🚀 go-pugleaf

jbart@zadall.com (John Bartol) writes:

> 
> I swore over and over that I wouldn't get involved in 2 threads (both of
> which have been spawned over the bc doctor shooting: abortion and gun
> control
> 
> But one thing I keep seeing in *this* debate is people saying "I have guns
> and I am not going to use them for illegal purposes".
> 
> I don't think anyone will dispute this. However, I have one question: what 
> happens if someone takes your firearm(s) and uses them for illegal purposes?
> 

This is a widely held misconception - firearms used in crimes are rarely 
stolen. Most are smuggled in from the U.S. The police in Ontario 
discovered and proved this fact recently by checking every gun they 
siezed.

> Okay, let's say there are, oh, 30,000 firearms in Canada. Wait, let's say
> there are 30,000,000 firearms in Canada (I know, silly number but I have a
> point to make :-)
> 
> Now, some twit breaks in to your house and steals a weapon (yes, mags are
> to be kept separate from the weapon, etc., etc., but people can be
> careless). S/He then uses it and kills someone. Is that reasonable?
> 
> If we got ridiculous and got rid of *every* firearm in the country, would it
> stop the use of firearms in crimes in this country? Of course not. If
 
Ah, but this is just wishfull thinking - It is estimated that there are 
between 7 and 21 MILLION firearms in Canada. If they were banned 
outright, today - how many do you think would be turned in to the police 
by tommorrow? Probably damn few!
 
> someone wants one bad enough, they will get it from somewhere else. The
> point of gun control is *control*, not necessarily outright banning of
> weapons. People will still kill each other with firearms, people will still
> kill themselves, people will still use them in crimes. But if the total
> availability of weapons is reduced, then it makes it more difficult. *And*
> the casual use of firearms in crimes will be reduced (the available stock
> of illicit weaponry would be more expensive and harder to get hold of).
> 
> *I* don't think guns are very sporting. But others do and I can respect that.
> 

What you have to understand about this whole debate is that the 
government seems to think that by banning certain firearms, restricting 
others, restricting firearms owners, and regestering ALL firearms in 
Canada that they will be seen to be doing something about gun violence in 
Canada - but in reallity, they won't have done a damn thing! They are 
attacking the wrong target.

As law abiding gun owners we hate to see guns misused by criminals. We 
want to see good laws that target these criminals. We want to see 
criminals disarmed.

In recent U.S. elections, something like 47 strongly anti-gun legislators 
lost, to be replaced by pro-gun supporters. This is something that 
Canadian politicians had better pay attention to!

- Jim Pook - pook@aroga.wimsey.com
- Jim's Fishing Charters (604) 433-8817