Deterrent power of self-protection By Jerry Andrews There are a few topics that cause instant tension. Pro-life, pro-choice probably heads the list. Assisted suicide would not be far behind. And then there are guns. Gun ownership and use has taken on a life all its own. The rhetoric on guns has taken on a total right, total wrong tone; there seems to be no middle ground. To confuse the issue, statistics on homicide and police shootings are all lumped together with accidental shootings. And they are stirred in with self-defense statistics. Unfortunately, President Clinton has taken every opportunity to exploit the tragic loss of life in school shootings. Our most heartfelt sympathy goes out to the parents, but as with many other sensitive issues, the emotions do not fit the facts. The Million Mom's March purportedly organized by Hillary Clinton's Hollywood friends, the Thomases, and Dan Rather's publicizing of it may have actually done a disservice to rational and intelligent gun controls. The March seems to have galvanized the broad cross-section of law-abiding middle Americans who own guns and intend to keep them. In nearly every political race where gun ownership has been an issue, the pro-gun candidate won. This may be troubling for Al Gore and why he is backing off, publicly at least, from his previous gun-free America talk. Outside of large urban areas, the possession and legal use of firearms is very popular. One only has to drive across the country to understand what open spaces mean and why you see gun racks in pickup trucks. Instead of the inflammatory language and impossible numbers touted by Handgun Control, Inc. (30,000 deaths a year) the real facts are more interesting. For instance, Israel has the highest gun ownership and an even lower crime rate than Canada where they only have pictures of handguns to look at. In England the only people who have guns are the military and the aristocracy. Yet the overall crime rate for England and Wales is 60 percent higher than in America. While here you're more likely to be shot to death, in England you are more likely to be bludgeoned or strangled to death. But dead is dead. An interesting statistic in the Los Angeles Times this week said "drowning continues to be a leading cause of accidental death, particularly for children." While children's deaths are tragic from any cause, it is particularly reprehensible that the shameless exploitation of school shootings by Clinton and Gore will cloud the issues for a constructive gun control consensus. Clearly the current White House capitalizes on turf warfare by gang members, convenience store hold-ups and drug deals gone bad as reason to take guns away from the rest of the nation. In fact, guns at home, or concealed in "carry" state, are a major deterrent to crime. In every state where carry laws have been enacted, the crime rate has gone down. The real statistics show that a citizen's right to defend himself, and especially herself, deters crime. Yes, a few people, even children, will accidentally die, but many times more will live because of the deterrent force of self-protection. http://www.downeyeagle.com/2000/jun02/editoral.htm#jump_2 Bard Pro Libertate - For Freedom BUCHANAN-Reform http://gopatgo2000.com/default.htm No More Abortions......http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/MenAndAbortion/index.html "Remember, your Mother chose love and gave you life. Do the same for your child." Visit the Unborn Memorial. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html <A HREF="http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
