Feb 22, 2008 09:58 am

When you get ten inches of cutting implement inserted into your body it really doesn't make much difference whether there's another twenty inches still outside your body or not. A kitchen knife will kill you just as effectively without the extra length attached to it. The people who used a katana would most likely have used such a kitchen knife if the sword hadn't been available to them. Once the intention to kill is there anything will do. A blow with a 4x4 can kill just as effectively if the assailant is determined enough. The absence of katana swords would most likely not have prevented these people from committing murder. Firearms is quite another matter though. Availability of these *will* increase gun-related violence. You have to be very careful when interpreting statistics related to the effects of anti-gun legislation. You know.... The lies, damn lies and statistics thing.