| Every time there is a shooting of any kind, they come out in force
in the media, demanding yet more layers of restrictions on gun ownership
and use. As part of their mantra, they always describe the United
States as the most violent of all industrialized nations on the planet.
Read now the truth. The International Crime Victims Survey, conducted by Leiden University in Holland, found that England and Wales ranked second overall in violent crime among industrialized nations. Twenty-six percent of English citizens — roughly one-quarter of the population — have been victimized by violent crime. Australia led the list with more than 30 percent of its population victimized. The United States didn't even make the "top 10" list of industrialized nations whose citizens were victimized by crime. (Jon Dougherty in WorldNetDaily, March 2, 2001) Remember this, fellow Oregonians, the next time you hear an anti-gun liberal spouting exactly the opposite - trying to blame citizen ownership of guns for violent crime. England and Australia have extremely liberal societies and laws. Not long ago, Australia confiscated private guns, including millions of rifles, and destroyed them. In a recent book, More Guns Less Crime, an American author ran the numbers in the U.S. states that allow concealed carry permits. (In the high 30s at the moment.) Every time a state allows concealed carry, crime rates drop. (After confiscating all the guns, the Australians saw a marked increase in many crime categories, including violent crime against persons, like robbery, rape and assault.) All criminals are cowards. A gun makes a woman the equal of any man. Ninety-nine-point-nine-nine-nine percent of the time, the police are there to investigate the violence that was visited on you, not to stop it from taking place. What happened in New York City's Central Park last summer, and in downtown Seattle on Fat Tuesday, proves that. Don't let the liberals take your Second Amendment rights, folks. As you note the constant anti-gun propaganda from the predominently liberal Oregon media, remember the study quoted at the top of this editorial. Neither Leiden University nor Holland is considered Goldwater country. Follow the lead of the NRA's Charleton Heston. Tell the liberals that they will have to take your personal weapons out of your cold, dead hands. (LL) *** |