Guns Down Under

[Pearl Harbor]

From: Ed Chenel, A police officer in Australia

Hi Yanks,

I thought you all would like to see the real figures from "Down Under". It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced by a new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by our own government, a program costing Australia's taxpayers more than $500 million dollars.

The first year results are now in: Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 %, Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 %,; Australia-wide, armed robberies are up 44 % (yes, 44 %!). In the state of Victoria alone, homicides with firearms are now up 300 %. (Note that while the law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not! and criminals still possess their guns!).

While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in the past 12 months, since the criminals now are guaranteed that their prey is unarmed.

There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of the elderly.

Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in "successfully ridding Australian society of guns." You won't see this on the American evening news or hear your governor or members of the State Assembly disseminating this information.

The Australian experience proves it. Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note Americans, before it's too late!

Thank you to 1007777.com

[BabyRider]

I almost hate to do this, but I'm more interested in fact than anything.
The information in the original post here is just a chain letter with innaccurate stats at best. Go to www.breakthechain.org and you'll find that this particular set of info is manipulated.
An exerpt of what I found:


My favorite claim in the letter is that gun-related homicides in Victoria are up 300%. An increase from 7 to 14 is only 100% and is hardly compelling. Population increase alone could account for the higher number. Regardless, in the United States - where most major cities have 7-14 homicides in a month - we would kill (pun intended) for crime rates that low. The author of this chain letter was a crafty wordsmith who manipulated the statistics to make precisely the point he wanted to. The thing about statistics is that they only show rate of incident - they don't show cause and effect. That interpretation is done by the author based on his own biases and beliefs. Another author might easily have used the same stats to show that the law has been a stunning success. Frankly, the stats aren't convincing on their own and the author's claim that they are a result of the law is questionable at best. Break this chain.

I really hate to disprove anything this damning when it comes to gun control, BUT, facts are facts. I still believe that gun control is a bad thing, so don't anyone think I'm jumping on the liberal bandwagon.
The link to the info at breakthechain: http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusi...raliaguns.html

[abbey]

Do you think you may stick around for the onslaught this time PH?

Thank you BR. That was an impressive thing to do rather than let it go . Bravo ! Respect to ya gal !!

Originally Posted by BabyRider

I almost hate to do this, but I'm more interested in fact than anything.
The information in the original post here is just a chain letter with innaccurate stats at best. Go to www.breakthechain.org and you'll find that this particular set of info is manipulated.
An exerpt of what I found:


My favorite claim in the letter is that gun-related homicides in Victoria are up 300%. An increase from 7 to 14 is only 100% and is hardly compelling. Population increase alone could account for the higher number. Regardless, in the United States - where most major cities have 7-14 homicides in a month - we would kill (pun intended) for crime rates that low. The author of this chain letter was a crafty wordsmith who manipulated the statistics to make precisely the point he wanted to. The thing about statistics is that they only show rate of incident - they don't show cause and effect. That interpretation is done by the author based on his own biases and beliefs. Another author might easily have used the same stats to show that the law has been a stunning success. Frankly, the stats aren't convincing on their own and the author's claim that they are a result of the law is questionable at best. Break this chain.

I really hate to disprove anything this damning when it comes to gun control, BUT, facts are facts. I still believe that gun control is a bad thing, so don't anyone think I'm jumping on the liberal bandwagon.
The link to the info at breakthechain: http://www.breakthechain.org/exclusi...raliaguns.html

BR, as usual my hat is tipped and Im impressed. You are a great and honerable lady. *bows*