Inmate Central

Mass Destruction of Weapons???

198.54.202.226

My elder daughter took a trip - as part of her current job responsibility - to a town ~50 miles south of Johannesburg to witness the process used by the SA Police to destroy surplus weapons confiscated, handed-in or seized.

This exercise occurs 2-3 times a year and, according to #1 daughter, this morning's effort saw the destruction of ~65,000 firearms.

Consisting of a fairly eclectic mix of guns - from single-shot derringers to fully-automatic-capable military assault rifles to sub-machine guns - the firearms were melted down in an arc furnace in a process that lasted the whole day.

This is a part of the SA government's move (in conjunction with other African states) to drastically reduce the number of firearms in circulation.

Other measures include much stricter qualifying criteria for issuance of firearms licences, draconian penalties for irresponsible firearm loss (15 years in prison!) and on-going amnesty programs for the voluntary hand-in of unlicenced firearms.

While this might sound like an overkill approach, one needs to understand just how many automatic weapons are in circulation on the African continent with its recent history of "anti-colonialist freedom struggles". AK47 abound (and can, repitedly, be bought for the equivalent of $20).

I realise this does not quite "fit in" with the concepts embodied in the 2nd Amendment to the US Constitution, but - here and now - it makes damned good sense!

DevillEars

Follow Ups:

Are you saying you don’t own an assault rifle? ..... - three_sox 17:20:37 04/24/08 (0)
"Concepts embodied in the 2nd Amendment......" - Bruce Kendall 12:00:16 04/24/08 (0)
RE: Mass Destruction of Weapons??? - Cellist 11:39:56 04/24/08 (0)

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