| From: | Marc Renouf renouf@********.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | On the topic of gun control... |
| Date: | Fri, 16 Jul 1999 11:28:52 -0400 (EDT) |
> I didn't want to say anything in this thread before, because I've seen it
> all and I know there is no way in hell we'll ever change your mind, but
> what you just said is the #1 reason for tight firearms control: if nobody
> has a weapon, there aren't any to steal.
Well, that's not entirely true. Or rather, it's true, but only
in the abstract sense. Yes, if there's nothing to steal, it surely
follows that there will be fewer thefts.
But that totally ignores the fact that weapons are fairly easy to
come by, even in countries where they are tightly controlled. The person
whose post you were replying to should probably have stated that most
criminals get their guns illegally, rather than simply by theft. Theft is
only one of many options available to the would-be criminal.
> Oh yes, they can be smuggled in, and that will happen. But in a country
> where firearms are hard to come by, using one will make you (and/or your
> crime) stand out and become a target of very serious police investigation
> extremely rapidly.
Then why isn't that the case in England? Why is violent crime on
the rise there? Why is firearms use by criminals growing rapidly?
England has some of the most draconian firearms laws in the free world,
yet it hasn't stemmed the tide of illegal guns flowing into the country,
nor has it eliminated gun-related crime.
Marc
