From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] SHOOTER'S OLYMPIC GOLD SPARKS DUNBLANE ANTI-GUN PROTESTS 201715 SEP 10 By Simon Mowbray, PA News Britain's Olympic gold medal celebrations tonight sparked a new debate over shooting and the Dunblane tragedy. Richard Faulds doubled the nation's tally of top Olympic honours when he won a thrilling men's clay pigeon shoot-out against Australia's Russell Mark. But Sports Minister Kate Hoey, a close friend of the Hampshire-based marksman, immediately fuelled the debate over Britain's new gun laws by claiming the sport had been "misunderstood". Ms Hoey, a gun sport enthusiast who is in Sydney for the games, told London's Evening Standard: "I've shot with him Richard in some events for a bit of fun and I'm delighted for shooting because the sport has been through a very difficult time because of the opposition from the anti-gun lobby. "I think competition shooting has been pretty misunderstood. "It's about sportsmen who are as dedicated and professional as any." Ms Hoey's comments were immediately attacked by anti-gun protesters in Dunblane, Scotland, where 16 children and their teacher were shot dead at their primary school by gunman Thomas Hamilton on March 13, 1996. Following the tragedy, in which 12 more were injured, the Firearms Amendment Act 1997 outlawed all pistol shooting in Britain. Anti-handgun campaigner Ann Pearston, who launched the Snowdrop Petition group in the wake of the murders, said: "There was no misunderstanding and there still isn't. "If there had been, then we would never have got a change in the law. "I applaud anyone who achieves excellence in their chosen sport but no amount of gold medals could ever justify the loss of so much as one more life taken by a gun. "Ms Hoey is entitled to her opinions but she underestimates the depth of feeling over this, not just from the people of Dunblane but from people all over Britain. "Those feelings have not changed and one Olympic medal will certainly not change them." Ms Hoey's comments were warmly received by Britain's shooting enthusiasts. Jenny Page, spokeswoman for the National Small Bore Rifle Association, said: "We welcome Ms Hoey's honesty over the way she and many of us feel about how shooters in Britain have been treated since Dunblane. "The new legislation was a knee-jerk reaction and has not solved anything. "We now live in hope that some time in the future the ban, which we feel was ill-judged, will be lifted." The Government has already been accused of back-tracking on the gun laws after Home Secretary Jack Straw recently announced that pistol shooting would be allowed during the Commonwealth Games, being staged in Britain in 2002. Anti-shooting protesters are also outraged that L6 million of public money is being spent on developing the National Shooting Centre at Bisley, Surrey, specially for the Games. Mr Straw is expected to announce in the next few weeks whether British pistol shooters will be allowed to train in Britain in the run-up to the competitions for the first time since the new law was introduced. The British team, which is not competing in Sydney due to lack of preparation, currently trains in Switzerland where gun laws are more relaxed. Kenneth Pantling Bad laws are the worst sort of tyranny. (Edmund Burke�1729-97) -- This is a wire story and almost certainly will be carried in most local papers, WRITE TO YOUR PAPER AND TELL THEM WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH ANNE PEARSTON IS TALKING!!! Steve. Cybershooters website: http://www.cybershooters.org List admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________________________________ T O P I C A The Email You Want. http://www.topica.com/t/16 Newsletters, Tips and Discussions on Your Favorite Topics
