azdesertrhino
02-09-2006, 04:23 AM
Going postal in gun-free zones
Feb 6, 2006
by Donald R. May
Evildoers like the Goleta killer flaunt their destruction on the world stage. The deranged former postal worker killed six unarmed defenseless Goleta, California postal workers and a former neighbor before turning the gun on herself. As with Muslim terrorists seeking attention for their causes, suicidal murderers rivet our attention to their unhinged mental state and to the hatred they spew.
It should be no surprise that evil strikes in areas of least resistance. People intent on committing mass murder seek a high level of certainty that they will not face immediate armed confrontation. Though the details are still limited, the Goleta killer probably realized she would not encounter anyone able to resist her with a gun. Suicidal murders may be deranged, but they are not dim-witted.
Persons who are determined to kill large numbers have often targeted United States Post Office facilities. Other popular murder spree sites have been schools and churches. What these places have in common is that all ban law-abiding citizens from legally carrying personal defense weapons, access for criminals with weapons is relatively easy and unchallenged, and armed security is limited or absent. Mass murders are more likely to occur in designated gun free zones and not where others are armed. Large numbers of people are not shot in gun stores and at shooting ranges.
Past news media blitzes following Post Office and school shootings augmented the numbers of laws restricting everyone’s rights. Rather than increasing safety, such laws further endangered workers, students, worshippers, customers, and all who frequent gun free zones. With fewer legal guns present, they become soft targets inviting the deranged. How many of us would post signs on our own homes announcing that we allow no guns on the premises?
Society needs to disregard the baseless calls for more restrictions on honest gun merchants and citizens. Their guns are not a significant source of criminal weapons.
Some will always have gun phobias, and this is unfortunate. Education helps. A personal encounter with an armed assailant helps even more.
Following Hurricane Katrina, many law-abiding citizens were disarmed and deprived of their right to protect themselves. As a result, the New Hampshire legislature has moved to protect the rights of its citizens from gun seizure during emergencies.
In countries where citizens have been disarmed and prevented from defending themselves, violence has escalated. Increased death and destruction have come from the ruling elite and from criminals. Within the first year of disarming the Australian public, firearm homicide increased by 300% in the state of Victoria, Australia. Canada’s overall crime rate is now 50% higher than that of the United States. Violent crime rates, including sexual assault, are double that of the United States.
Throughout history, those who were inadequately armed were subject to the whims and cruelties of those who were. Those under Roman rule carried swords and other weapons for protection against thieves. The sword Simon Peter carried and used defensively was a personal protection weapon of those times.
The heavy yoke of tyranny historically has kept most commoners disarmed. When the rebellious colonists starting rattling King George’s chain, his Redcoats moved to quickly confiscate their guns. With remembrance that it was the weapons they bore that secured their independence, our Founding Fathers penned the Second Amendment to insure our safety against the tyranny of the elite and the violence of our peers.
In some public areas, it is necessary to keep weapons out of the hands of everyone other than highly vetted persons employed to maintain security. Airports, certain government facilities, and airliners are places where it is not possible to quickly and efficiently screen the good guys with guns from the bad guys. Security keeps out unauthorized weapons, and armed personnel are there for protection.
Post Offices, schools, churches, and numerous other public and private places ban law-abiding citizens from carrying firearms but provide little or no security to prevent the deranged from bringing in weapons. Evil people intent on committing capital offenses are not deterred by laws and are emboldened with the knowledge their mayhem will likely go unchallenged for many minutes. The research of John Lott and William Landes has shown “that the only policy factor to influence multiple victim public shootings is the passage of concealed handgun laws.”
Some Post Office and school employees should be armed and permitted to carry concealed weapons. Federal and state policies should reflect the determined intent to kill armed perpetrators at the first opportunity. When armed terrorists and armed criminals are taken alive, sentencing and removal from public view should be swift to prevent copycats.
An armed citizenry is the best deterrence to violence. Public places where law-abiding citizens are not permitted to bear arms should be rare and few. Wherever legal guns are banned, screening and armed security should be present to prevent the entry of illegal weapons and to protect from terrorist and criminal violence.
The measure of a civilized nation is how effectively it is able to maintain its social order. This is a result of just and moral people who are able to regulate their own affairs and to protect themselves at times when their police and military cannot.
“To ban guns because criminals use them is to tell the innocent and law-abiding that their rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct, but on the conduct of the guilty and the lawless.” Jeff Snyder
Copyright © 2006 Townhall.com
Feb 6, 2006
by Donald R. May
Evildoers like the Goleta killer flaunt their destruction on the world stage. The deranged former postal worker killed six unarmed defenseless Goleta, California postal workers and a former neighbor before turning the gun on herself. As with Muslim terrorists seeking attention for their causes, suicidal murderers rivet our attention to their unhinged mental state and to the hatred they spew.
It should be no surprise that evil strikes in areas of least resistance. People intent on committing mass murder seek a high level of certainty that they will not face immediate armed confrontation. Though the details are still limited, the Goleta killer probably realized she would not encounter anyone able to resist her with a gun. Suicidal murders may be deranged, but they are not dim-witted.
Persons who are determined to kill large numbers have often targeted United States Post Office facilities. Other popular murder spree sites have been schools and churches. What these places have in common is that all ban law-abiding citizens from legally carrying personal defense weapons, access for criminals with weapons is relatively easy and unchallenged, and armed security is limited or absent. Mass murders are more likely to occur in designated gun free zones and not where others are armed. Large numbers of people are not shot in gun stores and at shooting ranges.
Past news media blitzes following Post Office and school shootings augmented the numbers of laws restricting everyone’s rights. Rather than increasing safety, such laws further endangered workers, students, worshippers, customers, and all who frequent gun free zones. With fewer legal guns present, they become soft targets inviting the deranged. How many of us would post signs on our own homes announcing that we allow no guns on the premises?
Society needs to disregard the baseless calls for more restrictions on honest gun merchants and citizens. Their guns are not a significant source of criminal weapons.
Some will always have gun phobias, and this is unfortunate. Education helps. A personal encounter with an armed assailant helps even more.
Following Hurricane Katrina, many law-abiding citizens were disarmed and deprived of their right to protect themselves. As a result, the New Hampshire legislature has moved to protect the rights of its citizens from gun seizure during emergencies.
In countries where citizens have been disarmed and prevented from defending themselves, violence has escalated. Increased death and destruction have come from the ruling elite and from criminals. Within the first year of disarming the Australian public, firearm homicide increased by 300% in the state of Victoria, Australia. Canada’s overall crime rate is now 50% higher than that of the United States. Violent crime rates, including sexual assault, are double that of the United States.
Throughout history, those who were inadequately armed were subject to the whims and cruelties of those who were. Those under Roman rule carried swords and other weapons for protection against thieves. The sword Simon Peter carried and used defensively was a personal protection weapon of those times.
The heavy yoke of tyranny historically has kept most commoners disarmed. When the rebellious colonists starting rattling King George’s chain, his Redcoats moved to quickly confiscate their guns. With remembrance that it was the weapons they bore that secured their independence, our Founding Fathers penned the Second Amendment to insure our safety against the tyranny of the elite and the violence of our peers.
In some public areas, it is necessary to keep weapons out of the hands of everyone other than highly vetted persons employed to maintain security. Airports, certain government facilities, and airliners are places where it is not possible to quickly and efficiently screen the good guys with guns from the bad guys. Security keeps out unauthorized weapons, and armed personnel are there for protection.
Post Offices, schools, churches, and numerous other public and private places ban law-abiding citizens from carrying firearms but provide little or no security to prevent the deranged from bringing in weapons. Evil people intent on committing capital offenses are not deterred by laws and are emboldened with the knowledge their mayhem will likely go unchallenged for many minutes. The research of John Lott and William Landes has shown “that the only policy factor to influence multiple victim public shootings is the passage of concealed handgun laws.”
Some Post Office and school employees should be armed and permitted to carry concealed weapons. Federal and state policies should reflect the determined intent to kill armed perpetrators at the first opportunity. When armed terrorists and armed criminals are taken alive, sentencing and removal from public view should be swift to prevent copycats.
An armed citizenry is the best deterrence to violence. Public places where law-abiding citizens are not permitted to bear arms should be rare and few. Wherever legal guns are banned, screening and armed security should be present to prevent the entry of illegal weapons and to protect from terrorist and criminal violence.
The measure of a civilized nation is how effectively it is able to maintain its social order. This is a result of just and moral people who are able to regulate their own affairs and to protect themselves at times when their police and military cannot.
“To ban guns because criminals use them is to tell the innocent and law-abiding that their rights and liberties depend not on their own conduct, but on the conduct of the guilty and the lawless.” Jeff Snyder
Copyright © 2006 Townhall.com