Since you like to quote statistics, lets look at the other side:


The number of children under the age of 17 shot by guns in America every year is greater than the gun-related deaths of children in all the industrialized nations of the world COMBINED.

Here is the population of Japan: 127,463,611.

Here is the number of children killed by guns in Japan every year: 0.

A 2001 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) study found that in homicides among intimate partners, women are murdered more with guns than with all other means COMBINED.

In 2004, guns were most commonly used by males to murder their female partners.

A 2003 study found women living with a gun in the home were almost three times more likely to be murdered than women with no gun in the home.



Something to feel proud to display to the rest of the world, heh?


>In my opinion, only honest people obey laws. If you outlaw vehicles being used for robberies, then I doubt a bank robber would hop a bus to get away. Virginia Tech had strict gun policies all over the campus, but the criminally insane don't care. Drugs are illegal and yet look how many in this country use drugs. Make weapons illegal and then only the criminals will have them. They will feel safe to go anywhere and do anything they wish. Park a truck with an NRA sticker in the driveway and it is more of a deterrent than an alarm system.
>
>Here are some interesting stats:
>
>Violent crime rates are highest overall in states with laws severely limiting or prohibiting the carrying of concealed firearms for self-defense. (FBI Uniform Crime Reports, 1992) -
>
>The total Violent Crime Rate is 26% higher in the restrictive states (798.3 per 100,000 pop.) than in the less restrictive states (631.6 per 100,000).
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>The Homicide Rate is 49% higher in the restrictive states (10.1 per 100,000) than in the states with less restrictive CCW laws (6.8 per 100,000).
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>The Robbery Rate is 58% higher in the restrictive states (289.7 per 100,000) than in the less restrictive states (183.1 per 100,000).
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>The Aggravated Assault Rate is 15% higher in the restrictive states (455.9 per 100,000) than in the less restrictive states (398.3 per 100,000). Using the most recent FBI data (1992), homicide trends in the 17 states with less restrictive CCW laws compare favorably against national trends, and almost all CCW permittees are law-abiding.
>
>Since adopting CCW (1987), Florida's homicide rate has fallen 21% while the U.S. rate has risen 12%. From start-up 10/1/87 2/28/94 (over 6 yrs.) Florida issued 204,108 permits; only 17 (0.008%) were revoked because permittees later committed crimes (not necessarily violent) in which guns were present (not necessarily used).
>
>Of 14,000 CCW licensees in Oregon, only 4 (0.03%) were convicted of the criminal (not necessarily violent) use or possession of a firearm. Americans use firearms for self-defense more than 2.1 million times annually.
>
>By contrast, there are about 579,000 violent crimes committed annually with firearms of all types. Seventy percent of violent crimes are committed by 7% of criminals, including repeat offenders, many of whom the courts place on probation after conviction, and felons that are paroled before serving their full time behind bars.
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>Two-thirds of self-protective firearms uses are with handguns.
>
>99.9% of self-defense firearms uses do not result in fatal shootings of criminals, an important factor ignored in certain "studies" that are used to claim that guns are more often misused than used for self-protection. Of incarcerated felons surveyed by the Department of Justice, 34% have been driven away, wounded, or captured by armed citizens; 40% have decided against committing crimes for fear their would-be victims were armed.
>
>My personal belief is that "the people" in the 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights applies to all individuals not a collective. It should be interpreted to mean the same individuals referred to in the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 9th, and 10th Amendments of the Bill of Rights . I also think the amendment was put in the Bill of Rights for a purpose - the Bill of Rights sets out our individual rights as citizens.
>
>The Vitter Amendment was passed to protect our right to self-defense in national emergencies and was included in the Homeland Security Act.
>
>Historically, tyrants have had to disarm their own people in order to maintain control and don't tend to invade countries whose citizens are armed.
>
>I think most guns are actually owned for wild animal control, self-defense, and sport.
>
>We need to get the guns out of the hands of criminals and mentally unstable individuals (as much as possible) but keep them in the hands of every individual (if they so choose) who wants them.
>
>
>>>The Australian facts (if in fact, factual :o) really concern me.
>>>
>>>My greatest issue (other than the right) is this: I may be willing to surrender all weapons if and when it is possible to ensure that everyone (criminals, illegal immigrants, mentally ill people, anyone and everyone, et al) will not have one either. When that can be guaranteed then I will surrender mine.
>>>
>>
>>I totally agree. I would image that most crimes that are committed with a gun that the gun is not registered to the criminal.
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>>>>Similar story in Australia.
>>>>http://www.yauponcreek.org/GunControl/AustraliaFacts.html
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>There seems to be alot of chatter on it this week. Here is an interesting perspective full of facts:
>>>>>
>>>>>Facts:
>>>>>http://www.gunowners.org/sk0802.htm
>>>>>
>>>>>Stories (not sure of the veracity):
>>>>>http://www.keepandbeararms.com/information/XcInfoBase.asp?CatID=43