JohnRich 4 #1 July 3, 2009 News:Unloaded rifle on TV triggers controversy Given this nation's strict gun control law, were police overreacting when they swooped on a TV broadcaster that had allowed a celebrity to handle a hunting rifle during a live broadcast? The Shiga prefectural police insist they were perfectly within their rights, but TV networks are outraged, citing the fact the weapon was not loaded. The incident stems from a show aired Jan. 17. Almost four months later, police mounted a search of the premises and confiscated a dozen items, including a script and a DVD of the show. Critics accuse the police of being overzealous and question their motives, but law enforcement officials remain unrepentant. Police regard the incident, in which a hunter with a gun permit allowed TV personality Noburo Harada, 57, to momentarily handle the rifle during the show, as a serious breach of a law concerning the storage and management of firearms. So much so, in fact, that police referred the case to prosecutors. As a result, the hunter, aged 49, along with a 60-year-old TV producer and a 37-year-old director of the show, could face charges of violating the swords and firearms control law... Full story: http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200907020073.html Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #2 July 3, 2009 Doesn't the NRA itself say that you're ALWAYS supposed to treat a gun as if it's loaded?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
christelsabine 1 #3 July 3, 2009 QuoteDoesn't the NRA itself say that you're ALWAYS supposed to treat a gun as if it's loaded? Yes. In NRA country. What does the Japanese equivalent to NRA say on that? dudeist skydiver # 3105 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #4 July 3, 2009 Did he sweep the audience with the muzzle?-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beachbum 0 #5 July 3, 2009 Overboard as far as I'm concerned, but I'm not Japanese, and I'm not familiar with their laws. If it is against their laws, then it's not totally ridiculous to make the arrests. I may not agree with them, but their laws ARE their laws. I think that when considering something like this, we have to at least attempt to remember that we come from a vastly different culture. I'm sure many Japanese think we are mad for allowing the freedoms we have with firearms here in the US.As long as you are happy with yourself ... who cares what the rest of the world thinks? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
quade 4 #6 July 3, 2009 QuoteDid he sweep the audience with the muzzle? Dunno, but the article makes such a big hullabaloo out of the gun being empty it makes me think somebody somewhere thinks that makes a difference; including JR. My guess is that the law doesn't actually make a distinction on this point and wisely assumes guns should always be treated as if they are loaded, because, seriously, how could a third party tell from a distance?quade - The World's Most Boring Skydiver Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #7 July 3, 2009 Do you think there's anything wrong with sweeping the muzzle of a firearm over your audience?-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,990 #8 July 3, 2009 >Do you think there's anything wrong with sweeping the muzzle of a >firearm over your audience? Well, not with an unloaded weapon. But you could say the same about two subcritical spheres of enriched uranium shown in front of an audience. If you kept them away from each other, there's no danger. Still, I could see legislating against that, because the consequences of screwing up in front of an audience are pretty dire. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhaig 0 #9 July 3, 2009 Quote Still, I could see legislating against that, because the consequences of screwing up in front of an audience are pretty dire. why does it have to be legislation? Doesn't common sense say "don't point a gun (loaded or unloaded) at anything you're not willing to kill or destroy?" Why does anyone need a law to say that?-- Rob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,990 #10 July 3, 2009 > Doesn't common sense say "don't point a gun (loaded or unloaded) >at anything you're not willing to kill or destroy?" Why does anyone need a >law to say that? Because we often pass laws to protect the general public against idiots. I am reminded of the cop who shot himself in the leg while demonstrating with an 'unloaded' handgun in front of an audience of students. (He was bragging that no one other than him had the skill to handle such a weapon at the time.) He was VERY fortunate that the bullet hit him instead of a student. If that cop, who presumably had a lot of experience with handguns, was able to screw up that badly, imagine someone with less experience and zero training who came into the same classroom (or an assembly of students) and pointed the same gun at them, just for fun. (OTOH, if you're in your own house, or at a range, pointing a gun at other people might get your ass kicked, but presumably people there understand the risks a bit better than 12 year old children in a school assembly that they have to go to.) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #11 July 3, 2009 QuoteBecause we often pass laws to protect the general public against idiots. Would you characterize someone who swept their audience with the muzzle of a firearm as an idiot? Sorry...this started out as a joke, and now I'm just having too much fun.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Belgian_Draft 0 #12 July 4, 2009 Quote>Do you think there's anything wrong with sweeping the muzzle of a >firearm over your audience? Well, not with an unloaded weapon. But you could say the same about two subcritical spheres of enriched uranium shown in front of an audience. If you kept them away from each other, there's no danger. Still, I could see legislating against that, because the consequences of screwing up in front of an audience are pretty dire. Rule #1 of firearms handling: Treat every gun as if it were loaded, i.e. there is NO SUCH THING as an unloaded weapon. Therefore sweeping the audience with the muzzle is wrong. No exceptions.HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate the most expensive parts adjacent the object we are trying to hit. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfriverjoe 1,523 #13 July 4, 2009 QuoteDo you think there's anything wrong with sweeping the muzzle of a firearm over your audience? Where in the article did it say he pointed in anywhere? And as far as I could see, there was not a prosecution, just an investigation. That determined that the brief time the TV guy held the gun didn't count as "possession". I'm not real familiar with Japan's gun laws, I just know that they are very restrictive. If they are so strict that simply holding a gun during a TV show taping is illegal, then he should be prosecuted. Apparently that isn't the case. And no, pointing any gun at anyone you aren't willing to shoot is unacceptable. Most incidents I know of where someone was shot accidentaly was shot with an "unloaded" gun."There are NO situations which do not call for a French Maid outfit." Lucky McSwervy "~ya don't GET old by being weak & stupid!" - Airtwardo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhaig 0 #14 July 4, 2009 Quote> Doesn't common sense say "don't point a gun (loaded or unloaded) >at anything you're not willing to kill or destroy?" Why does anyone need a >law to say that? Because we often pass laws to protect the general public against idiots. I am reminded of the cop who shot himself in the leg while demonstrating with an 'unloaded' handgun in front of an audience of students. (He was bragging that no one other than him had the skill to handle such a weapon at the time.) He was VERY fortunate that the bullet hit him instead of a student. If that cop, who presumably had a lot of experience with handguns, was able to screw up that badly, imagine someone with less experience and zero training who came into the same classroom (or an assembly of students) and pointed the same gun at them, just for fun. (OTOH, if you're in your own house, or at a range, pointing a gun at other people might get your ass kicked, but presumably people there understand the risks a bit better than 12 year old children in a school assembly that they have to go to.) gunz iz dangerous. outlaw them!! (that is what you're getting to isn't it Bill? That's your point right?)-- Rob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #15 July 4, 2009 QuoteQuoteDo you think there's anything wrong with sweeping the muzzle of a firearm over your audience? Where in the article did it say he pointed in anywhere? He didn't. It started as a "joke" comment on my part. The reason is that there was a well known US political figure who once swept her audience with the muzzle of an AK-47 variant. I had assumed that everyone would be aware of that--hence it was a joke. When it became clear that people weren't aware of it, I started to become curious as to what people might think if they were asked the question without the personalities involved. edit: here and here are some photos of that incident.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 2,990 #16 July 4, 2009 >that is what you're getting to isn't it Bill? That's your point right? Not even close. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rhaig 0 #17 July 4, 2009 Quote Because we often pass laws to protect the general public against idiots. so with respect to gun control (topic of this thread), what did you mean then? You want a federal requirement for a gun license before you can own one? Or if we're protecting against idiots, perhaps an IQ test? (oh, and in most states, "brandishing" is already a crime.)-- Rob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
