Doing the right thing is not always the smart thing.

A 27 year old former soldier is facing five years in prison for turning in a weapon to police he found on his property. This story was reported by a local newspaper in Surrey, England.

This article is a prime example of the fascist nature of the modern state. Instead of lauding Mr. Clarke for turning in the weapon and ammunition, which easily could have been found and played with by children, the authorities arrested him on the spot. A quote by the prosecutor should send shivers up the spine of all supposedly free men and women of the U.K.-

"Prosecuting, Brian Stalk, explained to the jury that possession of a firearm was a "strict liability" charge – therefore Mr Clarke's allegedly honest intent was irrelevant.

Just by having the gun in his possession he was guilty of the charge, and has no defence in law against it, he added."

This from the same nation that produced the Magna Carta ? No defence in law ? What about defence in common sense ?

Even looking at the case from thousands of miles away, it is evident that the weapon (a sawn off shotgun) was probably dumped on his property by an individual who had either used the weapon in a crime or feared he was about to be caught with it. For the state, what would have been the better outcome ? Some 10 year old finds it and accidentally blows off his friends head while they were playing with it ?

Reports like this make me very happy that we freed ourselves from the British Empire. Unfortunately, I don't think we are very far behind in terms of bureaucratic incompetence, blind adherence to the law and complete indifference to rational thought.