Gun Control Reduces Crime?

This is perhaps, the greatest myth that is perpetrated today by national gun ban groups. No empirical study of the effectiveness of gun laws has shown any positive effect on crime. In areas having greatest restrictions on private firearms ownership, crime rates are typically higher, because criminals are aware that their intended victims are less likely to have the means with which to defend themselves. If gun laws worked, the proponents of such laws would gleefully cite examples of reduced crime. Instead, they uniformly blame the absence of tougher or wider spread measures for the failures of the laws they advocated. Or they cite denials of applications for permission to buy a firearm as evidence the law is doing something beyond preventing honest citizens from being able legally to acquire firearms.

Let’s use Washington D.C. for example, crime in Washington has risen dramatically since 1976, the year before its handgun ban took effect. According to research done by Duke, “Washington, D.C., now has outrageously higher crime rates than any of the states (D.C. 1992 violent crime rate: 2832.8 per 100,000 residents; U.S. rate: 757.5), with a homicide rate 8 times the national rate (1992 rate 75.4 per 100,000 for D.C., 9.3 nationally.)” Duke goes on to say, “No wonder former D.C. Police Chief Maurice Turner said, "What has the gun control law done to keep criminals from getting guns? Absolutely nothing... [City residents] ought to have the opportunity to have a handgun."” Criminals in Washington have no trouble getting either prohibited drugs or prohibited handguns, resulting in a skyrocketing of the city's murder rate. Duke mentions “D.C.'s 1991 homicide rate of 80.6 per 100,000 population was the highest ever recorded by an American big city, and marked a 200% rise in homicide since banning handguns, while the nation's homicide rate rose just 11%. Since 1991, the homicide rate has remained near 75 per 100,000, while the national rate hovers around 9-10.” Again, these statistics are taken from a state that does not allow their citizens to legally own a firearm. Do you still think we should ban guns altogether? Clearly, criminals do not bother with the niceties of obeying laws, for a criminal is, by definition, someone who disobeys laws. Those who enforce the law agree.

Below, is a great video that will put things into perspective:

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_YTM_eAWnQ

Source: http://www.duke.edu/

Concealed Weapon Permit

What is a California concealed weapon permit (CCW)? A license to carry a concealed firearm on your person in public subject to restrictions placed upon it by statute and the issuing department. Many Americans don’t even know they have the right to carry a weapon on them in public, but you can if you qualify. California residents who have clean records can apply for a permit which allows them to carry a concealed handgun for self-defense and personal protection. You cannot legally carry a concealed gun in California without a valid California issued CCW permit. A CCW does not give you authority to make arrests, stop crime, or misuse a firearm. Only police officers should attempt to make arrests or catch criminals. Carrying a firearm is a serious responsibility which requires training and good judgment. Misuse of a firearm is a crime. Statute requires applicants to complete a course in firearm safety and the law regarding the permissible use of a firearm. Departments may also require the applicant to demonstrate proficiency at their range and submit all weapons to be carried for a safety inspection. Applicants are required to submit to Live Scan for a DOJ records check. Departments may require a Psychological test of applicants. The CCW is issued by the county sheriff or (in some cases) by the city police chief. To get your permit, request an application from your county sheriff. Your county sheriff must give you an application. Your county sheriff must accept your filled-in application. Your county sheriff must inform you, in writing, of his decision within 90 days. If your county sheriff does not issue you a permit, he must give you, in writing, the reason for the denial. The sheriff must provide a process for appeals of denials. Many people do not believe we should have the right to a CCW permit, but I believe it gives the CCW holder a piece of mind knowing that he/she can defend themselves.

The permit only allows the person to carry his/her weapon in the state where the permit was issued. On July 23, 2009 the Senate narrowly rejected a concealed weapons measure that critics have blasted as “radical” Wednesday afternoon. According to Alex Jones of infowars.com, “In a rare win for gun control advocates, the Senate on Wednesday rejected a measure allowing a person with a concealed weapon permit in one state to also hide his firearm when visiting another state.” Mr. Jones goes on to say “the vote was 58-39 in favor of the provision establishing concealed carry permit reciprocity in the 48 states that have concealed weapons laws.” “That fell two votes short of the 60 needed to approve the measure, offered as an amendment to a defense spending bill.” I believe if we are issuing CCWs we should allow the permit holders to carry over different state boarders.

In this video you are able to view both sides of this measure.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKCySl-KCtk

Source: http://www.infowars.com/senate-narrowly-rejects-radical-concealed-weapon-measure/

Gun Purchases

Going back to my first blog, “California has some of the strictest gun control laws in the U.S.” Below is what a law abiding citizen would have to go through in order to purchase and long gun or a handgun.

All firearms purchases and transfers, including private party transactions and sales at gun shows, must be made through a licensed dealer under the Dealer Record of Sale (DROS) process. California imposes a 10-day waiting period before a firearm can be released to a buyer or transferee. A person must be at least 18 years of age to purchase a rifle or shotgun. To buy a handgun, a person must be at least 21 years of age, and either 1) possess an Hunter Safety Certificate (HSC) plus successfully complete a safety demonstration with the handgun being purchased or 2) qualify for an HSC exemption. People who qualify for the exemption are law enforcement officers. The safety demonstration would include the purchaser to show the licensed dealer he/she knows how to operate the gun. Essentially, does the purchaser know how to put the safety on etc? A transferee is considered a person who owns a gun and would like to transfer the weapon to someone else.

As part of the DROS process, the buyer must present "clear evidence of identity and age" which is defined as a valid, non-expired California Driver's License or Identification Card issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles. A military identification accompanied by permanent duty station orders indicating a posting in California is also acceptable.

If the buyer is not a U.S. Citizen, then he or she is required to demonstrate that he or she is legally within the United States by providing to the firearms dealer with documentation that contains his/her Alien Registration Number or I-94 Number.

Purchasers of handguns are also required to provide proof of California residency, such as a utility bill, residential lease, property deed, or government-issued identification (other than a drivers license or other DMV-issued identification).

Now you have an understanding of what a California citizen would have to go through in order to purchase a gun. Do you still feel we need more gun laws here in California? No matter how many gun laws we enact criminals are still going to get their hands on them, which is why they are referred to as “criminals.” The only people who are impaired or obstructed from owning or possessing firearms because of gun laws are the law-abiding folks. The bad news is the unarmed and law-abiding folks are usually the victims of criminals.

Second Amendment

In the Bill of Rights, the second amendment to the Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed."

Gun control proponents argue the word “people” in this Amendment, refers not to the civilian population of the United States, but to the State National Guard Units. Gun rights proponents argue that the use of the word "Militia" in this Amendment, refers not to the State National Guard Units, but to the citizens of the United States. Some argue that since the militias are "owned," or under the command of the states, that the states are free to disarm their militia if they so choose, and therefore of course no individual right to keep arms exists. The Militia is not "owned," rather it is controlled, organized, by governments. The federal government as well as the states have no legitimate power to disarm the people from which militias are organized.

This amendment is argued about quite often, and is mentioned in the news almost daily. Some people believe that the government is the enemy, and citizens must continue to protect themselves. Some believe that the level of violence is so high in the United States because the number of guns available is too high, and too many people have guns. There is a popular saying that, "If you outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns." Another popular saying is, "Guns don't kill people, people do." If guns were outlawed criminals would still get their hands on guns from an array of illegal sources. The criminal would then have full advantage of his victim because he/she would know the victim is not in possession of a weapon.

Gun Control Laws

The Brady Bill was implemented on February 28, 1994. This law established a national 5 business day waiting period on handgun purchases through licensed dealers. It also required local authorities to conduct background checks on handgun purchasers. As of December of 1998, an amendment to the Brady Bill replaced the five business day waiting period with a national "instant" felon ID system. Dealers are required to conduct this background check on all gun purchases, not just handgun purchases. It is estimated that over forty percent of gun acquisitions occur in the secondary market.1 That means these gun purchases happen without a Brady background check at a federally licensed gun dealer. If our government were to enact more gun control laws, does this mean we will reduce that forty percent of Illegal gun purchasers? No, that number will not be reduced because these laws do not affect illegal gun purchasers. The people these laws affect are law abiding citizens.

California has some of the strictest gun control laws in the U.S. With my father being a federally licensed dealer, I have had firsthand experience with California’s gun control laws. More posts to come with an in-depth look at California’s gun control laws.

1 http://www.bradycampaign.org/pdf/faq/background-checks.pdf