Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
Posted on 07/20/2006 3:02:33 AM PDT by knighthawk
Many times in the past I have told you that when gun ownership goes up and right to carry laws gets passed, then crime goes down. Well, this last year was proof in the pudding, so to speak. Last year Americans purchased 4.7 million new firearms. 40 states have now adopted right to carry laws for their citizens. This year looks like it will even be a better year for purchase of new firearms. The greatest increase in firearms purchase last year was handguns which went up 3%. Long guns sales were up 1.8%. Ammunition sales were up 3.5%. I am told by the different wholesale people I now deal with from the firearms store that these numbers will be higher this year. Many of the manufacturers like Taurus are way behind on orders, with some several months behind.
Those who push gun control tell us that crime goes up and suicide goes up with more firearms ownership. This was not the case last year. Gun crime, suicides and firearms related accidents declined last year. According to the FBI, there were 339,280 firearms crimes reported in 2005, which is down 2.4% from 2004 and 7% from 1998. The Center for Disease Control reported that firearm suicides were down 1.1%, to a reported 16,907, and they have declined 1.8% since 1998. The National Safety Council said, accidental firearms fatalities, which tied the 2004 figure at an all-time low of 700. That is down 19.2% since 1998.
I inform you of this because I just read a report from the Chief of Police in Washington DC has declared a “crime emergency” in that city. This was in response to a sharp increase in crimes citywide in recent weeks. They had fourteen homicides in the first 12 days of July. A 16% increase in robberies and a 14% rise in serious assaults over the past 30 days.
This is all taking place in our nation's capitol, which has the strongest anti-gun control laws in the nation. No one can own a handgun in that city. This should tell us all something about what the results of strong gun control laws do to the honest citizen. It makes you a victim of the criminal, leaving us with no way to protect ourselves.
It also points out that the training and efforts put out by organizations like the National Rifle Association are having a dramatic effect on accidents with firearms, and responsible use of our legally-owned firearms -- something our schools and government have put on the back burner.
My experience in the firearms store, is more people are asking for training with the purchase of a new, first-time firearm. They want the training and wish to be responsible in the use of the new purchase. This is where government and organizations can come together and do something very important for all of the citizens by providing a facility where this training can take place -- again pointing out the importance of the new gun range planned for the citizens of Coos County.
I said it before and I say it again, “an armed society is a polite society.” It is also incumbent upon all of us to make sure young and old alike have a safe place to learn and practice with their firearms. Please stop by Bay Area Firearms and sign the informal petition in support of the new range. It may save someone’s life and help stop crime.
God bless America and God bless our troops still in harm's way.
Michael E. Cook, Coos County Sheriff, Retired Manager Bay Area Firearms
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
ping
Bump for common sense and feedom!
My wife and I purchased three new pistols in the last 2 months and I plan on buying a fourth on Friday. The worst part about buying a hand gun is the minute you buy one you find one that would be better.
Gun ownership up, crime down, dems saddened
Over the last 7-8 years I've averaged 3 gun purchases a year. Just trying to do my part.
On the other hand, NYC has perhaps the toughest gun laws in the Country and it has by far the lowest violent crime rate of any large city in the Country and one of the lowest violent crime rates of all city in the Country, including those gun-toting red-state icons like Phoenix, Jacksonville, Denver, and Dallas-Fort Worth. The same can be said about Boston and several other large anti-second amendment cities. On the other hand, there are several anti-second amendment cities that have extemely high violent crime rates, like Detroit, Baltimore, and of course, Washington D.C. The honest question is whether anti-gun cities like New York and Boston have low violent crime rates because of their strict gun laws or in spite of them; whether anti-gun cities like Detroit and Baltimore have high violent crime rates because of their strict gun laws or in spite of them; and whether gun loving cities like Phoenix, Jacksonville, and DFW have high violent crime rates because of their gun laws or in spite of them. IMHO, the statistics offer something for everyone, which makes them pretty much worthless, and that crime rates have a lot more to do with the types of people who inhabit a city than the gun laws.
Let's see, Atlanta, Detroit, NY City, WA D.C., Chicago, Philly, etc., the inter-city is primarily black. I love it when they speak of whites killing blacks, when it is black on black crime that kills more and damages blacks more. LA's gangs, D.C. and Philly's gangs. Latino gangs. Seattle has tons of Asian gangs. Your right. It is who is there.
Just wondering how you like that Romanian AK, and how you think it compares to the Russian, Chinese, and other editions? I'm thinking of an AK myself, and the Romanians are on sale in my neck of the woods, too. I'm wondering if I should go for it or try to hunt around for a different vintage. Thoughts?
Anyone like to chime in?
I live in Maryland, one of the ten states with no carry law. Don expect to ever get a carry law either. Too many liberals in Annapolis.
Buy that man a cigar!
A lot of people don't like MAK-90's but I have no complaints. I actually bought in in November of 1992, right after I first heard the phrase "President-elect Clinton" as I knew a ban would be coming.
A lot of people don't like MAK-90's but I have no complaints. I actually bought in in November of 1992, right after I first heard the phrase "President-elect Clinton" as I knew a ban would be coming.
Oops! Sorry about that. Got distracted by work for a second.
"It's not terribly pretty either, but that's rather the point. The one thing it is is utterly reliable. Throw it in the mud, paddle your canoe, drag it behind you because you're too tire to carry it, whatever... clear the muzzle, chamber a round and it goes BANG! Every time... no exceptions."
Yes, that's what I'm looking for!
"...to pay $600 for a Russian gun vs. $250 for a Romanian, I'd say ... don't waste your money. The Romanian gun will do EVERYTHING the Russian will, and for half the price."
Sounds good; thank you!
Looks very nice, and I'm sure it shoots great; thanks for the input....
Gun owners have that ability to send a anticrime message out every time a criminal is shot and killed. Gun owners also take a more practical view by voting anticrime judges to the bench and not allowing revolving door justice.
What helps to keep our guns is joining the NRA and voting the antigun dems out of office.
By the way, buying a gun doesn't make anyone an expert no more than buying a violin makes someone a musician. The best way to learn how to shoot a pistol is to compete in International Defensive Pistol Association Matches. For Rifle, compete in NRA High Power Rifle matches.
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