Would Tougher Gun Laws Decrease Violence?
(Columbia) - In Richland County alone, there have been ten murders in the past eleven days. So far the only connection is that a gun was used at each crime scene.
But some are asking if there could be another link? Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, says he believes there's a correlation between the murders and South Carolina's gun laws.
"Anytime we make it easier to get guns, you're going to see an increase in gun violence," Helmke said.
Helmke said South Carolina's laws are some of the most relaxed in the nation because there's no state background check and no registry that tracks the sale and ownership of all guns.
"If they maintained a registry--had someone saying when they had a gun stolen or gun lost during a certain period of time--those are things that could help police enforce the laws," Helmke said.
Yet gun enthusiast Janet Kelleher says registries won't keep criminals from getting guns.
"If you needed a gun you would find a way to get it," she said.
Instead, Kelleher said it might discourage her family from enjoying a favorite pasttime.
"Then only the criminals will have guns," she said. "It becomes so much red tape that you just don't want to fool with that."
Helmke says getting rid of the yellow crime scene tape doesn't have to mean adding the red tape.
"Guns are serious things. But we can have a balance between people's rights to hunt and rights to have a gun for self-protection...and the rights of the rest of us to have a safe community," Helmke said.
If the state has "laxer" gun laws than the surrounding states, check its gun violence rate against that of its neighbors. I'm willing to bet it's no higher, and the Brady guy is blowing smoke.
One thing I've never understood is people who say "Guns kill people." Guns don't kill people, people kill people. A knife, golf club and a baseball bat are just as deadly, if not more so, then a gun. If someone wants to hurt another person, they will find a way to get the job done. The funny thing is most of the weapons the government wants to do away with(AR, AK, high cap handguns) are usually not whats used in crimes. Reason? There too expensive. Your not going to go spend $1000 on a gun to commit a murder with, your going to buy a $150 handgun from the back of someones car. No matter what Washington does, criminals are going to get their hands on weapons. All it means is the regular citizen has to defend himself using bolt action hunting rifles, low capacity shotguns, etc etc.
Tougher gun laws only help criminals,that is a proven fact!
In Florida,after the media screamede the streets would be awash in blood the ccw went through,I got one of the first,crime dropped right through the floor,happens every where folks get a chance to protect themselves.
Bad guys think that if there is a chance they will get blasted they best look for a gun free zone.
Gun crimes are committed by those who firmly ignore laws already in place. Tougher gun laws would only serve to make it more hassle for a law abiding gun owner who has done nothing illegal.
__________________ Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself – Twain.
Violence is a societal problem not a legality issue. Laws only serve to punish or restrict freedoms. Violence is not the result of some loophole in the legal system. Violence occurrs in spite of the laws written to stop it. If you want to stop violence you have to attack the root cause of the violence instead of waiting till it happens and then punishing someone for it.
NO BEHAVIOR WAS EVER ELIMINATED BECAUSE OF A LAW.
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Well then, guess we agree that only honest, law abiding folks will suffer with more gun laws since criminals don't recognize laws anyway......that is why we call them folks criminals?
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