In the news this morning in Saskatoon: a women was confronted in broad daylight by four men wielding pipes who promptly beat and mugged her. The brief report on the radio included a sound clip of someone complaining about how no one went to the aid of this poor women.
But what could be done? A quick call to the cops and nothing more. I’m a hefty fellow, but armed with only a wallet, my house keys, and if I'm lucky a leather jacket, I can’t imagine myself stepping into a fray with 4 other fellows, well armed no less, on the opposite side. It just wouldn’t do any good.
On hearing this report, my mind immediately jumped to the state of firearms restrictions in Canada, and what one well armed and well meaning denizen could have done to ensure the vicious beating by these dastardly cowards would never have happened.
I know the idea of “concealed carry” may seem outrageous to many Canadians who reside in a nation that doesn’t even allow firearms for home defense, but the facts seem to suggest that arms in the hands of law abiding citizens do much to reduce crime rates. And there is no denying that a pistol in the hands of any person, no matter what their sex or size or age, is “a great equalizer”.
“Gun Facts” has a thorough, well referenced, and well written breakdown of numerous gun myths. While the data pertains to the USA, there are no doubt many lessons that we can learn as Canadians.
Here are few nifty tidbits of information regarding concealed carry.
Crime rates(in Florida) involving gun owners with carry permits have consistently been about 0.02% of carry permit holders since Florida’s right-to-carry law started in 1989.(Read CC permit holders don’t commit crimes.)
After passing their concealed carry law, Florida's homicide rate fell from 36% above the national average to 4% below the national average and remains below the national average to this day.
The serious crime rate in Texas fell 50% faster than the national average after a concealed carry law was passed in 1995.
"Violent crime rates are highest overall in states with laws severely limiting or
prohibiting the carrying of concealed firearms for self-defense".
The total Violent Crime Rate is 26% higher in the restrictive states (798.3 per
100,000 pop.) than in the less restrictive states (631.6 per 100,000).
The Homicide Rate is 49% higher in the restrictive states (10.1 per 100,000) than in the states with less restrictive CCW laws (6.8 per 100,000).
The Robbery Rate is 58% higher in the restrictive states (289.7 per 100,000) than in the less restrictive states (183.1 per 100,000).
The Aggravated Assault Rate is 15% higher in the restrictive states (455.9 per
100,000) than in the less restrictive states (398.3 per 100,000).
As I mentioned before, I’m a big, youthful guy, 6’1” and 190 pounds. Generally speaking, this makes me an unlikely target for a random crime. But what of those less capable of defending themselves or presenting a deterring image such as mine? Women, the elderly, or physically disabled in one way or another. With a firearm in hand, and the training that lets them use it effectively, anyone so armed is more than a match for some low life street thug. Furthermore, the thought of a hangun in every purse will may make even the dumbest crook think twice.
Concealed Carry isn’t something to be taken lightly of course, and it certainly isn’t in the USA. Its hardly a case of anyone can carry a pistol. Careful background checks are always made, and in many cases special courses are required.
Such, surprisingly enough, is the case in Canada, where pistols are carried, in abundance. Police officers, Department of Natural Resources Officers, armored car drivers, and security guards can all be licensed to carry firearms in public. Indeed, I see armored car drivers hanging so called “restricted” weapons on their hips very often. So how is it, I ask, that the money in those armed cars warrants the protection of a firearm, while the very livelihood of the average Canadian citizen does not? I don’t believe a good answer to this question exists.
In the real world, when your situation goes to hell, there won’t be police there to help you; they respond to crimes, and rarely prevent them. I for one would like every advantage in my(or another’s) time of dire need, but the state, and I think many Canadians as well, believe I haven’t that right.
14 comments:
You make interesting points, but guns still scare me -- even in the hands of good people.
Maybe that has something to do with unfamiliarity?
Have you ever shot firearms or been around them?
Statistically, you're many times more likely to die in car crash than be murdered with a gun in Canada. Still, I'll bet you hop in a vehicle nearly everyday. I could look up the stats Canada figures, but just pulling from my memory, there are something like 200 homocides by firearm in Canada a year, and over 2000 deaths on the roads.
Furthermore, firearms accidents leading to death are such a rarity that they constitute something of a statitistical nihilism.
The numbers are quite telling.
However, I do understand your fear, to a certain degree. A gun is a item uniquely built for killing. To be blunt, there is no better tool for killing a living thing. As a hunter, I've seen this utter deadliness many times, and I admit it the damage dealt is sometimes shocking.
This alone, I think, makes people very nervous about guns.
Of course, there are a whole lot of untruths about firearms, spread mainly by the entertainment industry, and the media, to a certain extent. Those uneducated on the matter can get something of a skewed perspective without realizing it.
P.S. Saw your new post. Hope you find time to continue blogging.
Love the picture, chicks and wheel-guns, doesn't look like a semi-auto among them. Canadiana it's ok, a gun can be scary - so is my 7-1/2" Bosch circular saw and they both need to be properly and safely handled, with eye and hearing protection, Some people get emotionally overwrought and hysterical which really isn't necessary.
There is no evidence of common people going *off* and into a murderous rampage, it's just nonexistent despite the Hollywoodization of social-psychology - that's not what happens - but there is a strong feeling of personal responsibility that does happen.
Maybe that's what people really fear and construct a bogyman around, the overwhelming personal responsibility that concealed carrying induces, not the heroic fantasies.
Citizen armed self defense....we built this nation on that cornerstone of civil liberty and british civil right....it served Canadians well and kept a civil society until social engineering and cultural marxism pervaded the halls of government.
The litmus test of a free society is civilian right to arms for competition, hunting, self defense and survival. ALL despotic nations are defined by a disarmed civilian mass and an armed to the teeth police state.
Ihave shot competatively for over a quartercentury, Trained new shooters and been a range officer...I have hunted and owned guns since I was 8 as did my father and his father did before me....there has never been history of crime or violence in my family and I'm not unique in this most Firearms owners are similar.
However, I see a pervasive shift in the mind of police and government towards the firearms owning citizen..it is bellicose in nature and uncivil in intent. We are treated like common thugs or cattle with all the checks and crap we must submit to and I for one have had it with this. The firearms owning Canadian public is provably and in actuarial statistics the safest most law abiding segment of society....to have the wasted resources spent in a political agenda to repress and destroy the Canadian firearms community is nothing short of fascism. I have been involved in fighting this incrimental criminalization of the gun owning Canadian public for 15 years and now I think it's time to stop retreating and asking our jailers for less beating and demand the civil traetment due every other member of society.
There is nothing wrong with hunting or owning a firearm for sport or defense...this does not make you "weid or creepy or a potential criminal...and this message has to delivered loud and clear to authorities who wish to attack us with bureaucratic tyranny.
We are not the problem!!! Empowered responsible civilian armed self defense is a GOOD thing...we built our nation on this premise and it kept this society civil for 165 years.
An armed man is a citizen, a disarmed man is a slave to the state. There were no slaves in the 6 generations of Canadians in my family ans I will not break that tradition.
Great post. Well thought out and researched.
My hat is off to you.
This is a constant fight in the US, too.
No kidding UAW, unfortunetly we don't seem to have the numbers of people interested in the issue like the USA.
Now that I think about it, I should have come at this post from a different angle. Something like:
"Want to introduce a sure fire and statisitcally proven method of drastically reducing violent crime in our country that won't cost any tax dollars? Try introducing concealed carry...."
Even if you simply play the numbers game, and forget about the freedom bit, it makes absolute sense.
Yes we do Junker...we have numbers. 7 million forearms owners represents a large segment of society...like all things Canadian they lack passion and organization. Apathy will enslave you.
Well thought out post. It makes so much sense that it is sure to be ignored by all the gun control advocates.
As I have stated in another blog:" I personally believe I am safer in my town because I know several people who have what we call CCW's." I also said that I hope they are around if I'm in need of them.
It is a big responsibility to be allowed to carry concealed and not to be taken lightly.
Junker,
Totally with you on CC, but you can forget politicians ever bringing the matter to the fore. The best you can legally do right now is arm yourself legally to the teeth in your own home. At least you can protect your castle.
If you take the time to read about the great democides of the 20th century, all occurred only after the populace was disarmed.
Excellent post.
Believe me mark, I am. I can't imagine not being.
Further stats on that link I provided say that most assaults occur outside of the home.
Also, I should point out this post I made a long time ago, and highlighted again in the article:
http://cjunk.blogspot.com/2005/05/thought-on-canadian-gun-laws.html
If you choose to store a weapon unlocked and loaded or even near ammo, you are breaking the law. The law says you cannot have a readily available firearm, even in our own home. And a gun that isn't there when you need it is useless.
If you want to keep a home defense firearm readily available, you are breaking the law.
Its a sad sad state of affairs.
But but but....your filling your post with FACTS....are you supposed to do that.....doesn't it make things a little hard to argue....lol
Good post Junker..
Excellent post Junker. The MSM's "if it bleeds, it leads" mentality, along with their anti-gun bias has persuaded many people that guns are evil. The facts are that guns are used manyfold times for good more than for bad.
A child accidentally shot will be headlines nationwide, but statistics show that young children are more likely to die by drowning in a pail of water, than they are to die by gunshot. Should we register pails? Should the gov consider confiscating pails, empty ones or water filled ones?
Citizen armed self defense....we built this nation on that cornerstone of civil liberty and british civil right....it served Canadians well and kept a civil society until social engineering and cultural marxism pervaded the halls of government.
The litmus test of a free society is civilian right to arms for competition, hunting, self defense and survival. ALL despotic nations are defined by a disarmed civilian mass and an armed to the teeth police state.
Ihave shot competatively for over a quartercentury, Trained new shooters and been a range officer...I have hunted and owned guns since I was 8 as did my father and his father did before me....there has never been history of crime or violence in my family and I'm not unique in this most Firearms owners are similar.
However, I see a pervasive shift in the mind of police and government towards the firearms owning citizen..it is bellicose in nature and uncivil in intent. We are treated like common thugs or cattle with all the checks and crap we must submit to and I for one have had it with this. The firearms owning Canadian public is provably and in actuarial statistics the safest most law abiding segment of society....to have the wasted resources spent in a political agenda to repress and destroy the Canadian firearms community is nothing short of fascism. I have been involved in fighting this incrimental criminalization of the gun owning Canadian public for 15 years and now I think it's time to stop retreating and asking our jailers for less beating and demand the civil traetment due every other member of society.
There is nothing wrong with hunting or owning a firearm for sport or defense...this does not make you "weid or creepy or a potential criminal...and this message has to delivered loud and clear to authorities who wish to attack us with bureaucratic tyranny.
We are not the problem!!! Empowered responsible civilian armed self defense is a GOOD thing...we built our nation on this premise and it kept this society civil for 165 years.
An armed man is a citizen, a disarmed man is a slave to the state. There were no slaves in the 6 generations of Canadians in my family ans I will not break that tradition.
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