From: alpinist@eskimo.celestial.com (David Butler)
Subject: Re: Travelling armed
Keywords: Guns laws crime murder waiting periods 
Organization: =>ESKIMO NORTH (206) 367-3837 SEATTLE, WA.<=
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 1992 19:32:12 GMT

In article <k5sioB1w165w@eisley.akita.com> wood@eisley.akita.com (Ken Wood) writes:
> If we really want to reduce the murder rate we 
>have to affect the underlying social problems in our society.  That and 
>try to curb the trend toward violence in this country.  I have theories 
>on this but I'll save them for later, hint: look at proabition.

     I agree strongly on this.  Probably the number one reason for a high
murder rate in this country is the war on drugs.  (the war on individual
rights)  If drugs were legalized we would:
Eliminate pushers - no economic incentive, no pushers
Reduce drug usage in schools - no it wouldn't be eliminated, but would
be reduced
Reduce gang violence - the major cohesiveness of gangs is the profit
from drugs
Eliminate drive by shootings - Related to above
Eliminate drug dealers as role models - Again take away profit
Save Millions of dollars in tax payers money
Gain millions (billions) of dollars in tax revenue - which could be spent on Law
enforcement, drug education, drug rehabilitation programs

>4)  And lastly on what is wrong with a waiting period.  LA.  California 
>has a 15 day waiting period.  Alot of people didn't realize what this 
>meant till the riots started and they wanted to get a firearm to defend 
>themselves or their buisnesses.  Of course we all know what happened.  
>The businesses that were defended remained intact and those that were 
>not burned.  In some blocks ONLY the defended buildings were standing.   

   I think you're a little off base with this one.  The riots occured
the same day as the court decision aquiting the officers.  To have
obtained guns during the LA riot to defend oneself, a person would have
to have run to a gun shop while the rioting was occuring.  If businesses
were selling guns over the counter during the riot, then rioters (who
outnumbered everyone else on the streets) would have been in there
purchaseing guns just as well.  Shop owners would have had no way to
tell the difference.

>     I think that these are all good reasons why a waiting period is not 
>such a good idea.

    Well, the only argument you gave that I was really swayed by was the
example of the woman being stalked and feeling immediately threatened. 
I could see in the instance where someones life is in short term danger
(death threats, stalkers, etc) then a person could have need of a gun
more quickly.  But in the majority of cases, I see no real restrictions
in having a "cooling off period" for gun purchases while more complete
background checks are made and possibly even having the purchaser show
some level of competency.  (Though you are right that such laws could
easily be used by those in power to deny guns to the general populace or
place them in the hands of only certain groups.)

>  Did you know that currently the fastest growing market for 
>handguns ( legal ones that is ) is single women?  Not suprising since 
>guns have been called the "great equalizer".

   Sure, as the old saying goes: God created man, but Smith and Wesson
made all men equal.  :)


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* Dave                          *               The Alpinist               *
* alpinist@eskimo.celestial.com *            DARE to be stoopid!           *
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