🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Mar23.193810.15544@clsi.COM> kevin@clsi.com writes:
>> OK, tell me then:  what form(s) of gun control do you favor?  And can you
>> name a place where each form has been successful in reducing violent
>> crime?
>
>Pick any European country.

Ok, how about Switzerland.  By the way, I've heard that Switzerland is being
pressured by the EC to tighten their existing gun laws, regardless of the
fact that they already license some weapons and their crime rate is very
low.  Why would that be?

>Personally I go for the following:
>
>1. A tax on handguns as a) a dissensentive to buying them and b) to pay for
>   handling their licensing.

Why try and dissuade people who aren't criminals/loonies from getting
handguns?  Also, the licensing fees can be eliminated by...not having a
licensing system.

You are familiar with the arguments for the handgun as the perfect defensive
weapon?

>2.They should do away with the 2-week (Md) wait period and introduce licensing
>   for handguns (not shotguns or rifles), i.e. you would have to purchase a
>   license before being able to buy a gun - but if you are a regular purchaser
>   (enthusiast) you don't have to wait two weeks every time.

Sorry, I don't think that's acceptable.  As long as I haven't commited a
violent crime or been commited as a violent lunatic, it's no one's business
whether I buy a gun currently legal, or what type I buy.

>Longer term I would add that you need to have a legitimate need to be issued
>with a license.

Oh great.  You want to give THIS government the ability to say what I need?
Is self defense a "legitimate need"?  Just out of curiosity, would you also
subject the military and the police to these licensing requirements/costs,
as well as this question of "need"?

>>  To quote James Wright:
>>     "Indeed, I am now of the opinion that a compelling case for "stricter
>>     .......
>
>Who he ?

James Wright is a sociologist who was hired during the Carter presidency
to evaluate the effectiveness of gun control in detering violent crime.
He had been anti-gun but was intellectually honest enough to realize,
during the course of his research, that increased gun control does not
seem to reduce violent crime.

    don