hate crime anyway.

 

Do you have laws about hate crimes and threats? What exactly is your gun control law?

 

I had it partly wrong. Apparently, he was adopted and his adoptive mother just died. He was expelled from school. The other kids didn't like him and treated him worse than the kids who are outcasts because of poverty or some issue they can't control. Not even those outcasts would associate with him. He had some mental issues. Havne't heard if he was taking meds or stopped or what happened. His girlfriend, well, it sounds like she was cheating on him or had rejected him for some reason. He washer a mess and had no one. He was living with some other family.

 

No she is Aussie. Do you know about Australian politicians?

 

There fairly easy actually, you just need to pass a test on gun safety and prove that you have a legitimate reason to carry one and have a reasonably clean record. All rifles and guns must be registered, and certain high power automatic weapons are banned.

I believe it is more about our attitude then anything, we still have a hell of a lot of guns.

 

No, I don't know much about Australia. I've seen some good movies. And I admire your gun control situation. I would love to visit it someday. It's actually only recently, within the last few years, I've been political at all.

 

I thought they were stricter than that. Yes, it must be about culture more than anything else.

 

http://www.police.vic.gov.au/content.asp?Document_ID=34324
You have to demonstrate a need to have a gun and personal protection doesn't count. Hunters, farmers, target shooters, cops, and security guards can have guns. There is a background police check, a firearm safety course, may need to be fingerprinted, can't be mad etc.

 

Sounds like they are stricter than US laws.

 

Are verbal threats considered an assault?
Threats to seriously injure, or kill another person is considered as an assault, but the threat has to create a fear that it would be carried out. Threats that are unlikely or impossible would not normally be considered as an assault. Threatening to kill or injure someone is a crime that is not taken lightly by the states. In Victoria for example, threats to kill as spelled out in s 20 of the Crimes Act carries with it a maximum of 10 years imprisonment if it is real, rather than fanciful.