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The Myth that Gun Control is Good
By Bob Hubbard
You've seen it on the news. Another celebrity wants to ban guns, because they are evil. You don't hear that their body guard is carrying however.
The anti-gun crowd loudly proclaims that only by making guns illegal, can we be safe.
Ask them why cities with gun bans have the highest crime rates however, and they fall silent.
Ask them why cities with easy gun laws have the lowest crime rates, and they change the subject.
Now, before we begin this examination of the issue, let me state for the record I am anti-gun. If it were possible to eliminate every gun on the planet, I'd be quite happy to see them go. But that genie is out of the bottle, and will never go back in. Guns are here and they are here to stay. With that said, lets look at some gun myths.
Myth 1 - More restrictive laws will result in less guns in the hands of criminals.
False.
Any politician who pushes this idea is either an idiot or an incompetent, or both. Criminals don't care about the law, that's why they are criminals. All restrictive laws do is keep guns out of law abiding citizens hands.
Myth 2 - Hard gun laws make cities safer.
False.
Hard gun laws ensure that law abiding citizens are defenseless. As #1 established, criminals don't care. Cities such as Washington and Chicago that have gun bans have some of the highest homicide rates in the US. By comparison, the state of Vermont who has the most lax gun laws in the nation, also ranks last on federal crime statistics. If easy access to guns results in high crime, how can you explain this?
The bottom line here is, heavy gun laws result in a less safe society, as the only people who have guns there are police and criminals.
Myth 3 - Gun Ownership is not really guaranteed.
False.
In the early days of out nation, our founding fathers wrote specific guidelines to allow citizens ownership of guns through the Second Amendment.
Some choose to interpret this to mean it's about the militias, but that's not the case. If it were, there wouldn't be a specific section for the militias in Article 1, Section 8.
Some say it's about the state, but if that were true, the founders would have said "state" not "people". They were precise in their wording of this document. An earlier draft by Madison said "The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed; A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State."
There is of course the question of "A well regulated Militia". Regulated by whom? Again, the intent wasn't government law, but the idea of regular training and practice, which was writen about in Federalist #29 by Hamilton.
Myth 4 - Guns in schools makes them less safe.
False.
Take the Columbine Colorado tragedy as an example. Two armed gunmen were able to move around the school freely, without worry of reprisal, inflicting massive casualties, due to being the only ones armed there.
Contrast that with the Appalachia College of Law school shooting, where the gunman was subdued after 2 armed students confronted him.
If the teachers at Columbine had been armed, it's possible that the body count might have been much lower.
Myth 5 - Gun Control Advocates are practice what they preach.
False.
Myth 6 - Gun Laws are for your protection.
False.
It's proven that gun laws only apply to law abiding citizens. Criminals will obtain guns and use them regardless of how many laws there are, and there are quite a few on the books, hundreds in fact. Cities and states with heavy regulation have the highest crime rates in the nation. This simple fact is ignored repeatedly by law makers.
Gun laws exist for one reason. To restrict gun access for law abiding citizens.
Remember, the British Army was on it's way to confiscate the colonists weapons when they were fired upon. A disarmed population is easier to control. The Founding Fathers knew this, which is why they wrote protections into the law allowing civilian gun ownership. This was done specifically to allow the citizens a means of defense against both criminal and oppressive government. In a city where the law is restrictive, criminals know you're probably unarmed. Easy prey. Where you are allowed, and sometimes even required to arm yourself, crime is low because the prey isn't so easy.
A read of this might seem to indicate that I support repealing all gun regulations. I don't. I believe that some laws are in fact necessary. Criminals shouldn't be allowed to have them, their misuse should be punished, etc. Responsible and Educated gun ownership, not repressive and restrictive laws is the answer in my opinion.
Resources:
Web Resources
====
Bob Hubbard is the CEO of SilverStar WebDesigns Inc, a web design and hosting company specializing in martial arts sites, as well as an administrator on the popular martial arts communities MartialTalk.com, Kenpotalk.com and FMATalk.com. He is also a respected professional photographer specializing in martial arts event, nature and portrait photography. His martial arts photography can be found there as well as at his martial arts photography web site, martialphotos.com. He may be reached through these sites.
Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved
Permission is granted to reprint this article on websites, blogs and ezines provided all text, links and authors bio is left intact.
By Bob Hubbard
You've seen it on the news. Another celebrity wants to ban guns, because they are evil. You don't hear that their body guard is carrying however.
The anti-gun crowd loudly proclaims that only by making guns illegal, can we be safe.
Ask them why cities with gun bans have the highest crime rates however, and they fall silent.
Ask them why cities with easy gun laws have the lowest crime rates, and they change the subject.
Now, before we begin this examination of the issue, let me state for the record I am anti-gun. If it were possible to eliminate every gun on the planet, I'd be quite happy to see them go. But that genie is out of the bottle, and will never go back in. Guns are here and they are here to stay. With that said, lets look at some gun myths.
Myth 1 - More restrictive laws will result in less guns in the hands of criminals.
False.
Any politician who pushes this idea is either an idiot or an incompetent, or both. Criminals don't care about the law, that's why they are criminals. All restrictive laws do is keep guns out of law abiding citizens hands.
Myth 2 - Hard gun laws make cities safer.
False.
Hard gun laws ensure that law abiding citizens are defenseless. As #1 established, criminals don't care. Cities such as Washington and Chicago that have gun bans have some of the highest homicide rates in the US. By comparison, the state of Vermont who has the most lax gun laws in the nation, also ranks last on federal crime statistics. If easy access to guns results in high crime, how can you explain this?
The bottom line here is, heavy gun laws result in a less safe society, as the only people who have guns there are police and criminals.
Myth 3 - Gun Ownership is not really guaranteed.
False.
In the early days of out nation, our founding fathers wrote specific guidelines to allow citizens ownership of guns through the Second Amendment.
Amendment 2 - Right to Bear Arms. Ratified 12/15/1791.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Some choose to interpret this to mean it's about the militias, but that's not the case. If it were, there wouldn't be a specific section for the militias in Article 1, Section 8.
Some say it's about the state, but if that were true, the founders would have said "state" not "people". They were precise in their wording of this document. An earlier draft by Madison said "The right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed; A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State."
There is of course the question of "A well regulated Militia". Regulated by whom? Again, the intent wasn't government law, but the idea of regular training and practice, which was writen about in Federalist #29 by Hamilton.
Myth 4 - Guns in schools makes them less safe.
False.
Take the Columbine Colorado tragedy as an example. Two armed gunmen were able to move around the school freely, without worry of reprisal, inflicting massive casualties, due to being the only ones armed there.
Contrast that with the Appalachia College of Law school shooting, where the gunman was subdued after 2 armed students confronted him.
If the teachers at Columbine had been armed, it's possible that the body count might have been much lower.
Myth 5 - Gun Control Advocates are practice what they preach.
False.
- Rosie O'Donnell, who supports the Million Mom March reportedly keeps armed body guards on staff to protect her family.
- Diane Feinstein, one of the biggest opponents of gun ownership in Congress, has an unrestricted concealed weapons permit.
- Senators Chuck Schumer another Congressional opponent of gun ownership also has a concealed carry permit. In fact, Senator Schumer possesses an "unrestricted" pistol permit, a rarity in New York City.
- Carl Rowan, who often wrote about the ills of firearms ownership shot and wounded a teenager who trespassed on his property. That's when the news came out that Carl Rowan, a fierce gun-control advocate, actually possessed a license to own firearms.
Myth 6 - Gun Laws are for your protection.
False.
It's proven that gun laws only apply to law abiding citizens. Criminals will obtain guns and use them regardless of how many laws there are, and there are quite a few on the books, hundreds in fact. Cities and states with heavy regulation have the highest crime rates in the nation. This simple fact is ignored repeatedly by law makers.
Gun laws exist for one reason. To restrict gun access for law abiding citizens.
Remember, the British Army was on it's way to confiscate the colonists weapons when they were fired upon. A disarmed population is easier to control. The Founding Fathers knew this, which is why they wrote protections into the law allowing civilian gun ownership. This was done specifically to allow the citizens a means of defense against both criminal and oppressive government. In a city where the law is restrictive, criminals know you're probably unarmed. Easy prey. Where you are allowed, and sometimes even required to arm yourself, crime is low because the prey isn't so easy.
A read of this might seem to indicate that I support repealing all gun regulations. I don't. I believe that some laws are in fact necessary. Criminals shouldn't be allowed to have them, their misuse should be punished, etc. Responsible and Educated gun ownership, not repressive and restrictive laws is the answer in my opinion.
Resources:
- Michael Badnarik - Good to be the King - Cptr 16 pg105-109
- Thomas E. Woods Jr. PHD. - The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History - Cptr 3, Pg22-24
Web Resources
- Million Mom March : http://www.millionmommarch.org/aboutus/
- US Constitution: http://www.usconstitution.net
- Federal Crime Statistics: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
- Appalachia College of Law school shooting : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalac...f_Law_shooting
- Second Amendment Hypocrites: Senators Schumer and Feinstein Pack Heat by Jim Kouri, CPP http://www.houseconservatives.com/bl...ein-pack-heat/
====
Bob Hubbard is the CEO of SilverStar WebDesigns Inc, a web design and hosting company specializing in martial arts sites, as well as an administrator on the popular martial arts communities MartialTalk.com, Kenpotalk.com and FMATalk.com. He is also a respected professional photographer specializing in martial arts event, nature and portrait photography. His martial arts photography can be found there as well as at his martial arts photography web site, martialphotos.com. He may be reached through these sites.
Copyright © 2008 - Bob Hubbard - All Rights Reserved
Permission is granted to reprint this article on websites, blogs and ezines provided all text, links and authors bio is left intact.
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