Gun totin' fencers

[Stryder]

RC-

"Stolen guns account for only about 10% to 15% of guns used in crimes,"

"ATF officials say that only about 8% of the nation's 124,000 retail gun dealers sell the majority of handguns that are used in crimes."
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontl...ocon/guns.html

"Kellermann paper claims a homeowner's gun is 43 times more likely to kill a family member than an intruder...this 43 to 1 ratio is a meaningless indicator of gun ownership risk...apply the same methodology to non-gun deaths in the same area... This ratio of 397 non-gun violent deaths to 4 justifiable homicides reduces to 99 to 1. So having applied Kellermann's methodology to non-firearm violent death, the risk factor more than doubles from 43 to 1, to 99 to 1"
http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcdgaga.html


------------------
www.geocities.com/strydermike

[Stryder]

On deterrence:
http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_gcdgbur.html

Britain and the Netherlands have a "hot" burglary rate near 45% versus just under 13% for the U.S., and in the U.S. a victim is threatened or attacked 30% of the time during a "hot" burglary.

"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man."
---Thomas Jefferson's "Commonplace Book," 1774-1776

------------------
www.geocities.com/strydermike

[Hunbabe]

True Stryder. But...
...the other reason I don't want to own a gun is because my Dad owns one. When I was a kid I actually found it. He would have flipped if he knew. It merely scared the poop out of me cause I didn't expect to find such a thing at home. I was about 9. Don't even want to think what would've happened if I would've decided to play with it a little, or brag to my little brother about the "treasure" that I found!!! I'm too afraid that in the future when I'll have my own kids, somebody might get a little nosey...

[RC]

Stryder

The difference between Canada and the US that I was trying to point out was the prevalence of handguns in the US. These account for the vast difference in gun related homicides. You can defend your family far more effectively with a shotgun loaded with birdshot.

btw: In Canada, if you shoot an intruder or trespasser who wasn't armed and threatening you or yours directly, you will be charged.

[Stryder]

If your home and family are threatened by birds, then yes. Birdshot could be useful. But if you are threatened by mammals, they would be really irritated by the sting that birdshot delivers after 15 feet, and beat you all the worse.

If it is handguns you are against, would assault weapons make you feel better?

------------------
www.geocities.com/strydermike

[space_cadet]

This topic is going in circles.
Can we let it go?

------------------
Cadet à Space

[Hunbabe]

Good call Cadet!

Has anyone heard about the weather in the SouthWest tomorrow?

[robbie]

That was my weapon mentioned.

I carry it because in law enforcement I have had several death threats, and I don't know which one, if any, will be serious.

I don't advocate taking a firearm where there are children who could get to it if it cannot be secured, or a potential to use it in the "heat of passion."

It just happened to be one of the "unusual items" found in my bag when the question was posted.