Richard Poe points out that the murder rate is but one facet of the total crime picture. Burglary, rape and other crimes need to be discussed in a comprehensive discussion. Drugs and gangs also need to be addressed in a discussion as well.
The gun control zealots point to the homicide rates in comparison between the countries such as the UK , USA and Japan. This is but one part of the overall story.
In the USA guns are more common in Vermont then in New York. Vermont has a sporting tradition and hunting is a way of life. The smallest boro in New York city and my hometown Staten Island has roughly 3/4 of the population of Vermont. Contrary to popular fiction one can find drugs fairly easily in Vermont. However there is nothing remotely close to the gang warfare or turf battles. There is not enough population or money to warrant a turf war. A police officer scolded me for reading a book in the park. "What is the matter with you don't you notice the drug dealing" he said. "Officer I am from NYC and lived for years near Washington Square Park. Drug dealing in a park makes me homesick." Only Jason Pappas might appreciate that quip as he is well aquainted with the area in question.
Similarly Switzerland has a culture of gun ownership with crime rates lower or near the quasi utopian havens that the gun control nuts cite. Like Vermont Switzerland has a gun ownership tradition. Although it is known for its neutrality it has a lengthy history of militia and military participation.
Poe also describes the level of police involvement in Japan. Police visit homes twice a year and prepare lengthy reports on personal lives.There is no trial by jury in Japan and suspects may be tortured. Most on the far left seem to notice torture only when it involves panties on heads or naked twister. Sadly genuine torture is a real problem in much of the world. Leftist like 167 dismiss third world brutality while fulminating on the USA and Israel 24/7.
Contrary to popular belief one is far more likely to have their home burglarized or be held up at gun point in the UK then the USA. Poe attributes this to gun ownership
but incarceration is a factor as well. In the United States criminals avoid robing homes with people inside known as hot burglaries. Half the homes in the USA have guns
and a criminal could easily aquire a toe tag. In the UK and Canada hot burglaries account for 50% of all burglaries and a mere 13% of those in the USA. Acording to the International Crime Victims survey Australia led the world in the percentage of crime victims and England was prominently placed near the top. The USA did not even rank in the top 10 industrialized nations. Gun ownership and incarcerating criminals seems to work. The demographic trends in Europe will likely exacerbate these crime rates further. I wonder what category torching cars in France falls under.
Poe has started to alter my thinking somewhat. I was never a gun control freak but not a vocal supporter of the second amendment. He does seem to be able to formulate a convincing argument.
Comming up Tommorow Gun Myth number 2
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11 comments:
As the old Texan told the Burglar.
"Sir I would not hurt you for anything in the world but you are standing right where I am going to shoot" :p
As I have said take away guns from law abiding citizens then only criminals will have guns.
Prevent forest fires...
register matches.
-FJ
Beak,
Just yesterday, a student in my class was discussing the matter of gun ownership with me; also involved in the discussion was the matter of gun control and how far the state should go with that measure.
The student's point, in part, was that children brought up in rural areas are not as likely to abuse the use of guns because they understand what death means (in that death is not sanitized in the country as death is sanitized in the movies). The student also pointed out that so many kids today seem to have emotional disturbances. I pointed out to the student that I feel that many parents have abrogated their parental responsibilites.
Any thoughts from you on what my student and I discussing? What I've mentioned here is a very brief synopsis of yesterday's discussion, and I may not be summarizing well. Still, I'm interested in what you have to say on the aspect I've just mentioned.
Well I mentioned there is a distinct difference in culture between Vermont and NYC. Guns are just part of daily life and people grow up learning to use and respect them. They are almost part of a rite of passage and wisdom passed down from parent to child.
In the safer parts of NYC a gun is a curiousity object for most and reviled by a vocal minority. Uptown the residents are sadly too familiar with guns and improper usage of the equipment. However a stable heatlthy parent child relationship is often non existent.
Thus what a person learns about many things come from the street and an entire range of maladies stem from that. Clergymen and peaceful folk are caught in a battle with the lure of the streets any many fall victim to a desire within for an easy route.
I worked with residendents of a halfway house in NJ.
FJ
Wait till we get to kids and guns
this gets funnier.
Storm,
Not long ago, an Australian blogger and I were chatting about some of the gang activity in his country. He made the same point you did and pointed out that the Second Amendment protects us in ways were don't even begin to appreciate.
Post-Civil War slogan... Abe Lincoln may have freed all men, but Sam Colt made them equal.
always, I think that what your student said about "death" almost entirely explains the red-blue state divide, including the smaller issue related to "gun" control.
And I also suspect that many of their "emotional" disturbances are the direct result of this as well.
It's one thing to be encouraged to take control of your own life (red) by understanding the "meaning" of life... and quite another to be told to be dependent upon others (blue) and believe that it has no meaning. And you cannot understand "life" unless you understand it's opposite. And the MSM spews nothing but "blue" messages... and have infected the entire nation with the "blues".
I doubt Paris Hilton could ever wring a chickens neck prior to making supper... she's probably a vegetarian anyways.
Life requires sacrifice. The blue staters have been insulated from the concept of sacrifice for far too long. No wonder they hold few things "holy".
-FJ
"Guns don't kill people, jealous husbands do." - Larry the Cable Guy
What a post on Larry Franklin has to do with guns is beyond me. Israel is not a hostile power in any description but if the man broke the law he should be punished.
No doubt he will get a longer sentence then your Commie Pals at Code Pink that gave money to our enemies in Falujah. Then there is the never ending list of muslim Charities that are front groups for terror. I might also point out CAIRS connections to Hezbollah. I might also point out the Muslim FBI agent who was insubordinate and botched the Sami Al Arian case. The governments priorities are warped but not even close to yourwarped anti semitic obsessions. Talk into your houseplants at the Commie safe house you live in.
mr. ducky,
I propose we offer to make Israel the 51st American state. Maybe then you would kwityerbitchin.
-FJ
I just got a mental picture of a light blue six-pointed Star of David amidst fifty white five-pointed ones. I say, let the Israeli's VOTE on it!
-FJ
You guy cover the subject so well that I have little to say.
Every person that lives under my roof is proficient in the handling and use of firearms. Its a requirement, I train them myself.
All four of us are licensed to carry a concealed weapon, not a requirement but strongly encouraged.
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