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Merika · 04-25-2005, 08:32 AM

I don't happen to have a gun of any sort in my home due to the age of my kids and the area where we live. It just wouldn't make much sense for me personally. However, most of my friends and family all have a variety of guns in their home....some collect, some hunt or as in my Dad's case, he keeps one handy due to bear problems in their mountain home.

I was wondering how everyone else felt about gun control.

I got this article in email over the weekend...which made me think about it.
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Claim: Statistics demonstrate that crime rates in Australia have increased substantially since the government there instituted a gun buy-back program in 1997.
Status: Multiple Ã¢â¬â see below.

Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2001]

See Snopes. com; http://www.snopes.com/crime/statistics/ausguns.asp

THE LETTER

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 a new 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, homicides are up 3.2 percent, Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent; Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent!). In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. (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 showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since the 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 members of the state Assembly disseminating this information.

The Australian experience proves it. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note Americans, before it's too late!

04-25-2005, 08:32 AM	#1 (permalink)
Merika Retired Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Florida, USA Posts: 1,000	Gun Control I don't happen to have a gun of any sort in my home due to the age of my kids and the area where we live. It just wouldn't make much sense for me personally. However, most of my friends and family all have a variety of guns in their home....some collect, some hunt or as in my Dad's case, he keeps one handy due to bear problems in their mountain home. I was wondering how everyone else felt about gun control. I got this article in email over the weekend...which made me think about it. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Claim: Statistics demonstrate that crime rates in Australia have increased substantially since the government there instituted a gun buy-back program in 1997. Status: Multiple Ã¢â¬â see below. Example: [Collected on the Internet, 2001] See Snopes. com; http://www.snopes.com/crime/statistics/ausguns.asp THE LETTER 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 a new 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, homicides are up 3.2 percent, Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent; Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent!). In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 percent. (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 showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since the 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 members of the state Assembly disseminating this information. The Australian experience proves it. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens. Take note Americans, before it's too late!