Yes, knife control is a thing in the United Kingdom. Every week, numerous news stories document the constant push to fight “knife crime.”
A charity in England, “Billy’s Wish,” was founded by the family of a victim of “knife crime.” With all deference to Billy’s family, is knife control the solution? What if his tragic death was the result of being hit with a blunt object?
As reported at the Examiner,
“In the United Kingdom, selling knives to people under 18 is a crime, and many knives are illegal. Additionally, it is illegal to ‘carry a knife in public without good reason.'”
This week it was reported that a forensic scientist “has called for a more widespread sale of blunt-tipped kitchen knives in an attempt to reduce Scotland’s murder rates.” The initiative would certainly not result in a decrease in murder rates, but would absolutely annoy kitchen knife manufacturers and chefs.
Another story assures readers that a
“new police commander today pledged to crackdown on violence and knife crime by using stop and search powers more readily.“
Police state much?
A sample of some of the headlines posted in the United Kingdom this week alone:
- Hackney shopkeepers unite to block underage knife sales
- Anti-knife project for filmmakers
- Young people attend anti knife crime event
- ‘Precious’ Billy’s legacy lives on as grants help anti-knife crime lessons to be delivered across Herts
- Family fun day held to raise awareness of knife crime in Gloucester
UK.gov posted the “the laws on buying and carrying” knives which explain:
It is illegal to:
- sell a knife of any kind (including cutlery and kitchen knives) to anyone under 18
- carry a knife in public without good reason – unless it’s a knife with a folding blade 3 inches long (7.62 cm) or less, eg a Swiss Army knife
- carry, buy or sell any type of banned knife (the list of banned knives is below)
- use any knife in a threatening way (even a legal knife, such as a Swiss Army knife)
Lock knives (knives with blades that can be locked when unfolded) are not folding knives, and are illegal to carry in public.
The website declares,
“The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is 4 years in prison and a fine of £5,000.”
Will “blunt object” control be next for the United Kingdom? How about “fist control,” “water control,” or “fire control”?
The weapon has nothing to do with a person’s heart and mind.
Although crime will never go away entirely, perhaps it would diminish if people were taught to respect and care for one another. Kindness, empathy and respect are not old fashioned values. While there are many factors as to why a person may commit a callous crime, isn’t the root problem more likely a child’s upbringing, coupled with a culture that seeks to divide instead of unite?
