Re: FBI: More Guns == Less Crime

["David Lodge" <dave () cirt net>]

On Thu, 24 Dec 2009 23:30:08 -0000, Dan Kaminsky <dan () doxpara com> wrote:
> I was pretty pro gun control until I had to debate it competitively in
> high school.
>
> Yikes. The data, oh god, the data.
>
> The UK pulled all guns in the 90's. Violent crime quadrupled.

Oh gods, not this again. The UK doesn't outlaw all firearms, the laws were  
*tightened* in the 90's, to include more restrictions on handguns. It is  
still legal to own shotguns, air weapons and low calibre rifles as long as  
you have a reason for it and have the appropriate documentation, permits,  
background checks and storage facillities.

I still think that firearms shouldn't be outlawed, but they should be  
treated with the same respect that the other big killer of people is (i.e.  
the car): they should have a licence and a very strict competency test. If  
you fail, you shouldn't be allowed to own or use firearms, full stop.

Also you need to be very careful about crime levels in the UK: the Labour  
government made levels of crime a KPI, which meant that much dicking  
around with what is termed a violent crime as opposed to anything  
sensible, like stopping it. The majority of "violent" crime over here  
covers drunk people having a fight. It would not surprise me that the same  
has happened in the US.
_______________________________________________
Fun and Misc security discussion for OT posts.
https://linuxbox.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/funsec
Note: funsec is a public and open mailing list.