Posted on 11/23/2006 5:40:50 PM PST by Graybeard58
People found with a gun outside their homes or businesses in Washington, D.C., face felony charges that carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison. So if a pistol-packing gun owner is stopped for speeding on his way home from work, he could be forced to do some hard time. On the other hand, if this same guy sticks up a convenience store, the most time he will do is 15 years.
Is it any wonder D.C.'s gun laws, among the nation's most restrictive, are so ineffective in reducing gun crimes? According to a report in the Washington Times, the district ranked fourth in the nation in the percentage of homicides carried out with firearms, behind only the gun-control havens of New Orleans, Los Angeles and Detroit. Police said 80 percent of the district's 1,126 homicide victims from 2001-05 were fatally shot. The national rate was 68 percent.
D.C. gun laws actually enable gun crimes. Upright citizens don't want to go to prison for gun possession so they leave their weapons home. Criminals know this. They know the law reduces to near zero the chances of them confronting someone who's packing, so they mug, rob, rape and kill with impunity.
So what does Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey believe should be done to curb violent crime? More gun control. Since he doesn't favor repealing the Second Amendment, what's left? "(V)ery, very stiff penalties" for people who violate the law. Well, D.C. already has them, and they've only emboldened gun criminals. The district would do better if it stopped deterring law-abiding people from defending themselves and concentrated on getting the real criminals.
The D.C. Police Dpet. is the most incompetent ever. They have a closure rate on murder, NOT arrest and convistion you understand, just who done it of less than twenty percent.
I dont know anything about the woman. If I had to venture a guess I would say she arose through the ranks thanks to her gender and a need to fill quota's and got the Chief's job the same way.
Late reply, I've been away for a few days but I have added your name now.
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