Guns Guns Guns - Oh my!

In the wake of the AZ tragedy, members of Congress, "Mayors Against Gun Violence" (as if some mayors favor gun violence), and the usual special interest suspects are ramping up their anti-gun rhetoric.

Moves are already in the works to play the public's emotions to spin their anti-gun swill. There is already talk of pushing a ban on high-capacity ammo through the Senate, and a bill by Republican Peter King to ban guns within 1,000 ft of certain government officials.

How many shootings at schools or malls will it take before we understand that people who intend to kill are not deterred by gun laws? Last I checked, murder is against the law everywhere. No one intent on murder will be stopped by the prospect of committing a lesser crime like illegal possession of a firearm.

This idea that gun control is crime control is just a myth. The National Academy of Sciences reviewed dozens of studies and could not find a single gun regulation that clearly led to reduced violent crime or murder. If you look at a city ranking of murders per capita, there are two types of cities predominately (but not exclusively) at the top of the list, cities in gun control states and cities along the border. There is zero correlation between safety and gun control laws. In fact in certain case studies like Washington DC, the exact opposite is true. When Washington, D.C., passed its tough handgun ban years ago, gun violence rose! California, which has some of the toughest gun control laws in the nation ranks nearly among the top 10 list, at #14, for highest per capita violent crime rates according to the US Census Bureau.

The press ignores the fact that guns often save lives. Ever hear of the 2002 at the Appalachian School of Law incident? Hearing shots, two students went to their cars, got their guns, and restrained the shooter until police arrested him. In Salt Lake City, Utah an off duty cop with a gun shot dead a gunman who had shot 6 people dead and showed no signs of stopping.

Ever wonder why Switzerland has one of the lowest crime rates in Europe? Since Switzerland has only a minimal regular Army, all Swiss men are enrolled in a militia in case of war. NEARLY ALL Swiss men have a government issued rifle in their home.

Here some some more interesting Statistics:

• As many as 200,000 women use a gun every year to defend themselves against sexual abuse.
• Only 2 percent of civilian shootings involved an innocent person mistakenly identified as a criminal. The 'error rate' for the police, however, was 11 percent, more than five times as high.
• Even anti-gun Clinton researchers concede that guns are used 1.5 million times annually for self-defense. Gun advocates say that number can be as high as 2.5 million. 
• States which passed concealed carry laws reduced their murder rate by 8.5%, rapes by 5%, aggravated assaults by 7% and robbery by 3%
  

Don't listen to the pundits and self-proclaimed "intellectual elites." Look at the facts, look at the logic.