Legality in Greece at peril

[kkokkolis]

I was making fun out of poor Brits, because they can't carry legally locking blades, but the Universe is going to punish me, I'm afraid.
We had some event here, where a Neo-Nazi killed somebody with a knife. Not the first time I'm afraid, but this time the government and the rest house of commons (yes, they are in the house of commons!) and the police (with a cold heart) decided to do something about it, before they kill us all. The point is that they search about guns, clubs and knives and I see that they consider knives as weapons, even when smaller than some of my knives.
The law in Greece is vague about knives. It gives much weight to the context. When you are in your field (as a farmer, butcher, fisherman etc) you might carry whatever you wish. When out of context, even a nail clipper might be considered a weapon. If you are a criminal then every blade you own is a potential weapon. It has some logic that, but since that @€&#¥ killed that boy in cold blood with a knife he had for "self defense" I don't feel safe with the Opinel in my bag and the Bahco in my car or even the Endura in my house. Hell, even my SAKs could be considered weapons in this context. The fact that I am a physician and had never anything to do with the law and extreme politics is reassuring for the moment, but they might eventually vote for stricter laws about knives. Then I'll have to leave my knives at home (what, even my Ladybug, even my Minichamp?) and robbers will still carry their AK47s and extremists their 120x5cm clubs (used as flag poles also !!!) because they don't respect the law as I do.
Don't panic I say to myself. But perhaps we should panic.


Ἄφοβον ὁ θεός, ἀνύποπτον ὁ θάνατος· καὶ τ’ ἀγαθὸν μὲν εὔκτητον, τὸ δὲ δεινὸν εὐκαρτέρητον.
Φιλόδημος Γαδαρεύς

[Zed]

I feel your pain mate  we had a local stabbing this week,the person used a screwdriver, now can you buy them on ebay 

[Mr. Whippy]

Sadly we live in a sound bite society.  After a horrible incident, it sounds great on TV to ban the object of the attack.  The reality is, such widesweeping crude attempts really have little impact.  These bans go after the means of attack, not the cause of the attack.

People are not nearly careful enough about protecting their freedom.  Anytime you give up something in the name of safety, be aware that you're trading freedom for perceived safety.  Choose wisely.

[kirk13]

Time for a Bladeless Fuse mate

Joking aside,it'll soon be stabbing season in London's West End again

[pfrsantos]

I feel your pain mate  we had a local stabbing this week,the person used a screwdriver, now can you buy them on ebay 

That's nothing. Last week someone was killed with a stick and now they're thinking about cutting down all the trees...

 

[pfrsantos]

Sadly we live in a sound bite society.  After a horrible incident, it sounds great on TV to ban the object of the attack.  The reality is, such widesweeping crude attempts really have little impact.  These bans go after the means of attack, not the cause of the attack.

People are not nearly careful enough about protecting their freedom.  Anytime you give up something in the name of safety, be aware that you're trading freedom for perceived safety.  Choose wisely.

Like someone once said: Guns don't kill people, people kill people.
 

Maybe they should outlaw people...
 

[3rdpig]

Great, more knee jerk emotional reactions from lawmakers. When will we ever learn that you can NOT control criminal activity by limiting the activity of law abiding citizens?  All you do is hurt the people you're trying to help.

This kind of thing makes me nuts.  "We have to do SOMETHING", so let's do something we already know won't work, and when it doesn't work again we'll say "We just didn't go far enough" so we'll do something else we already know won't work.  It's the textbook definition of insanity.

[detron]

it is called security theater, you are presenting a fake level of security.

someone could strangle people with a CAT-5 cable,  so no more networks unless wireless.

you know what, lets just never get in the ocean because of sharks, and never go into the woods because of bears, and never go to amusement parks because accidents can happen, or never go to a gas station, because someone could rob it.   you get the  idea   

[David]

Sadly we live in a sound bite society.  After a horrible incident, it sounds great on TV to ban the object of the attack.  The reality is, such widesweeping crude attempts really have little impact.  These bans go after the means of attack, not the cause of the attack.

People are not nearly careful enough about protecting their freedom.  Anytime you give up something in the name of safety, be aware that you're trading freedom for perceived safety.  Choose wisely.

Like someone once said: Guns don't kill people, people kill people.
 

Maybe they should outlaw people...
 

Dont worry that is being planned also!

[glorn]

I figure outside of a war zone, cars kill more people than any weapon. Yet they allow 15 year olds behind the wheel after a test that mostly proves they can parallel park in a wide spot.

Ban cars! 

[PTRSAK]

I figure outside of a war zone, cars kill more people than any weapon. Yet they allow 15 year olds behind the wheel after a test that mostly proves they can parallel park in a wide spot.

Ban cars! 

Oh, don't start me on that one... But, take the Sandy Hook school shooting for example. Worldwide news, horror and tragedy. Don't get me wrong, I'm not making light of it. A terrible thing to be sure.

However, on the same day (average figure) four times the number of people died on the roads in the US. And the day after, and the day before, and the next Tuesday, and today, and will tomorrow.

But somehow these lost lives are less important? Are you less dead if it's from a car crash than from a bullet? Do your family grieve less in the comfort that at least you weren't shot?

   I better stop before I do more harm to my blood pressure...  But you get the idea.

[captain spaulding]

I agree with all that has been said. I honestly do not wan't to get into writing what I believe as it could take all day. Basically they are making law abiding citizens criminals while simultaneously making criminals less afraid of doing harm to others. Breaks my heart to think about it. 

[Aloha]

Well said Mr Whippy and PTRSak,

[RamoN]

Yeah people just love to be a slave of news media and news media just loves manipulating people sadly.

A while ago around here the news where all about how people got robbed, kidnapped by people on motorcycles. One day to another all you could see is that every single criminal incident and accident involved a motorcycle. The result was a law that was proposed for people to wear their document number on their helmet and to use a reflective vest with your document number and license???

Fortunately that law didnt pass due to an enourmous resistance from riders around here (luckily we are a lot) and news moved on to something else.

Of course what didnt have a solution is that people on their cars see a motorcycle and close their windows and throw their car at you just in case you are about to rape and murder them with your motorcycle madness 

So yes living in a society with many people is just infuriating

[glorn]

Let's just cut to the chase here.. The world needs less simple minded people.

I propose standardized tests that gauge basic reason, judgement, and intelligence.

Failure signs you up for the manned missions to Mars.

[RamoN]

Let's just cut to the chase here.. The world needs less simple minded people.

I propose standardized tests that gauge basic reason, judgement, and intelligence.

Failure signs you up for the manned missions to Mars.

That would be a nice plan except that when earth melts down soon and we all need to escape to mars we will be surrounded again by simple minded and demential people who were living alone in mars for the past decade 

[nate j]

Let's just cut to the chase here.. The world needs less simple minded people.

I propose standardized tests that gauge basic reason, judgement, and intelligence.

Failure signs you up for the manned missions to Mars.

I like it, but I would settle for failure resulting in a lifetime ban on holding any public office.  We could even make the test multiple choice.

Sample question:

In an unprovoked attack, man A stabs man B with a knife.  Who or what is at fault?
A.  Man A
B.  Man B
C.  Man A's parents
D.  The knife
E.  The store owner who sold man A the knife
F.  The manufacturer who produced the knife
G.  Violent movies and video games
H.  The government

[pfrsantos]

Kirky (who else?!)

 

[CanadianLMfan]

 

[CanadianLMfan]

Kirky (who else?!)

 

 

[glorn]

Let's just cut to the chase here.. The world needs less simple minded people.

I propose standardized tests that gauge basic reason, judgement, and intelligence.

Failure signs you up for the manned missions to Mars.

That would be a nice plan except that when earth melts down soon and we all need to escape to mars we will be surrounded again by simple minded and demential people who were living alone in mars for the past decade 

Nah.. I'm going to Venus. Women are from Venus.

Chicks, man.

[detron]

Let's just cut to the chase here.. The world needs less simple minded people.

I propose standardized tests that gauge basic reason, judgement, and intelligence.

Failure signs you up for the manned missions to Mars.

I like it, but I would settle for failure resulting in a lifetime ban on holding any public office.  We could even make the test multiple choice.

Sample question:

In an unprovoked attack, man A stabs man B with a knife.  Who or what is at fault?
A.  Man A
B.  Man B
C.  Man A's parents
D.  The knife
E.  The store owner who sold man A the knife
F.  The manufacturer who produced the knife
G.  Violent movies and video games
H.  The government

wow, you just removed the possibility of blaming anything else in a single multiple choice question.   

well played, your question (from now on referred to as the Gospel of Nate J) should be answered correctly before allowed to take the oath as an elected Gargamel.

[AlephZero]

Let's just cut to the chase here.. The world needs less simple minded people.

I propose standardized tests that gauge basic reason, judgement, and intelligence.

Failure signs you up for the manned missions to Mars.

I like it, but I would settle for failure resulting in a lifetime ban on holding any public office.  We could even make the test multiple choice.

Sample question:

In an unprovoked attack, man A stabs man B with a knife.  Who or what is at fault?
A.  Man A
B.  Man B
C.  Man A's parents
D.  The knife
E.  The store owner who sold man A the knife
F.  The manufacturer who produced the knife
G.  Violent movies and video games
H.  The government

wow, you just removed the possibility of blaming anything else in a single multiple choice question.   

well played, your question (from now on referred to as the Gospel of Nate J) should be answered correctly before allowed to take the oath as an elected Gargamel.

+1 to this

[kirk13]

Kirky (who else?!)

 

REALLY

I've too much concern for peoples EDC needs...I'd use a baseball bat

[nate j]

Let's just cut to the chase here.. The world needs less simple minded people.

I propose standardized tests that gauge basic reason, judgement, and intelligence.

Failure signs you up for the manned missions to Mars.

I like it, but I would settle for failure resulting in a lifetime ban on holding any public office.  We could even make the test multiple choice.

Sample question:

In an unprovoked attack, man A stabs man B with a knife.  Who or what is at fault?
A.  Man A
B.  Man B
C.  Man A's parents
D.  The knife
E.  The store owner who sold man A the knife
F.  The manufacturer who produced the knife
G.  Violent movies and video games
H.  The government

wow, you just removed the possibility of blaming anything else in a single multiple choice question.   

well played, your question (from now on referred to as the Gospel of Nate J) should be answered correctly before allowed to take the oath as an elected Gargamel.

+1 to this

Thank you, sirs.

[firiki]

This was taken yesterday, two minutes away from where I live. There was nothing going on. Raids like this are a routine here and believe me this was a soft version. It is worth noting that Exarcheia neighborhood has been anti-establishment since its foundation in the late 19th century. In the '80s anarchists were chasing drug dealers away and police would step in to protect the dealers... Legality has been repeatedly violated here. 

[firiki]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=722440754477471&id=100001346584252&set=a.115135121874707.19114.100001346584252&source=48

A quick update. November 17, 2014. Same neighbourhood, exactly one year later, so that you know what might happen to one while visiting Greece; especially if there is a massive demonstration in honour of civil liberties around.

There's plenty were that came from I'd embbed a screenshot if I could. Mods, please remove if inappropriate.

[16VGTIDave]

It's a shame that the people entrusted to keep us safe from evil and terror, are by their own actions terrorists themselves.

[Higgins617]

Every time I hear things like this it makes me think of the Salem witch hunt. The Governments are likely well aware that what they're doing is going to have literally zero positive effect. It just sounds good to the hysterical public, they're standing there saying hey, look, we did something!

As has been said, end of the day people are and always will be the problem. Were it not for the smurfing smurfs who do smurf like this, we wouldn't have an issue. Though it unfortunately seems that the bad people outweigh the good.

Does my Sidekick have a knife? Sure does, two of them. But don't you think that if I had malicious intent I would certainly be going to have something a lot more substantial? Common sense is turning into one of the world's rarest commodities, being in college I get to see the utter lack of it daily.

[firiki]

It's a shame that the people entrusted to keep us safe from evil and terror, are by their own actions terrorists themselves.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

Does my Sidekick have a knife? Sure does, two of them. But don't you think that if I had malicious intent I would certainly be going to have something a lot more substantial? Common sense is turning into one of the world's rarest commodities, being in college I get to see the utter lack of it daily.

Lemme get my Victorinox Spirit out of my bag, then out its sheath, then find the blade I'm looking for and then I... oh, my would-be victim has fallen asleep!

As for common sense, I think there's no such thing. There are just some common places where most people's minds meet IMO. Reason, however, that very subjective and dear thing is being crippled and mutilated day in day out, I'd say. Hysterical public, nice call that...