Posted on 03/07/2005 10:31:21 AM PST by Dan from Michigan
Activists call for global gun controls
Mon Mar 7, 2005 4:14 PM GMT
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By Andrew Quinn
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Gun control activists say the world was awash with small arms, fuelling violence, and have called for global cooperation and stricter limits on the trade.
"You can't control international arms proliferation, especially small arms proliferation, without international cooperation," said Brian Wood, Amnesty International's arms and security trade research manager. "We want tough action."
A human rights report by a consortium of groups highlighted the impact of guns on the lives of women, saying they were often the "silent victims" of the small arms trade.
The activists noted there were an estimated 650 million guns in circulation around the world -- almost all in the hands of men.
"Given that they are almost never the buyers, owners or users of small arms, (women) suffer disproportionately from armed violence," said Denise Searle of Amnesty International, one of the groups releasing the report.
Gun control campaigners hoped the report would give fresh impetus to moves to impose more regulation on the world trade in small arms, although they noted progress to date has been slow.
A 2001 U.N. action programme on the trade has yielded few results, but campaigners hope a review meeting in 2006 will push improvements such as a world arms trade registry, written arms shipment permits and better policing.
Statistics worldwide indicate young men are the main victims of small arms, whether used in disputes, in conflict zones or in criminal activity including gang violence.
But the report issued ahead of International Women's Day on Tuesday showed women too are paying a price, often in their own homes as a result of domestic violence.
"Where guns are available, more women are likely to be killed," Searle said.
South Africa, famous for high crime rates, sees a woman shot dead by a current or former partner every 18 hours, according to statistics from the state-funded Medical Research Council.
U.S. studies have shown that having a gun in the house increases the risk that someone in the house will be murdered by 41 percent, but boosts the risk for women by 272 percent.
Some countries such as Canada and Australia have managed to bring down the murder rate of women by toughening laws on gun licensing. But the problem is growing in the developing world, where such safeguards are harder to implement.
From Africa to Afghanistan, civil strife, insurgencies and cross-border wars have increased the threat of gun violence against women, putting huge quantities of guns into circulation in countries as social norms and legal frameworks collapse.
"Once small arms are brought into a country, they post a continuous risk," said Hiroute Guebre Sellassie, a conflict adviser for Eastern and Central Africa with British-based aid agency Oxfam which also sponsored the report.
Hey Dipshits, I tell ya what. You can have all my ammo. C'mon over anytime and I'll LET YA HAVE IT!
We KNOW that the UN will do anything if there's enough money in it for the "leaders" pockets.
Of course the problem isn't the government. It's Joe Citizen who goes to the local gun shop and buys a shotgun, handgun, or even *GASP* an assault rifle. /sarcasm.
Yes it is us. My intentions aren't good when I buy guns. Suffice to say, I'm not thinking about killing Bambi. LOL
Molon Labe, blue helmets.
Yes, exactly!!! :)
Yes, that's certainly true. But the call for global gun control is a natural consequence of the global economy.
With a select power elite being supported by what amounts to nothing more than third world wage slaves, well. . . we can't have 200 million guns in the hands of private citizens, now can we?
The fact of the matter is that conflict is a given and they just refuse to accept it. That type of thinking only succeeds in creating new classes of victims by disarming the populace and leaving them vulnerable to those who don't give a damn about following the rules. But of course, we'll all be able to count on the UN to come flying to our rescue, won't we?
I'm not even gonna attempt that until I can learn to run at 1200 fps.
Be fair. Some of them were murdered by other peoples' governments. ;^)
Kellerman originally did the study for the CDC, and refused to subject his research to peer review. He was brought before a Senate subcommittee, ended up backing off a bit on his original numbers, and the CDC was defunded by a million bucks or so. As you can see though, the numbers live on in the minds and hearts of anti-rights zealots everywhere.
You are exactly right. Our government is run by a bunch of globalists!!
With a select power elite being supported by what amounts to nothing more than third world wage slaves, well. . . we can't have 200 million guns in the hands of private citizens, now can we?
No, and we can be sure that they are going to do everything they can to get our guns away from us. Fortunately, we KNOW the game plan and will NEVER surrender our guns. Right? :-)
Molon Labe!
I see they've never met Mrs. Lurker.
L
Then the solution is to get women to buy, own, and use guns, not to restrict arms sales altogether.
...but of course. Don't remember exactly when, but it seems like 2 or 3 years ago.
Not true. While more women are likely to be killed with guns, fewer women overall are killed or injured by violent criminals when there are more guns in the population. The mere possibility of a victim that can use deadly force to protect herself is enough to dissuade many violent criminals from their planned acts.
There's really no point in arguing with them. At some point, we'll just have to kill 'em all. If we don't...
I better get training too, cause shes also damn good with the rifles, she just prefers the winchester pump over the long guns... 8*D ...
"I'm pretty sure that the gun with a knot in the barrel is a Colt Python. Wonder why they chose that one?"
They don't know one gun from another. As far as they are concerned, that is a "Saturday night special". You and I know better than to call any gun a "Saturday night special" as that was their ploy to make inexpensive handguns illegal, their best move at disarming low income households.
Anyone who knows anything about guns knows a Python is not an inexpensive handgun.
Anyone with a lick of sense would never give up their arms to placate the most far reaching organized crime operation on the planet.
Time (still, again) to get the US out of the UN.
Of course young men get shot more, they form the rank and file of every army (sanctioned or insurgent) in the world. DUH......
Such a lovely shade of blue. Doesn't blend in with much of anything around these parts...
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