Posted on 08/26/2002 7:32:39 AM PDT by ABC123
Gun Control From: Ed Chenel, a police officer in Australia.
Hi Yanks, I thought you all would like to see the real figures from Down Under.
It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by our own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500 million dollars.
The first year results are now in:
Australia- wide, assaults are up 8.6%;
Australia- wide, armed robberies are up 44% (yes, 44%!)
In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300%.
(Note that while the law- abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not and criminals still possess their guns!)
While figures over the previous 25 years show a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.
There has also been a dramatic increase in break- ins and assaults of the elderly. Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in "successfully ridding Australian society of guns."
You won't see this data on the American evening news or hear your governor or member of the state assembly disseminating this information.
The Australian experience proves it. Guns in the hands of honest citizens saves lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens.
Take note Americans, before it's too late!
FORWARD TO EVERYONE ON YOUR EMAIL LIST!
DON'T BE A MEMBER OF THE SILENT MAJORITY AND LET THE VOCAL MINORITY LET THIS HAPPEN IN THE U.S.
To prevent their guns from rusting
Australian government has slid so far to the left that they are probably one of the most socialist governments on the planet.
Of course they can find solace in their beer. Some are indeed crying in theirs.
How true. MOLON LABE!
Check the difference for yourself.
Regardless, we need to defend our right to keep and bear arms.
In my opinion, that just seems like common sense. I understand that you don't want our side perpetuating erroneous information, because that undermines our credibility. However, I wouldn't take the other side's bilge as gospel, either!
Pigeon pucks.
We have a soft right government which is well to the right of, say, California. Cheers, By.
The figures sound correct but the gun buyback was in 1997. Note that the 'personal firearms' were semi-auto rifles and shotguns, plus pump action shotguns. The subsequent jump in crime figures also sound correct although they were released last year, meaning the buyback and crime stats figures have been spliced together. But they still sound accurate. Matter of fact the crime stats are actually more damning than these because gun-related crimes such as home invasion (which have increased dramatically since the gun laws) are often not reported due to the victims' fear of payback. Regards, By.
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