Gun Control... Wake up United States!

Updated 2009-11-25
At this time virtually any large USA city has 2+ times more murders than the entire country of Canada. Yet gun control is still not a major issue in the USA. I hope posting it on the blog will drive more communication on the issue.

Published 2001-09-10
A touchy subject… As a Canadian citizen I can tell you that gun control works. The mentality that we need guns to protect ourselves from others only ensures that everyone has guns. I know that if I had a gun available “at the moment” the possibility of me using it in rage or personal defense is conceivable. Please understand, I think anyone in rage/defense can do things they would not normally even think about, so to me anyone could pull a gun. Now I consider myself a reasonable person who is not likely to do this kind of thing, but when I think about someone that is not quite so stable carrying a gun I get very nervous.

As a Canadian I don’t even think about “Do they have a gun?”(except for Police). Currently I live in Toronto, Ontario, a city with approximately 3 million people living in a diverse multi-cultural environment. Comparable to many major cities in USA yet our homicide rate is far lower. We live next door to Buffalo/Detroit who both have less people and many more homicides. WHAT CAN YOU ATTRIBUTE THE DIFFERENCE TO??? Funny thing is that I would expect everyone in USA to be on their best behavior knowing everyone else has a gun… Instead it seems to bring out the more “macho” attitude.

I think being a cop is tough in Canada… I would not be one where anyone can carry a concealed firearm or where firearms are so readily available. No wonder cops shoot so many people in USA.

I have lived in the country and know the value of a rifle(groundhogs are pesky critters), I also like to use guns for target practice(fun). In no way does gun control stop these things. It helps control them. Key benefits of gun control is it reduces the availability of guns. Most gun controls are targeted to stop hand guns, and AK47 type assault weapons(or bigger). I know that some of us would just love to play with one of these but in Canada we understand controlling guns can save our lives! Just a little more important to us. It would probably be cool to have your own tank or nuclear bomb but I know that if I can have it so can everyone else. In these cases I would rather no one have it. I know it is not perfect and we should all be able to do what we want… but we have a responsibility to the society as well.

“Guns don’t kill people, people do”…
Atomic bombs don’t kill people either but you don’t see me saying everyone has the right to one.

“The Constitution”…
Wake up! That is how gun makers and criminals are sucking you into stopping gun control. Do you really think with your basement full of weapons you are any match for the military of the USA? Canada is no match for one of their aircraft carriers… If the military was put in place the first thing they do is disarm everyone so where are your guns anyway. This part of the constitution was written during a very different time and meant to cover situations that no longer exist. Please, give up the guns, for all of us.

There will always be someone who wants to own a tank. It is up to those with a little more sense to say wait a second, I don’t think it is a good idea for anyone to own a tank… At least not unless it is controlled so we know you aren’t going to shoot us.

Don’t believe me…
Here is statistics from StatsCanada on Homicides occurring between 1966 and 1999 in Canada. We are not as good as many European countries on a per capita ratio but are no where near USA. For that matter all violent crime is reduced with gun control. I think that our violent crime statistics would drop noticeably if USA installed some form of gun control. We still have approx. 30% of homicides using a gun… We just have a lot less homicides.

Don’t even think about how many less robberies and other non-violent crimes would be committed with gun control. Just think… less jails, less costs, less crime, less murders, less fear… LESS GUNS!  

Is your “target practice” worth the cost to society? Speak up… send email and letters to your congress.

If you want to do something good with a gun…

CHARLTON HESTON comes to mind

I will never watch his movies again! He personally set back gun control immeasurably.

Of course this is my opinion…. I could be wrong.