Who'da thunk? Guns best crime deterrent after all

[rushmc 23]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=57641


Yep, take em away from the law abiding and we solve everything







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WEAPONS OF CHOICE
Who'da thunk? Guns best crime deterrent after all
'People who say bad guys will stop because of 1 more law are full of it'

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Posted: February 28, 2008
9:53 pm Eastern


By Bob Unruh
© 2008 WorldNetDaily


When sexual assaults started rising in Orlando, Fla., in 1986, police officers noticed women were arming themselves, so they launched a firearms safety course for them. Over the next 12 months, sexual assaults plummeted by 88 percent, burglaries fell by 25 percent and not one of the 2,500 women who took the course fired a gun in a confrontation.

And that, says a new brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court by police officers and prosecutors in a controversial gun-ban dispute, is why gun ownership is important and should be available to individuals in the United States.

The arguments come in an amicus brief submitted by the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, whose spokesman, Ted Deeds, told WND there now are 92 different law enforcement voices speaking together to the Supreme Court in the Heller case.

That pending decision will decide whether an appeals court ruling striking down a District of Columbia ban on handguns because it violates the Second Amendment will stand or not. The gun ban promoters essentially argue that any gun restriction that is ruled "reasonable" is therefore constitutional, such as the D.C. handgun ban.



Deeds said this probably is the largest unified law enforcement statement in support of the Second Amendment ever, and includes nearly a dozen organizations that represent tens of thousands of police officers across the country, dozens of state attorneys general, dozens of prosecutors and a long list of federal law enforcement experts up to and including federal judges.

Oral arguments in the case are scheduled on March 18, and the LEAA brief is just one of 46 that have been filed on the side of seeking affirmation that the Second Amendment does, indeed, document a right for individuals to own guns in the United States.

The brief notes when the Georgia town of Kennesaw decided to require all residents, with exceptions for conscientious objectors, to keep a firearm at home, home burglaries fell from 66 to 26 to 11 in consecutive years.

In Orlando, the deterrence to criminals who simply knew that their victims may have a gun and may know how to use it and may be willing to do just that had a significant impact, because while Orlando's rapes were plummeting, assaults were up 5 percent across the state and 7 percent nationally.

The brief cites a study that discovered, based on interviews with felony prisoners in 11 prisons in 10 states, one third of the felons had been "scared off, shot at, wounded or captured by an armed victim," and nearly four in 10 had decided against committing a specific crime because they thought the victim might have a gun.

"Seventy-four percent agreed with the statement that 'One reason burglars avoid houses where people are at home is that they fear being shot,'" the study said.

The brief suggested the nation's crime rate could rocket should more restrictions be placed on guns.

"Numerous surveys show that firearms are used (usually without a shot needing to be fired) for self-defense at least 97,000 times a year, and probably several hundred thousands times a year. The anti-crime effects of citizen handgun ownership provide enormous benefits to law enforcement, because there are fewer home invasion emergencies requiring an immediate police response, and because the substantial reductions in rates of burglary, assault, and other crimes allow the police and district attorneys to concentrate more resources on other cases and on deterrence."

"Guns save lives," the brief said. "In the hands of law-abiding citizens, guns provide very substantial public safety benefits. In all 50 states – but not the District – it is lawful to use firearms for defense against home invaders. The legal ownership of firearms for home defense is an important reason why the American rate of home invasion burglaries is far lower than in countries which prohibit or discourage home handgun defense."

The brief said handgun ownership reduces the number of confrontational home invasions, so "the total U.S. violent crime rate [is reduced] by about 9 percent."

Deeds said it's always hard to predict the U.S. Supreme Court, but ideally the ruling would clarify the Second Amendment means exactly what its words say: that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed.

He compared it to the discussion of freedom of religion, should the Bible be banned. "For Christians there's no effective freedom of religion if they didn't have a Bible," he said.

"To have the Second Amendment right on paper, but to be denied the effective means of exercising that right at a moment of truth, when you're trying to defend yourself or your loved one from an aggressor, [is wrong,]" he said. "The gun is the only answer."

Where the rubber meets the road, he said, is when a good guy needs to survive an encounter with a bad guy, he said. There are two possible results: Police arrive on the scene later to have the innocent victim hurt or killed, or they arrive on the scene to "find the victim hearty and the offender on the floor."

"Every cop in American is going to pick the second closing of the story," Deeds said.

He said gun control originally was sold to Americans as a way to lower crime, but he disagreed. "People who sell this idea that bad guys are going to stop because of one more law are just full of it," he said.

"That's a lie. That's a fraud," he said. He also said it's a terribly slippery slope to say that under the Second Amendment, some gun restrictions are good because they are "reasonable."

"We are hoping that they [the Supreme Court] make a very clear, very unambiguous decision in favor of the Second Amendment," Deeds told WND.

Montana officials already have argued the U.S. already resolved any dispute about the meaning of the Second Amendment when it defined in Montana's compact under which it became a state that "any person" has the right to bear arms.

And U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Va., has led a congressional delegation in asking President Bush to order the U.S. Justice Department to submit a brief to the high court supporting the rights of individuals under the Second Amendment.

A similar request already has been submitted by officials for the Gun Owners of America, whose executive director, Larry Pratt, warned: "If the Supreme Court were to accept the Solicitor General's line of argument, D.C.'s categorical gun ban of virtually all self-defense firearms could well be found to be constitutional. ..."

The government's position is available in a document submitted by by U.S. Solicitor General Paul D. Clement. He said since "unrestricted" private ownership of guns clearly threatens the public safety, the Second Amendment can be interpreted to allow a variety of gun restrictions.

"Given the unquestionable threat to public safety that unrestricted private firearm possession would entail, various categories of firearm-related regulation are permitted by the Second Amendment," Clement wrote in the brief.

Because of the specifics of the D.C. case, the ultimate ruling is expected to address directly whether the Second Amendment includes a right for individuals nationwide to have a gun or whether local governments can approve whatever laws or ordinances they desire to restrict firearms.

The amendment reads, "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[vortexring 0]

Nice to hear you're more concerned for justifying armed civilians rather than the reason for their need to feel it necessary to arm themselves. Another great post. Well done.

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[rushmc 23]

Quote

Nice to hear your more concerned for justifying armed civilians rather than the reason for their need to feel it necessary to arm themselves. Another great post. Well done.

Thanks
I knew you would not understand

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[vortexring 0]

Excellent reply - your wit and reasoning has surely become outstanding.

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[rushmc 23]

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Excellent reply - your wit and reasoning has surely become outstanding.

Thanks
I was just following your lead

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[lawrocket 3]

Quote

Nice to hear you're more concerned for justifying armed civilians rather than the reason for their need to feel it necessary to arm themselves. Another great post. Well done.

It was necessary from the start because we had to defend ourselves against the British. And if we wanted our freedom we would have to fight for it.

That thing about tyrannical goverment that our forefathers sought to avoid. It's stunning to think, "What coulda" had England just let it be. Instead, our forefathers found Europe to be like Cuba of today - they'd risk their lives just to get the hell out.

INstead, we are a country that was founded by religious nuts with guns. The effect of the British cause, perhaps?

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[vortexring 0]

Perhaps. In most cases where countries suffer internal strife you can look back and see a British finger in their pie, a.....er, anyway, it isn't necessary any longer.

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[rushmc 23]

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Perhaps. In most cases where countries suffer internal strife you can look back and see a British finger in their pie, a.....er, anyway, it isn't necessary any longer.

In your, mostly self important, opinion

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[vortexring 0]

Are you shouting at me again?

'for it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "chuck 'im out, the brute!" But it's "saviour of 'is country" when the guns begin to shoot.'

[azdiver 0]

armed citizens are also a deterrent against foreign powers trying to invade. making the civilian population a larger army they would have to fight.

light travels faster than sound, that's why some people appear to be bright until you hear them speak

[rushmc 23]

Quote

Are you shouting at me again?

Replying in CAPS is shouting. Bolding only points out my response but, you know that don’t you, correct?

You only ask if I am shouting because you have no reasoned response. I understand.

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[christelsabine 1]

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armed citizens are also a deterrent against foreign powers trying to invade. making the civilian population a larger army they would have to fight.

A larger army against which invadors?

dudeist skydiver # 3105

[lawrocket 3]

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armed citizens are also a deterrent against foreign powers trying to invade. making the civilian population a larger army they would have to fight.

A larger army against which invadors?

Exactly. Nobody would ever seriously consider it..

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Nice to hear you're more concerned for justifying armed civilians rather than the reason for their need to feel it necessary to arm themselves. Another great post. Well done.

Why do you think that the "need" has to be justified? Should there be a "need" to justify freedom of speech, or religion?

You keep bringing up this point, but still haven't provided any argument past "guns are bad, m'kay?"

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[DZJ 0]

I'd imagine any power capable of successfully invading the US is not going to be deterred by Joe Public and his popgun.

[skydyvr 0]

Quote

I'd imagine any power capable of successfully invading the US . . .

Aliens from Mars?

(or Mexico?)

. . =(_8^(1)

[kallend 2,108]

Quote

Quote

I'd imagine any power capable of successfully invading the US . . .

Aliens from Mars?

(or Mexico?)

I believe a foreign power, neither from Mars or Mexico, sacked Washington DC and burned the White House successfully in August 1814.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Remster 30]

Quote

Quote

Quote

I'd imagine any power capable of successfully invading the US . . .

Aliens from Mars?

(or Mexico?)

I believe a foreign power, neither from Mars or Mexico, sacked Washington DC and burned the White House successfully in August 1814.

eh!

Remster

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

I'd imagine any power capable of successfully invading the US is not going to be deterred by Joe Public and his popgun.

Really? You'd be wrong.

Quote

"You cannot invade the mainland United States.
There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."

- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
(Japanese Navy)

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[skydyvr 0]

Quote

I believe a foreign power, neither from Mars or Mexico, sacked Washington DC and burned the White House successfully in August 1814.

That was then. This is now.

That VAST military overspending you're fond of mentioning does have an actual benefit or two.

. . =(_8^(1)

[FreeflyChile 0]

Quote

Quote

I'd imagine any power capable of successfully invading the US is not going to be deterred by Joe Public and his popgun.

Really? You'd be wrong.

Quote

"You cannot invade the mainland United States.
There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."

- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
(Japanese Navy)

I have to admit, I have thought of this before and find it a fascinating concept...it's almost humorous to me to think of how an occupation force would *try* handle Texas or the dangerous parts of cities like NY, Chicago, LA, etc.

[beowulf 1]

Probably not too much different then what is going on in Iraq with their militias.

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Quote

Quote

I'd imagine any power capable of successfully invading the US is not going to be deterred by Joe Public and his popgun.

Really? You'd be wrong.

Quote

"You cannot invade the mainland United States.
There would be a rifle behind every blade of grass."

- Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto
(Japanese Navy)

I have to admit, I have thought of this before and find it a fascinating concept...it's almost humorous to me to think of how an occupation force would *try* handle Texas or the dangerous parts of cities like NY, Chicago, LA, etc.

You just broke into the WRONG rec-room!!

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[kallend 2,108]

Quote

Quote

I believe a foreign power, neither from Mars or Mexico, sacked Washington DC and burned the White House successfully in August 1814.

That was then. This is now.

That VAST military overspending you're fond of mentioning does have an actual benefit or two.

Correct - the vast military overspending, NOT Joe Sixpack and his handgun. The 2nd Amendment already existed in 1814.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[kallend 2,108]

Quote

Probably not too much different then what is going on in Iraq with their militias.

The Iraqi militias didn't stop us from invading, did they? And we ARE still there.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.