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.
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So what does Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey believe should be done
Well Chuck you're a clueless idiot.
Its my understanding the District is about to get a new Police Chief. A woman so I am told. Maybe Ramsey can go to Hawai and get himself a patrol car and he and Moose can ride around together.
They would make a good pair.
Gun control in the District wont be changing any time soon, they dont want their criminals shot by shop owners or honest citizens.
Sounds just like England. It doesn't work over there either.
Chief Ramsey is a total incompetent.
The Gary Condit/Chandra Levy case demonstrated that beyone doubt.
Gun control is like trying to reduce drunk driving by making it tougher for sober people to own cars.
So glad we plan to move back to Texas after So. Calif. Where we can have CONCEALED GUNS if we want to!
Note the 80%.
The other 20% were killed with other methods, sometimes very brutal methods. They couldn't defend themselves either.
Concealed carry works to reduce not only gun crime, but all personal attack crime.
In my opinion, the problem in DC is that it is a gang haven. Unfortunately, the cops are simply one of the gangs.
Well until the PC crap ends and the truth faced the problem will NEVER be solved
It is the lack of male parents in the Black community in DC and ALL our big cities
and the stupid WOD
There was a famous case in DC, back in the 80s. A woman was raped by someone who broke into her home. While he was breaking in, she called the police. There was more than enough time for the police to arrive to prevent the rape but they didn't show up until the rape was long over. She sued the city for not protecting her and the judge said (paraphrasing): "There is nothing in the law that says the city and the police are obligated to protect you."
So in DC the criminal justice equation goes like this:
You're not allowed to protect yourself.
Don't expect the police to protect you.
If you do buy a gun for self-protection, you will go to prison.
Word.
Coming soon to Maryland...
This is Alice in Wonderland justice. Cripple the law-abiding first, but go light on criminals who prey on them afterwards.
DC is the shining example of the "Failed Liberal State".
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