Prime Minister Harper is at it again.
After the tragic event at Dawson College where a lone shooter killed and injured 20 people, then turned the gun on himself, Mr. Harper states that the gun laws are ineffective. Of course, the victims' families and others are calling for stricter gun laws, but it was found that Kimveer Gill held a semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun and a handgun legally. It was revealed that he was a member of a gun club, he received two gun permits under the reportedly stricter 1995 Firearms Act, which included TWO background checks, and there were checks and balances supposedly set in place to identify and report people that could potentially become unstable. Yet, with all these precautions, someone was still able to commit this heinous act.
Before I get to my point, I want to make clear that I'm okay with people owning guns through legitimate means. I question some of the weapons that are available to gun collectors, but I don't begrudge their ability to own weapons. However, this privilege, not right, privilege comes with great responsibility. They must be properly stored and secured, and I believe all weapons should be registered. Which brings me to my point.
Again, Mr. Harper says the current gun laws are ineffective. What he failed to mention over the past couple of days is his long held policy intent to remove so-called "long guns," or rifles, from the registry. No doubt, a request from his Western Canada support base. How are you going to spin this one Mr. Harper? Obviously, this policy initiative isn't going to be pushed through by the Conservatives during their current mandate. They're going to have to wait and see if they get a majority government after the next election in order to be able to push this one through.
My message to Mr. Harper and his Conservative caucus:
If the current gun laws are ineffective, fix them.
If the current gun registry is broken, fix it.
If the types of weapons available to legitimate gun collectors are a danger to the public, reduce the list.
Now, nor anytime in the future, is it appropriate to relax the registering of weapons. If you think there is an appropriate time to do so, Mr. Prime Minister, just ask the families of the shootings at Dawson College, Ecole Polytechnique, Concordia University, Verdun, Winnipeg, and all the people killed in Toronto during the last year and a half, including Jane Creba.
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7 comments:
Gun registries don't work because people who want to break the law don't care about the law and will have guns anyway. How many gang members out there have lawfully registered weapons?
If Kimveer Gill wanted to kill a bunch of people he could have driven a car in to a bus stop full of people or a crosswalk. If he did we wouldn't be screaming about banning cars. He could have stabbed some unsuspecting students with a kitchen knife (one of those big Henckles).
If some previously normal person blows a mental fuse there is no real way to stop them from harming others. All we can do is react quickly, like the police did at Dawson, to stop them.
Your comment regarding gun registries is true. People with criminal intent are not going to procure weapons through legitimate means. The police need the authority and the funding stop the illegal transportation of weapons, especially those coming across the border from the U.S.
Your comment regarding people not needing a gun to kill people is also true. We will always hear of people being run down, or stabbed. But I think you miss the mark. When people kill with a knife or car, the number of injured or killed is limited, because of the kind of damage they can do before they're stopped. Someone with a gun, who can conceivably carry hundreds of bullets, could go into a crowded area and kill dozens of people indiscriminately. At Ecole Polytechnique, 14 women were killed. At Dawson College, one killed and 19 injured, some seriously. It would be a rare instance when you could rack up those kinds of numbers with a car, and very unlikely you could do that with a knife, before you were stopped.
If somebody "blows a fuse," there's not a lot you can do to stop them from hurting themselves, or other people, at least not initially. Like you said, the question is how little damage is caused before the police are able to intervene.
But that doesn't mean we should scrap the gun registry. The American system doesn't seem to keep gun deaths down. Do you think Canada would be different with looser gun laws?
Why not scrap a gun registry that is not cost effective or usefull to stop a shooting
The problem with "gun crime" (I hate that phrase because the gun did not do anything) is not the guns. When people who commit evil/insain acts stricter laws will not stop them. What a criminal understands is force, the victim needs to step up and use what means they have avalible to excersise their right to self definse.
As far as gun ownership goes being a privlage. That is totaly incorrect, everyone has the right to defend themselvs from attacking animals or attacking people. When you supress the ability to have the tools of defense you have suppressed the right to self defense.
A gun is an object with no ability to act on it's own, it is as good or evil as the man (or woman or child) who holds it. As most people are good, more people with guns means more good people with guns. To beleave that you are better off with strict gun controls you would have to beleave that a woman raped and strangled with her nickers is better off than a woman with a smoking gun explaing to the police how the dead rapist got that sucking chest wound.
In the case of mass shootings, here in the us they don't happen in places where the population has not had there right to self defince suppressed (they can carry a concealed weapon) they happen in schools, churches and towns or states that do not let citizens carry a weapon. Why is this? Somone who is going to commit a shooting such as that knows that they will be vunrible once they start shooting, anyone else who might have a gun (as most people are good odds are that if anyone else has a gun they will be a "good" person) they will take down the attacker. This has happened a few times here in the US
Logan
"Now, nor anytime in the future, is it appropriate to relax the registering of weapons. If you think there is an appropriate time to do so, Mr. Prime Minister, just ask the families of the shootings at Dawson College, Ecole Polytechnique, Concordia University, Verdun, Winnipeg, and all the people killed in Toronto during the last year and a half, including Jane Creba."
Yes ask them If they had the tools avalible to stop what happened if they would have. If your wife/loved one was faced by somone much stronger/with a gun would you not want them to be able to stop an attacker?
The US system does have some flaws but atleast it gives potential victims the ability to fight back. If you look at the whole US the places with the most violent crime it is the places with the most strict gun controls. It is not because of guns comming in illigaly it is because criminals know that their victims are going to be unarmed.
I believe in more guns less crime. I am a gun owner, and a proud canadian. I own many types of firearms and have never done harm to anyone. I bought my guns legitimately, licenced them and store and use them properly. I would love to be able to conceal carry a firearm but the law says no. The law states no one can so I listen. Unfortunately the guy jacked up on drugs who decided to storm my van with my family in it and threaten to kill us with a loaded handgun didnt care that he wasnt allowed to carry one. He was arrested later and the weapon was unregistered with the serial # removed. Luckily no harm came upon my family. I since then had a guy try to sell me an "illegal" handgun on the street. I guess he must have forgot that thats illegal. The whole ordeal made me angry because I am a Canadian...a law abiding Canadian who is not allowed to defend myself or my children. Had I had a handgun that day I dont know how things would have turned out, would I have been able to use it, would it have provoked the attacker more, would he have fled? All questions I ask to this day but i also wonder if my children wouldnt wake up with night terrors from it if they hadnt seen their parents terrified and completely helpless.
Bottom line is the people carrying guns are the criminals and they arent carrying registered legally obtained guns. Would a criminal be so quick to attack someone if they thought there may be a chance that person is armed with lethal force? I dont think they would. A prime example is Australia...their gun stance was to remove guns from everone. home invasions and gun crimes went up 70% because criminals didnt give up their guns and now knew that no one was able to protect themselves. Were only one step away from Australia people. Please be carefull...we need firearms and a right to carry.
Anyone with half a brain should be able to see that the problem is not guns. It's not "gun violence". It's not "weak gun laws". The problem is people. People intent on committing evil. Far more people are killed, injured, and have their lives and families destroyed by drunk drivers each year than by illegal gun use. Why aren't you people screaming for the ban of alcohol? Gimme a break.
I was a victim of "gun violence" several years ago, and I am probably one of the biggest opponents of gun control that you may ever have the privilege of meeting. These bleeding-heart, left-wing, "special interest" Canadians need to stop being such a bunch of useless wussies! Take authority of your own destiny, your own protection, and your own lives! Stop waiting for the government to do it for you.
Two final thoughts:
1. Guns kill people the same way spoons make Rosie O'donnell fat.
2. "This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration. Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future." - Adolf Hitler, 1935
In the face of overwhelming proof that gun registration leads to more crime, I don't understand why it is still and issue. I own guns and if the police had my gun information it would have no effect on crime. I don't commit crime so knowing what I own solves nothing. That is true for all honest gun owners. There are lots of laws to punish criminals so we need to focus on those and leave this gun phobia alone.
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