Welcome to a forgotten corner of the ancient forest.
hmmm. some years ago I posted an entry on gun deaths in the USA which continues to attrack numerous comments both in support and criticising the post. A common theme amongst the critics is that if you ban guns only the criminals will have them. A fundamental flaw in this argument is that criminals are somehow separate population from the rest of the community. The reality, of course, is that some people who weren't criminals become criminals and some criminals become normal law abiding citizens.
Never-the-less The Green Man thinks that reducing the number of guns in the community can't be a bad thing. In support of this argument research shows that the tough gun laws that were introduced in Australia after the Port Arthur massacre has worked. The number of mass shootings in the 18 years prior to Port Arthur was 13, after the gun buy back zero. The number of gun related murders and suicides has halved, accordingly the general murder rate and suicide rate have declined.
The reality is that if there are less guns there is less death. America may value its right to bear arms but it pays a high price in citizen death.
There are many jewels hidden amongst the leaves in this forgotten part of the ancient forest. Spend some time browsing and you are sure to find some. Click here or continue your search below
or read the most recent entries here.Green man, I couldn't agree with you more on the importance of reducing the prevalence of guns in our society but part of me can't help thinking there is a natural order in place for the US to push for their right to continue to "bear arms". Perhaps it is in some way global karmic pest control??
Posted by: Janine at February 25, 2007 10:49 PMGreen Man:
Couldn't disagree with you more, the fact of the matter is guns in the hands of private citizens tends to stop crime.
Think about this, someone breaks into a home, the homeowner brandishes a gun, regardless of his comptence in its use. According to statistic, the criminal will flee rather than face a nervous, armed homeowner.
These statistics are rarely reported, because te homeowner is releived to be out of the situation, so doesn't bother calling the police, since that will cause more problems (reports and such). That and the police tend to treat people with guns like criminals wether they are or not. I don't blame them, because they don't know who is on the other end of that barrel.
Green Man;
Sorry about the last post, delete it if you wi I jsut got further down the page and realized you are in Australia, not the US.
Sincerest Apologizes
Rick
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