Banning Guns Didn't Eliminate Crime in Great Britain? Let's Ban Knives!

Nope, that's not a headline out of The Onion. Instead, it is a real world demonstration of the kind of irrationality that naturally occurs from emotional decision-making and a peak into a possible future for the United States.

Less than 10 years after the ban of all guns (with exceptions for antiques and the military) in Great Britain, the reduction of violent crime was not as low as lawmakers and other liberals expected or desired. Naturally, the next item to ban, coming from the recommendation of doctors from West Middlesex University Hospital in 2005, was long kitchen knives. Apparently, knives are pointy and they can be used to stab other people in anger, or as the doctors wrote in their report, "prompted by alcohol and drugs, [...] a kitchen knife often makes an all too available weapon." No need to fix that drug and alcohol problem; it's obviously the knives that are the problem. After knives are banned, they'll have to ban baseball bats, and then rocks larger than a fist, and then...?

The next year brought about the passing of the Violent Crime Act of 2006, which among other things:

1. Increased punishment for possession of a knife
2. Virtually outlawed "air weapons" such as BB guns and airsoft guns
3. Outlawed the manufacture and sale of toys that looked like real weapons
4. Restricted the sale of crossbows
5. Authorized the search of anyone in attendance centers without probable cause
6. Restricted the sale of knives

The slippery slope is in full effect in the UK