When leftists and others who support gun
control criticize libertarians and conservatives for their opposition to gun
control, they often make it sound as if we want innocent people to be
shot. What a spiteful accusation! We who have friends and families we hold dear
want people around our beloved country to be shot! Who came up with this malarkey?! (Although I must say, for an ideological
direction of the political spectrum that goes out of its way to sell Darwin’s
theory, gun control certainly seems to contradict survival-of-the-fittest…)
Honestly though, ridiculous episodes
like the emotionally charged gun control debate currently happening in America
remind me of why I grow increasingly weary of politics (and increasingly in
opposition to direct democracy). In this
episode the leftists are spouting most of the ridiculous rhetoric, though
neoconservatives have thrown in a few eyebrow-raisers of their own. I was glad Ron Paul spoke out against the
NRA’s proposal for police officers on every school campus in America. Can anyone say police state??? Yet this very paradox—the desire for fewer
guns in the hands of citizens as well as the desire for freedom from government
encroachment in daily life—comes at a price: risk.
I won’t dare make any ridiculous claim
about the left wanting people to be shot , regardless of their use of such
baseless propaganda against conservatives and libertarians like myself. The left is currently hailing an assault
weapons ban recently made into law in the state of New York. I understand that the left pursues gun
control because they want citizens everywhere to be safer. The problem is that there is overwhelming
statistical evidence (and gut-wrenching anecdotal evidence) that testifies to
the contrary.
I’ve found that leftists, like
neoconservatives, tend to base their agenda and ideology on emotions rather
than cold, unbiased logic. While I can
certainly appreciate the emotional appeal for gun control, I’m glad I took a
step back and clearly thought it through based on the evidence. Here are several points to honestly consider,
as well as cited sources for follow-up investigation by my readers. Please approach them with an open mind and
ponder them, taking your time to chew them over.
The vast and overwhelming majority of
gun crimes in New York (and the rest of America) are committed with illegally
obtained weapons, most of them obtained via the UNREGULATED black market.[1] [2]
Chicago—the city with the most gun
restrictions in America—is the city that experiences the most violent gun
crimes per capita.[3] [4]
9 of the 10 most-used guns used in
violent crimes are handguns—revolvers and 9mm semi-autos—not assault weapons (the
top ten’s odd gun out is a shotgun).[5]
Sandy Hook Elementary, the movie theater
in Aurora, and Columbine High School were each already designated gun-free
zones. This may come as a shock to some
people, but CRIMINALS tend not to obey laws; any criminal willing to harm
another human being usually won't be deterred by the mere illegality of
automatic weapon.
I can account for at least four
instances from the last 30 days (Dec 15-Jan 15) where shooters in public places
were stopped by someone nearby who was carrying a gun. One was in San Diego[6],
another in Clackamas[7],
the third in San Antonio[8],
and the fourth happened in Sacramento.[9]
A recent study from Harvard shows gun
control to be counter-productive.[10]
Data Masher offers a fantastic presentation
with pure state-by-state statistical data on violent crime versus households
with loaded firearms. Violent crime and
gun ownership have a direct inverse relationship (the less violent crime, the
more households with guns).[11]
We don't yet know what drives people to
commit massacres and other grievous atrocities.
It's not a problem we can solve overnight. But in the end gun control laws do more to
prevent law-abiding citizens from self-defense in life-or-death situations than
they do to stop criminals from preying on people. In the meantime, I support the idea of
allowing teachers and administrators to carry their guns with them as long as
they pass an annual gun safety course.
I’m also in favor of allowing concealed-carry permits to more citizens
as long as they have a clean criminal record and pass an annual safety course.
I think we’d be much better off
imitating what Switzerland does. They
have a higher per-individual gun ownership rate than the U.S. does. However, the Swiss approach gun ownership
with a completely different culture.
Though Switzerland has no standing army, it does have a mandatory
national militia. The vast majority of able-bodies
men are issued rifles by the government and made to undergo annual militia
refresher training. Rather than being a
sign of pissing-contest masculinity the way it is in our country, gun ownership
is considered a patriotic and respectable duty in Switzerland. For this reason it’s a common and benign sight
to see Swiss men on sidewalks, in buses, and other public places with rifles slung
over their shoulders.[12] Perhaps America’s problem lies not with guns,
but with people and decrepit culture.
And one last thing: the wise people who
brought you the freedom of speech/expression, freedom from unlawful searches
and seizures, the right to a speedy trial, and freedom from self-incrimination (as
well as the other peachy items from the BILL OF RIGHTS) are the same folks who
brought you the Second Amendment. Just
something to think about…
 |
| "Germans who wish to use firearms should join the SS or the SA. Ordinary citizens don't need guns, as their having guns doesn't serve the State." --Heinrich Himmler |
[1] Seifman,
David. “NY thugs’ guns flood in from all over US.” New York Post. July 31,
2012. <http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/ny_thugs_guns_flood_in_from_all_jQBgtK1Kjv0EGOTRksDgEJ>
[2] Noyes,
Dan. “Hot Guns: how criminals get guns.” PBS Frontline. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/guns/procon/guns.html>
[3]
Slevin, Peter. “Chicago grapples with gun violence; death toll soars.” The
Washington Post. December 21, 2012. <http://articles.washingtonpost.com/2012-12-21/national/36017398_1_gun-violence-homicide-rate-national-gun-debate>
[4] Hawkins,
Awr. “Obama’s Gun Control Not Working in Chicago.” Breitbart. October 28, 2012.
<http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/10/28/Obama-s-Gun-Control-Not-Working-Out-So-Well-In-Chicago>
[5]
Shannon, Elaine. “America’s Most Wanted Guns.” Time Magazine. July 12, 2002.
<http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,320383,00.html>
[6] “Officer
shot armed suspect in San Diego movie theater.” WEAR TV. January 13, 2013.
[7]
Benner, Mike. “Clackamas man, armed, confronts mall shooter.” NWCN News.
December 14, 2012. <http://www.nwcn.com/news/oregon/183609901.html>
[8] “San
Antonio theater patron, gunman wounded.” UPI. December 17, 2012. <http://m.upi.com/story/UPI-81581355749002/>
[9]
Munoz, Luana. “Old Sacramento Security Guard Describes New Year’s Eve Shooting.”
Fox 40. January 2, 2013. <http://fox40.com/2013/01/02/old-sacramento-security-guard-describes-new-years-eve-shooting/#dMtJ5vskdBiFHDJj.99>
[10] “Harvard
Study: Gun Control Is Counterproductive.” The American Civil Rights Union. <http://theacru.org/acru/harvard_study_gun_control_is_counterproductive/>
[11] “Crime
vs Gun Ownership.” Data Masher. <http://www.datamasher.org/mash-ups/crime-vs-gun-ownership#map>
[12]
Bachmann, Helena. “The Swiss Difference: A Gun Culture That Works.” Time
Magazine. December 20, 2012. <http://world.time.com/2012/12/20/the-swiss-difference-a-gun-culture-that-works/>
* * *
Handguns photo by Joshua Shearn and used via CC BY-SA 3.0 license. Albert Riedeler photo of Himmler is in the public domain. The creep smiling at the far right is Reinhard Heydrich. Harry Turtledove wrote an alternate-history novel in which Heydrich is the protagonist. The novel is called The Man With the Iron Heart. It's a fantastic read. Get it! You're welcome...
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