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Guns and deep remorse in the land Down Under
The Winnipeg Sun ^ | August 6, 2004 | JOHN GLEESON

Posted on 08/06/2004 10:20:39 AM PDT by neverdem

It happened in Australia last week. The robber waylaid Karen Brown in the carpark outside a Sydney hotel. Brown, a 42-year-old security guard, had just picked up a deposit bag containing the hotel take, something between $30,000 and $50,000. She was dressed in civilian clothes.

The robber was wearing brass knuckles. Lifting Brown by the hair, he punched her repeatedly in the head and bashed her to the ground, fracturing her skull, an eye socket, her nose and left hand, and leaving her possibly brain damaged.

Then the robber, a 25-year-old ex-con named William Aquilina, dragged Brown across the asphalt toward his stolen getaway car, dropping her like a rag doll when she finally released the deposit bag. Aquilina then got into the car.

Blood pouring into her eyes, Brown somehow managed to stand up, remove her concealed handgun and take aim at the driver's seat.

And yes, she shot Aquilina dead where he sat.

I FOUND THIS story in the online edition of the Sun Herald, billed as Australia's biggest-selling daily newspaper, while researching a letter claiming robberies Down Under had soared since strict gun controls were introduced.

The letter painted a scary picture of government disarming law-abiding citizens and thus giving free rein to violent criminals. But it turned out the stats were outdated, unreliable and the issue, according to the morning editor at the Sun Herald, was dead except for "a few pissed-off farmers."

That, of course, was a media-type talking and I would probably have gotten a similar response from her counterparts in Toronto, Vancouver or Montreal. Maybe even Winnipeg.

In reality, Australia does have a "statistical problem" with rising violent crime. So does Britain -- and both countries took unprecedented steps a few years back to not only regulate firearms, but to confiscate them. Australians spent at least half a billion dollars to collect and destroy hundreds of thousands of legally owned guns, and the result? No decrease in violent crime, armed robberies up by 166%.

These disturbing trends have given a new weapon to the North American gun lobby, which also points to a dramatic drop in violent crime in the U.S. during the same period, as state after state -- 20 in the past two decades -- relaxed the rules for carrying concealed handguns for personal protection.

The connection between stripping citizens of the right to bear arms and the likelihood of their becoming victims of crime is "really hard to tease out" of available data, says Gary Mauser, a professor of business at B.C.'s Simon Fraser University.

"The advocates on both sides tend to cherry-pick their numbers," says Mauser, who wrote a paper last year for the Fraser Institute on the "failed experiment" of gun control in Commonwealth countries.

But, he adds, the relaxed gun ownership laws and parallel decline in violent crime in the U.S. is "the most reasonable link" yet to firearm possession and personal safety.

Mauser is a harsh critic of Canada's firearm registry. Instead of registering hunters and target shooters, he says, the government should build a database of violent criminals and an instant check system that would ensure they could not legally obtain firearms.

"Focus on the guys who are a threat instead of the guys who are not a threat."

THAT MAKES PERFECT sense to me, but to those who wish we also enjoyed the freedom to "pack heat" for personal protection, all I can say is look at the case of poor Karen Brown.

A trained security guard, when she was attacked she didn't have time to use her gun to defend herself. Had she tried drawing it while Aquilina was beating her, he might have forced it from her and used it, on her or someone else.

But there's more.

Speaking to the Sun Herald almost a week after the shooting, Brown was still shaking and crying -- not so much because of the injuries, which also included severe concussion and a floating bone fragment lodged behind her eyeball. No, she was devastated by having taken Aquilina's life, expressing sympathy for the family and deep remorse for the shooting.

Brown's exclusive interview was headlined Why I killed the robber, but it's clear from the story that she didn't know why she shot him.

She said she feared for her life while she was being beaten, but by the time she "looked up through a bloody haze" to fire, "I did not know where I was or exactly what had happened to me."

But she had the gun, and her job was to protect the money, so she killed the robber.

"It has completely wrecked her life," said her sister, Katrina. "She has never hurt anybody or anything before and it's completely crushed her."

And there's even more. Aquilina, it turns out, was the grandson of a retired policeman, Frank Rasmussen, who is now pushing for Brown to be charged.

"He was murdered," Rasmussen said. "That woman should have torn into that hotel as soon as she alleges she was hit and she should have asked for help. Instead, she advanced on my grandson and shot him in cold blood. She's just a bitch. Sorry."

Brown likely won't be prosecuted because she was, after all, doing her job. But had she been a mere citizen with a legal permit to carry a concealed weapon, she might have been charged, tried and convicted of manslaughter, since Aquilina apparently did not pose a threat to her when she killed him.

So it sounds good -- this idea of citizens going around all armed and civil. Especially if the knowledge of that fact deters criminals from attacking people.

But it isn't that simple. Just ask Karen Brown.


TOPICS: Australia/New Zealand; Canada; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: bang; banglist; guncontrol; gunprohibition
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To: neverdem

>Instead, she advanced on my grandson and shot him in cold >blood. She's just a bitch. Sorry."

You raised that sorry piece of sh*t and someone needs to beat the crap out you for not doing a better job on your family, you twisted old man.

Sorry, but that just floors me that he is making HIS GRANDSON OUT TO BE THE VICTIM HERE!!!!


21 posted on 08/06/2004 11:09:23 AM PDT by sandbar
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To: 68skylark
The psycological trauma to this heroic woman is mostly because of the media culture where she lives. If the media there were calling her a heroine, and validating her heroic actions, she would have far less psycological problems.

When a person has beaten you half to death and is still in the immediate vicinity, they are still a threat. I don't think there is a jury in America that would convict this woman.

22 posted on 08/06/2004 11:09:41 AM PDT by marktwain
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To: MamaTexan

Nope the woman explained why she shot the man...she was trained to protect the money...and that's exactly what she did ...ie HER TRAINING KICKED IN


23 posted on 08/06/2004 11:11:16 AM PDT by jnarcus
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To: randog

Frank Rasmussen is a communist.


24 posted on 08/06/2004 11:14:55 AM PDT by henderson field
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To: neverdem

"A trained security guard, when she was attacked she didn't have time to use her gun to defend herself."

So much to say about one sentence.

First, a lot of "trained" security guards don't know beans about when and how to use force or to prevent/deter attacks. Their "training" is often 8 hours on the range and another couple days in the classroom. But the suggestion has been subtly made: If a trained security guard can be surprised, what hope is there for the rest of us gun owners?

Second, maybe she "didn't have time to use her gun to defend herself." Often you don't. Sometimes you do. More important is to be aware of potential opportunities for an attack, and to mentally prepare. Guess her "training" didn't cover that.

Finally, if the attacker decided not to leave after all, but instead went to get a bat, crowbar or something else to continue the beating, or went to his car to get his own gun and finish her off, having the gun that she was unable to use before would certainly be desirable now.

Course, that's just my unenlightened, gun-owning opinion.


25 posted on 08/06/2004 11:16:28 AM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: neverdem

Too bad the robber didn't have a chance to suffer more ...


26 posted on 08/06/2004 11:18:35 AM PDT by catpuppy (Kerry-Edwards: When hair is all that matters.)
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To: neverdem
Aquilina apparently did not pose a threat to her when she killed him.

She knew this how? This guy just beat the hell out of her, is it beyond reason to think he was grabbing a another weapon in his car as she lay in the street fighting for life?

27 posted on 08/06/2004 11:22:52 AM PDT by RJL
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To: marktwain
If the media there were calling her a heroine, and validating her heroic actions, she would have far less psycological problems.

Good point.

28 posted on 08/06/2004 11:23:01 AM PDT by 68skylark
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To: neverdem
"He was murdered," Rasmussen said. "That woman should have torn into that hotel as soon as she alleges she was hit and she should have asked for help. Instead, she advanced on my grandson and shot him in cold blood. She's just a bitch. Sorry."

His grandson beats the woman near death with brass knuckles, and he's angry at her for shooting him? Is this entire family made up entirely of lowlife scum?

29 posted on 08/06/2004 11:34:04 AM PDT by Snuffington
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To: RJL
Aquilina apparently did not pose a threat to her when she killed him.

How was she to know that he wasn't finished with her? Was he going to run her over with the car? Was he going to cover his tracks by killing her?

She did the right thing - regardless of what the logic-impaired lefties in the newspaper and, apparently, the police department have to say.

Damn good shooting too, based on the extent of her injuries. She may have saved someone from the same fate at the hands of this dirtbag.

30 posted on 08/06/2004 11:43:52 AM PDT by AngryJawa (The Original Grumpy Gen-Xer)
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To: neverdem
"He was murdered," Rasmussen said.

Horsepuckey. He was an armed robber who got what he deserved. And a slimeball little p***k like pinhead grampa.

31 posted on 08/06/2004 11:46:57 AM PDT by jimt (?)
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To: neverdem
"He was murdered," Rasmussen said. "That woman should have torn into that hotel as soon as she alleges she was hit and she should have asked for help. Instead, she advanced on my grandson and shot him in cold blood. She's just a bitch. Sorry."

It should not be overlooked that this vile bag of filth is retired policeman.

When the laws are designed to protect violent criminals from the people they are robbing, then you know your country has been taken over by enemies of the people. Even cops are on the side of the crooks.

32 posted on 08/06/2004 11:52:29 AM PDT by Tailgunner Joe (Nemo Me Impune Lacessit)
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To: Travis McGee

ho, T.
how goes the writing?


33 posted on 08/06/2004 11:56:00 AM PDT by King Prout ("Thou has been found guilty and convicted of malum zambonifactum most foul... REPENT!)
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To: King Prout

The first part is the hardest by far. I'm just remembering this from my EFAD experience. Each new character introduction into the weave of the story is as hard as starting the book itself. Once I'm a quarter of the way through, it'll speed up tremendously. Thanks for asking!


34 posted on 08/06/2004 12:02:47 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
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To: Travis McGee

my bugbear is naming the characters.
I just cannot seem to do it.

I wish you speedy progress and excellent product.

I will now let you go back into deep-lurk mode :)


35 posted on 08/06/2004 12:08:38 PM PDT by King Prout ("Thou has been found guilty and convicted of malum zambonifactum most foul... REPENT!)
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To: King Prout

Naming characters is my favorite part! It's a perfect opportunity to use onomatapoeia to use the look and sound of a name to reinforce a character. Bob Bullard: Thug. Wally Malvone: sneaky evil bastard. Ranya Bardiwell: mysterious beauty of Lebanese ancestry. And so on.

I have notebooks where I collect ideas, plot lines, characters, settings etc. Names which catch my eye go into a special list. Also, I recommend getting a serious "baby naming book" which includes the derivations of the names. There are so many "first names" which are incredibly obscure and interesting, that they also work perfectly as last names. Stuff like "Hildegaard." Being in alphabetical order, you can spread out your character names so that there is less confusion.


36 posted on 08/06/2004 12:18:01 PM PDT by Travis McGee (----- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com -----)
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To: Travis McGee

(it gets worse when you are dealing with non-human sentients)


37 posted on 08/06/2004 12:25:12 PM PDT by King Prout ("Thou has been found guilty and convicted of malum zambonifactum most foul... REPENT!)
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To: Conservative4Life

ping


38 posted on 08/06/2004 12:31:29 PM PDT by Trillian
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To: wideawake
"He was murdered," Rasmussen said. "That woman should have torn into that hotel as soon as she alleges she was hit and she should have asked for help. Instead, she advanced on my grandson and shot him in cold blood. She's just a bitch. Sorry."

Your grandson is... WAS... an evil, hateful, worthless waste of flesh and the world is a better place now that he is no longer breathing.

Oh... sorry.

39 posted on 08/06/2004 1:11:04 PM PDT by WileyC
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To: WileyC

Can you believe the stucazz on this guy?


40 posted on 08/06/2004 1:18:34 PM PDT by wideawake (God bless our brave soldiers and their Commander in Chief)
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