Links for Wednesday, 17 August 2011

Firearms & Self-Defense Edition

Concealed Carry Weapon - Some truth on the topic
Consider that less than one of every 200 murders committed in the U.S. are done by concealed carry weapon permit holders, and that for each one that does commit a murder there are 20,000 permit holders who don't. Also consider that possessing the permit does not give one an advantage if one is intent on committing a crime. From the article, The Unconcealed Truth About Carrying Guns,

What the gun control groups don't tabulate is how many homicides have been averted by a licensed, concealed handgun. Kleck, who has done extensive research on the topic, says it is "quite reasonable to expect that thousands of lives are saved by defensive gun use by persons who carried guns in public places." Even if he's wrong, it would take only a handful of such incidents to offset the homicides "caused" by concealed-carry laws.

###

And about those deranged killers being introverts - nope

In fact, studies show that introverted young people are less prone to violence and delinquency than extroverts are!

- from The Myth of the Killer Introvert, by Susan Cain

###

Gunman in the Netherlands kills 7, wounds 16, and then kills himself, at a mall
Note that all of this happened before police could arrive. There's a saying self-defense advocates like to repeat: "When seconds count, the police are only minutes away."

Gunman in Brazil kills 12 children at a school, then kills himself after being wounded by police

Gunman in Norway kills over 85 after he poses as a police officer at a youth camp

Gunman in Alabama kills 1, wounds 3, at a community college, then turns himself in

Note that in the incidents listed above, the gunmen entered "gun-free" zones carrying firearms. Also note that it wasn't the firearms that were responsible for the carnage but the individuals using them.

###

So... how about we change "gun-free" zones into "gun-friendly" zones?
One Nevada woman argues just for that policy change on college campuses - and she speaks from experience, not being able to protect herself (with her own gun) when she was raped on a campus in 2007.

###

And, by the way, about the notion of increasing gun control laws (to supposedly prevent mass killings)
Despite having more restrictive gun control laws than the U.S., Brazil has a higher percentage of gun related deaths.

###

Norwegian gun control is also more restricive than the U.S.
As it is in the Netherlands.

###

But first, let's make sure that our legislators can carry a concealed weapon
After all, they're more important than the citizenry they represent.

###

Or, if we take precautions for the possibility of encountering a mass shooter, make sure he's portrayed as a right-wing wacko
Or, at the very least, caricature him as an anti-immigration pro-gun racist nut job.

An emergency drill set to take place in an Iowa school Saturday is drawing outrage after organizers revealed the mock scenario involves an “anti-immigration” pro-gun student shooting dozens of students in a racially-motivated shooting spree. 

###

Um... now about that right-wing nut job scenario? How about we review a list of recent mass shootings in the U.S.?
Not a whole lot of right-wing motivation is evident from the list.

Comments

[Jenny]

In my opinion, suicide is a far bigger problem than rape is on college campuses...at least, here in So Cal. While I'm against gun control, I wonder how relaxing campus policies would just make self-inflicted death by that method more common among depressed college students. (Although many of those taking the fatal leap are foreign nationals, probably less likely to access firearms.)

[Rusty]

Yes, that is a problem with firearms, in general - they provide the means for an efficient and quick suicide. I believe that when one looks at firearms related deaths, half are due to being self-inflicted. One thing to note, with regards to campus carry, is that it would be subject to current state laws regarding concealed carry and typically involve minimum age limit, fingerprinted background checks - not a complete deterrent, but it does limit quick access.