I just finished reading Victoria’s article on gun control, and I thought I’d mention a few points that I disagree with. In regards to pepper spray and self-defense techniques without a firearm, they could only be used in close proximity.
Considering that must handguns can be shot with great accuracy at a distance of 20 to 25 yards, how are you going to defend yourself by using “self-defense” techniques? I don’t think a lot of people have an arm reach of 60-75 feet.
As for the pepper spray, most civilian-issued pepper spray have a range of about 15 feet. How are you going to compare 75 feet (25 yards) and 15 feet? As for the alarm-what happens if you get held up at gunpoint and threatened to be killed outside of your house?
Boise, Idaho cannot be compared to most US cities. Boise has a population of about 200,000, comparably less than Miami’s. For some reason, Boise has more rape accounts than Miami, but Miami outdid Boise in murders last year by 69 to 0.
Now, in Idaho, anyone can openly carry a gun-that means that the gun doesn’t have to be concealed. Men are usually the ones who carry guns, so maybe that’s why there are so many rapes in Boise. In Florida, however, you can’t even think about that.
I think if one sees an openly carried gun, it would make a criminal think twice. Something else that needs to be taken into consideration is that Boise and the rest of Idaho are mostly rural, with farming being a major industry.
Being that farming requires a good chunk of land, and that households are not as close as they are in this city, how long do you think it takes a police officer to get to the scene of the potential crime? A long time, and a lot can happen.
Victoria mentioned background checks, and they are employed in states-but have you thought of how most criminals get their guns? They do so by illegal means, preferably through the local drug dealer.
Have you ever held or fired a gun? Do you know how a gun works? Do you really know how “dangerous” guns are? More people than you think own guns, in this city, and everywhere else in this country. Now, if you were to compare the number of guns in American households to the number of murders, you would see a very surprising statistic.
Being that I am a supporter of the 2nd amendment and of the right of a citizen to carry a concealed weapon, I have over time found that most people who are against guns are those who have never handled one and do not have very much knowledge of them.
Guns are very safe if you take the time to know, learn, and most importantly respect them. Guns are not the problems.
UM Student
picadillo3@earthlink.net