Choose a Gun Resolution Debate

For this round, I will eplain why banning guns would not be the best idea for society. To begin with, I accept my opponent's definition of a violent crime. Armed robbery should also count in this sphere; however, I'm willing to drop unarmed robbery. Most of my argument is going to revolve around how guns bans do not decrease violent crime and how, in some cases, those same gun laws can actually increase the rate of violent crime. Most studies have been able to demonstrate gun control has either no effect on crime or actually increases the crime rate. The findings of many studies, notably one published in the CATO journal report gun control is "The findings of this study that gun control is ineffective in reducing crime rates are consistent with the vast majority of other studies that use state data. "[1]In fact, this data can be compared with other countries: "Nations with stringent anti-gun laws generally have substantially higher murder rates than those that do not. The study found that the nine European nations with the lowest rates of gun ownership (5,000 or fewer guns per 100,000 population) have a combined murder rate three times higher than that of the nine nations with the highest rates of gun ownership (at least 15,000 guns per 100,000 population). "[2]Looking directly at countries who have banned, or placed heavy restrictions on the sale or use of guns: Australia: Since Australia's 1996 laws banning most guns and making it a crime to use a gun defensively, armed robberies rose by 51%, unarmed robberies by 37%, assaults by 24% and kidnappings by 43%. While murders fell by 3%, manslaughter rose by 16%. [3] Canada: Canada enacted many gun control laws from 1991 to 1995 while the US has greatly eased restrictions on guns in the same time period: Over the past decade, the rate of violent crime in Canada has increased while in the United States the violent crime rate has plummeted. [4] England: According to the BBC News, handgun crime in the United Kingdom rose by 40% in the two years after it passed its draconian gun ban in 1997. [5][6] Europe: For example, Norway has the highest rate of gun ownership in Western Europe, yet possesses the lowest murder rate. In contrast, Holland's murder rate is nearly the worst, despite having the lowest gun ownership rate in Western Europe. [2] Looking at more domestic sources of data: In Chicago, handgun crime increased (but depending on the data I use, the data either claims an increase in crime or a slight decrease. But all of the data agreed initial after the law crime increased). In Washington DC, the homicide rate was 73% higher after their gun ban. In all of the conceal carry states listed, crime decreased. [7] In fact, "Prior to enactment of the law [mandatory gun ownership for heads of household], Kennesaw had a population of just 5,242 but a crime rate significantly higher (4,332 per 100,000) than the national average (3,899 per 100,000). The latest statistics available – for the year 2005 – show the rate at 2,027 per 100,000. Meanwhile, the population has skyrocketed to 28,189. "[8]In general, statistics of countries who ban or place heavy restrictions on guns do not paint a rosy picture of a crime-free lifestyle; in fact, when looking at individual data, not only does crime never decrease in any country after the enactment of a gun law because of said law, but many times, crime rates actually increase. These two graphs paint the real picture very accurately:For Ireland: [9]For Jamaica: [9]Or when comparing the drastic crime drop in the 1990s, this is what happens when a low-gun country [England] compares to a high-gun country [The United States] in crime drops. The picture tells it all: [9]When looking at more domestic sources, take the gun laws of the 1960s. No crime drop: [10]Finally, my opponent tries to make a claim on gun ownership verses gun crimes and tries to show a direct correlation between the two. However, this explains: "The important thing to keep in mind is not the rate of deaths by gun - a statistic that anti-gun advocates are quick to recite - but the overall murder rate, regardless of means. The criminologists explain: [P]er capita murder overall is only half as frequent in the United States as in several other nations where gun murder is rarer, but murder by strangling, stabbing, or beating is much more frequent. (p. 663 - emphases in original)"[2]To conclude this point: Belarus - guns banned - murder rate 10.40 Poland - guns allowed - murder rate 1.98 Russia - guns banned - murder rate 20.54[11] And this comes all from post-Soviet Union countries where crime rates would be expected to be the same. Or not. Why? Becuase of gun bans. On constitutionality, I am assuming that the location of this law would be the United States of America, and thus dependent on its constitution. However, my opponent claims I cannot use US Constitutionality as a point if I am going to use foreign countries's data in my crime point. Unfortunately for him, this cannot be used to make me drop the constitutionality point. I was simply using other countries's data to back up my claim that more guns means less crime and that less guns means more crime. Foreign countries's data is still relevant to this debate for that reason. I'll explain this point further if necessary. Finally, my opponent concludes that the resolution never allowed regular crime (non-violent crime) to be mentioned as an argument. However, the resolution of your choice was, "Guns should be legal". This means that any argument that affirms that resolution is relevant. My first argument was on crime altogether, not just violent crime; although, it is doubtful that gun laws would effect non-gun related crimes (i. e. non-violent, unarmed burgularies where a gun is not a target). I hope I cleared up some of your confusion and thanks for taking the time to address them. Sources:[1]: Moorhouse, John C. , and Brent Wanner. “Does Gun Control Reduce Crime or Does Crime Increase Gun Control? ” Cato Journal(2006). [2]: . http://theacru.org...[3]: Lott, John R. Jr. "Gun laws don't reduce crime. " USA Today (May 9, 2002). [4]: . http://www.fraserinstitute.org...[5]: . http://news.bbc.co.uk...[6]: . http://gunowners.org...[7]: . http://www.justfacts.com...[8]: . http://www.wnd.com...[9]: Beltowski, Lech. "How Governments Create Crime: An Overview of Crime Control, Gun Control, People Control and the Loss of Right to Self-Defense". [10]: U. S. Department of Justice - Office of Justice Programs - Bureau of Justice Statistics - Crime - State Level - State-by-State and National Trends[11]: Kates, Don B. and Gary A. Mauser. "Would Banning Firearms Reduce Murder and Suicide? A Review of International Evidence" Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy (May 2006).