Thursday, March 16, 2006

Common Sense Gun Control Laws

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COMMON SENSE

The definition of Common sense:

(From Wikipedia)
One meaning of the term common sense (or as an adjective, commonsense) on a strict construction of the term, is what people in common would agree; that which they "sense" in common as their common natural understanding. Some use the phrase to refer to beliefs or propositions that in their opinion they consider would in most people's experience be prudent and of sound judgment, without dependence upon esoteric knowledge or study or research, but based upon what is believed to be knowledge held by people "in common". The knowledge and experience most people have, or are believed to have by the person using the term.

Common sense in my own definition means a set of beliefs on a particular topic where a normally adjusted person would not need any degree of instruction on the topic to agree with the proposed thesis.

In other words, a concept that could be labeled as common sense is a statement of fact that we can all pretty much agree upon without having to go through a university degree program first.

Now, with that said, let me give you a clear, concise and easy to understand quotation, that is a prime example of what I would call a common sense statement:

"Good people do not need laws to tell them to act responsibly, while bad people will find a way around the laws."-- Plato(429-347 BC)

Now, I think we can all agree that in this above quotation, Plato has made a common sense statement. It does not require a Master's Degree in Criminal Justice to understand and agree to this above common sense statement.

If everyone can agree that good people don't need laws to ensure their honesty, responsibility and moral integrity, why then are most gun control laws focused upon restricting the possession, transfer, transportation and carry of firearms by law abiding people?

I know that for the truly ignorant and slow-witted among us, this concept may be a bit steep on the learning curve, so, I'll try to explain it a bit better.

The person who conducts his life with honesty, uprightness, integrity, truthfulness and honor and traditionally operates his or her life within the letter of the law, does not commit any crimes with firearms. Now that's a truly common sense statement, if I've ever heard one. Law abiding gun owners, commit no crimes. Even for the biggest dunce among us, this is not a difficult concept to grasp.

Now that we can agree that law abiding firearm owners don't commit crime, can someone answer the question as to why lawful and honest gun owners are made subject to anti-crime legislation?

In other words, if the aim of any gun control law is to reduce violent acts, why does such a law include restrictions upon those who obey the law?

That pretty much sums up the NRA's argument, as well as the pro-gun argument from www.SaveTheGuns.com as well.

As a law-abiding, honest, decent and upstanding individual, my rights to own and carry the firearm of my choice are restricted by legislation aimed at violent criminals. That's very frustrating to us in the pro-gun community.

We should be treated fairly. Most gun control legislation seems to assume that because we own and carry firearms, that we're somehow predisposed to commit the violent criminal acts of rape, robbery and murder. That's simply not the case and it goes to the center of the entire issue.

Legislation that is supposedly aimed at reducing crime, should focus solely upon criminal possession of a firearm during a criminal act. It should be focused upon reducing the common ways in which felons obtain illegal firearms. It should be focused upon increasing penalties for crimes where the perpetrator possesses, brandishes, fires or uses the firearm to injure someone intentionally.

LAW ABIDING GUN OWNERS ARE FRANKLY TIRED OF HAVING TO ABIDE BY RESTRICTIVE LEGISLATION THAT'S SUPPOSEDLY AIMED AT REDUCING VIOLENT CRIME.

WE'RE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTS OF VIOLENCE COMMITTED BY VIOLENT THUGS MERELY BECAUSE WE MIGHT LAWFULLY OWN AND SAFELY USE THE SAME HANDGUN THAT A THUG USES DURING THE COMMISSION OF A VIOLENT ACT.

IT'S REALLY NOT TOO DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND OUR FRUSTRATION IS IT?

We simply want to see laws that leave the law abiding firearm owner out of the loop of firearm related legislation aimed at reducing violent crime.

That's it. It's that simple.

Thanks for listening,
Marc Richardson
www.SaveTheGuns.com

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Brady Campaign To Prevent Gun Violence Releases State Grades

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence releases it's grades for 2005. Each state is graded according to their restrictions upon the Second Amendment.

Let's examine the grades shall we?

Does the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and their grading system seem fair and appropriate? Do their higher grades such as A- and B+ apply to states with lower levels of rape, robbery and murder?

Major gun control legislation has been around since the National Firearm Act of 1934, which placed high taxes, transfer fees and prohibitions on machine guns and short barreled shotguns.
With seventy-two (72) years of major gun control legislation in the United States, one would think that by now, the states with the most restrictions upon firearms, would have the lowest overall rates of violent crime.

THAT IS OF COURSE IF VIOLENT CRIMINALS OBEYED SUCH LAWS...

Below, is the rank of the most violent states in the United States, (including Washington D.C.). I have ranked the states according to their per capita rate of overall violent crime and to the right of the state's name, I have listed their Brady Campaign letter grade.

1.) DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA B
2.) SOUTH CAROLINA D+
3.) FLORIDA F+
4.) MARYLAND A-
5.) TENNESSEE D+
6.) NEW MEXICO F
7.) LOUISIANA F
8.) ALASKA F+
9.) NEVADA D
10.) DELAWARE C
11.) CALIFORNIA A-
12.) ILLINOIS A-
13.) TEXAS D-
14.) ARIZONA D
15.) OKLAHOMA D-
16.) ARKANSAS D
17.) MISSOURI D+
18.) MICHIGAN D+
19.) MASSACHUSETTS A-
20.) GEORGIA D
21.) NORTH CAROLINA C
22.) NEW YORK B+
23.) ALABAMA F
24.) PENNSYLVANIA D+
25.) KANSAS C-
26.) COLORADO D
27.) NEW JERSEY A-
28.) WASHINGTON D+
29.) OHIO D-
30.) INDIANA D
31.) NEBRASKA B-
32.) OREGON C-
33.) MISSISSIPPI F
34.) MONTANA F
35.) CONNECTICUT A-
36.) VIRGINIA C-
37.) WEST VIRGINIA D
38.) IOWA C+
39.) MINNESOTA C-
40.) HAWAII A-
41.) RHODE ISLAND B-
42.) IDAHO F+
43.) KENTUCKY F
44.) UTAH D-
45.) WYOMING F
46.) WISCONSIN C+
47.) SOUTH DAKOTA D
48.) NEW HAMPSHIRE D-
49.) VERMONT D-
50.) MAINE D-
51.) NORTH DAKOTA D

Let's take a moment to look as these shall we. Of course the reader can draw their own conclusions.

THE TEN STATES WITH THE LOWEST PER CAPITA RATE OF VIOLENT CRIME ARE RATED BY THE BRADY CAMPAIGN AS FOLLOWS: (3 Fs) (6Ds) and (1C).

THE TEN STATES WITH THE HIGHEST PER CAPITA RATE OF VIOLENT CRIME ARE RATED BY THE BRADY CAMPAIGN AS FOLLOWS: (4 Fs) (3Ds) (1C) (1B) (1A).

I want the reader to play very close attention to the very bottom of the list. The five safest states in which to live in the United States have almost no gun control laws. In Vermont for instance, ranked 49th in violent crime, a twenty-one year old can carry a concealed firearm without even a permit.

Of the five lowest states in violent crime, they are all either "Shall Issue" concealed carry states or unrestricted concealed carry states.

Of the five highest states in violent crime, one has denied concealed carry altogether, one has very restricted concealed carry and three are "Shall Issue" states.

The states with the highest restrictions upon the Second Amendment's protection of private firearm ownership are not ranked in the lowest levels of violent crime.

For example the states with the highest Brady Campaign Score of A- are ranked 4th, 11th, 12th, 19th, 27th, 35th and 40th in rates of violent crime.

The states with the lowest Brady Campaign Score of F are ranked 6th, 7th, 23rd, 33rd, 34th, 43rd and 45th.

So as we can see there's no correlation between a highly restrictive state and a very low violent crime state.

In fact, one may even loosely draw the conclusion that it's safer to live in a state with fewer and less restrictive gun control laws.

As for myself, living in Maine, ranked fiftieth (50th) in violent crime and ranked a paltry D- by the ineffective Brady Campaign, I'll take the D- grade and be very happy with it.
Marc Richardson

http://www.savetheguns.com/