Article on gun ownership entitled "Shooting Up"

[brlau]

Here's the article from one of our local newspapers:

By Alexandre Da Silva
[email protected]
Magnum Motorsports, a former auto shop in Honolulu, became Magnum Firearms & Range about a decade ago as steady gun sales led the company to make the switch.

"The automotive side started to die off, and the firearms side started to expand," said employee Derek Hanson. "For the past 10 years, it has been strictly firearms."

Gun ownership, which has been rising in Hawaii for the past seven years, hit a new record in 2007, when more people registered firearms than ever before and almost everyone who applied for a permit got one.

There were 21,784 personal firearms registered last year, with fewer than 1 percent of 8,835 permit applications rejected. Gun registration, which rose 9 percent in 2007, has surged by 60 percent since the state attorney general's office began tracking it in 2000.

It is unclear what factors drive the trend, but state researcher Paul Perrone ruled out any spike in violent crimes that would lead residents to seek more protection.

"The trend ... certainly is not statistically related to any kind of congruent spike in firearm-related crime," said Perrone, chief of research and statistics for the attorney general's office. "The link between those two is nebulous at best."

While Hawaii is safe when compared with other states, criminologist Meda Chesney-Lind said she is troubled with the local gun influx, especially in the wake of shootings at college campuses across the country.

"Any time you increase the number of guns in the community, you increase the likelihood of higher suicide rates and higher homicide rates," said Chesney-Lind, a women's-studies professor at the University of Hawaii. "Teaching on a university campus these days, it's become a lot more immediate a concern for us in light of the mass killings that have been occurring."

Domestic violence cases in Hawaii also could potentially turn deadly in the home of a gun owner, she noted. Roughly three-fifths of the 83 gun permit applications rejected in 2007 came from people with a criminal history, the report said.

"We sure hope the system works well, because a lot of people with scary backgrounds are applying for guns," said Chesney-Lind, who supports tougher gun regulations.

The attorney general's report said the record-low percentage of gun permit applications denied in the state - 0.9 percent compared with a 2.4 percent rejection rate nationally - is "remarkable" given what it called extensive background checks in Hawaii.

"Increasingly, the applicants are the most law-abiding citizens you can find in the state," Perrone said.

More than half of all guns registered in 2007 - a record 13,550, or 62.2 percent, were so-called long arms such as rifles and shotguns that are generally associated with hunting. The remaining 8,234 firearms registered, or 37.8 percent, were handguns, the report said.

The state estimates about 1 million personal firearms are registered in Hawaii.

Dr. Max Cooper, legislative co-chairman of the 1,000-member Hawaii Rifle Association, attributed the gun registration spike to a good economy.

"Sometimes there is a fear factor. Like after 9/11 gun sales went up," he said. "I think 2007, it was just good times here in Hawaii. People were spending their money on cars, guns, houses, boats."

Joe Graham, part-owner of Windward Gun Shop, said he

believes most people looking for a gun in Hawaii want it to hunt or target-practice.

"Here is recreation, hunting and home defense," said Graham, who moved here from Philadelphia. "(On the) East Coast, at least where I come from, is the opposite."

Besides the possibly inflammatory title (maybe the antis are upset that bullet serialization and the .50 ban bills died this year), I see this as non-news put up as a last-ditch grasp at exciting the masses.

They have a comments board also: LINK
You can see the typical ignorance displayed by many of the posters (some regretably on our side). Have at it if you wish, my replies under "beren74."

 

[BobbyQuickdraw]

"Any time you increase the number of guns in the community, you increase the likelihood of higher suicide rates and higher homicide rates," said Chesney-Lind, a women's-studies professor at the University of Hawaii. "Teaching on a university campus these days, it's become a lot more immediate a concern for us in light of the mass killings that have been occurring."

Wow that is completely untrue. Well, at least according to people who spend years compiling data and studying it, but what do they know?

 

[NG VI]

What does a women's studies professor know about guns anyway? I'm just curious, could they not get ahold of any criminal justice professors? Nobody more qualified? It sounds pretty horrific to me, just because of the "so-called reporter" and the "so-called professor" and their "so-called facts".

It actually isn't a bad article, it's just very clear that the author decided that the only one whose input she would take seriously would be the "women's studies" professor, since every one else who spoke on the topic portrayed the "rise in gun-ownership" as a good thing, meaning more people are out there having a good time shooting.

 

[Rachen]

It is true though, at least one of the writers were "shooting up" something when they were writing this piece. Otherwise, how can someone's brain be so addled?

Oh, I forgot, they are liberals.

 

[ptmmatssc]

We sure hope the system works well, because a lot of people with scary backgrounds are applying for guns," said Chesney-Lind, who supports tougher gun regulations.

Scary to whom? Scary BECAUSE they are applying , or scary as in criminal ? And is this person privy to those applications to know this info?

I think this might be a little more accurate .

"Increasingly, the applicants are the most law-abiding citizens you can find in the state," Perrone said.

Surprised to not see a "blood in the streets" comment tucked in there .

 

[NG VI]

There are so-called "blood in the streets" comments in there! read where the so-called "women's studies" professor claims that guns cause suicides and violent crimes! and then she comes very close to outright stating that she thinks guns cause people arguing with their Significant Others to shoot them!

And I dislike the "so-called long guns" statement, that's just the author's strong anti-bias shining through, she knows they are really just extra-baby-lethal.

 

[TexasRifleman]

"Any time you increase the number of guns in the community, you increase the likelihood of higher suicide rates and higher homicide rates,"

Damn I'm in trouble then. I once read the estimates for Ft Worth, Texas were 1.2 guns for every man woman and child here. That was back in the late 80's though. I'm doing my part to help that average rise however

 

[Dorryn]

Here is recreation, hunting and home defense," said Graham, who moved here from Philadelphia. "(On the) East Coast, at least where I come from, is the opposite."

Whats the opposite of recreation? Boredom? Do any of those terms HAVE opposites? Whats the opposite of home defense? Setting fire to an empty field?

 

[Titan6]

You have to read between the lines.

There were 21,784 personal firearms registered last year, with fewer than 1 percent of 8,835 permit applications rejected. Gun registration, which rose 9 percent in 2007, has surged by 60 percent since the state attorney general's office began tracking it in 2000.

It is unclear what factors drive the trend, but state researcher Paul Perrone ruled out any spike in violent crimes that would lead residents to seek more protection.

"The trend ... certainly is not statistically related to any kind of congruent spike in firearm-related crime," said Perrone, chief of research and statistics for the attorney general's office. "The link between those two is nebulous at best."

http://www.disastercenter.com/crime/hicrime.htm

Burglary down 20%, vehicle theft down 15%, Property Crime down 10%, Murder down 45%.... but there is "nebulous link at best" between the two...

 

[romma]

"The trend ... certainly is not statistically related to any kind of congruent spike in firearm-related crime," said Perrone, chief of research and statistics for the attorney general's office.

Oh yes, this firearm thing is just a trend...

 

[Titan6]

Going back and checking my math I could not help but notice that 2006 (the most recent year on file) they had the lowest murder rate since they started keeping records (46 years ago). But there is no link.... according to them.

 

[brlau]

Whats the opposite of recreation? Boredom? Do any of those terms HAVE opposites? Whats the opposite of home defense? Setting fire to an empty field?

That was a strange statement, and I can only think that Mr. Graham meant the order of priorities was opposite. One must account for most reporter's tendency to take quotes out of context, or inability to understand what is being said by the interviewee sometimes. Still, even if that's what he meant - I doubt that's true (thought I've never been to the East Coast and I don't know for sure).

 

[S4Lee]

""Increasingly, the applicants are the most law-abiding citizens you can find in the state," Perrone said."

So, let me get this straight... only the law-abiding citizens are applying for permits?

 

[Mr White]

What disturbs me about that article the most is the repeated mention of guns being registered.

Does Hawaii require registration of all guns?

 

[Redtail]

It is requirement for every handgun, but not for rifles - only need one permit and you can buy as much as you can 'till the next cycle.

Does anybody know what happened to the concealed carry bill changing to shall issue?

 

[brlau]

All firearms must be registered in the State of Hawaii. From HPD:

Reference: HRS 134-3

Every person arriving in the state who brings or by any other manner causes to be brought into the state a firearm of any description, whether usable or unusable, serviceable or unserviceable, modern or antique, shall register the firearm within 72 hours (three days) after arrival of the person or firearm, whichever arrives later.

Every person who acquires a firearm pursuant to section 134-2 shall register the firearm in the manner prescribed by this section within five days of acquisition.

Registration shall not be required for:

Any device that is designed to fire loose black powder or that is a firearm manufactured before 1899;

Any device not designed to fire or made incapable of being readily restored to a firing condition; or

All unserviceable firearms and destructive devices registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms of the United States Department of the Treasury pursuant to Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations.


REGISTRATION PROCESS

After purchase or acquisition of the firearm return to the HPD Firearms Section no later than 5 calendar days with the following.

1. Valid photo identification.
2. Your original firearms permit.
3. The firearm for inspection.

Complete the firearms registration form and sign the firearms registration card.

There is no 14-day waiting period for out of state registration. Once the firearm arrives in the state you have 3 calendar days to bring it, with valid photo identification and proof of citizenship if born outside the United States, to the HPD Firearms Section.

However, I believe you are correct about getting a long-gun permit.

Senate bill 2278 (CCW in Hawaii), introduced by none other than Senator Sam Slom, was referred to the Judiciary Committee. Looks like it, along with Karen's Law and other bills, never made it out of Tommy Water's desk. No surprise there - Sen. Slom has been trying every year for a number of years already.

 

[230RN]

Well, wadaya expect from somebody named Meda Chesney-Lind?

--Terry 230RN-230RN

 

[Standing Wolf]

"Any time you increase the number of guns in the community, you increase the likelihood of higher suicide rates and higher homicide rates," said Chesney-Lind, a women's-studies professor at the University of Hawaii.

It's always so refreshing to hear from the tooth faerie's believers.

 

[230RN]

Much later: In my post above, I was just being a wiseguy with a smart-@ssed comment on hyphenated names.

I googled her name and to be fair, it looks like she's also a criminologist, which, I guess, qualifies her in some way to comment on firearms. I wonder if she could be persuaded to look into the real impact of wide ownership of firearms on crime.

I also wonder if someone out there in Hawaii could be induced to take her shooting sometime and show her that, besides the self-defense aspects of firearms, they're also fun.

 

[Redtail]

I hope his constituents would wake up and vote him out. I've been reading a lot of bad stuff about him. He wanted to change the punishment for shoplifters saying it's too harsh. This is what I hate about this place, criminals getting a joyride while victims are being neglected.

 

[SpeedAKL]

What authority does a womens'-studies professor have on gun and crime issues?

 

[Tony50ae]

Thanks for the article Brlau. Speaking of the 50bmg ban can you believe the chief of police demanding that the Hawaii legislature reexamine the 50 ban after it looked like there was not enough votes? It still did not pass....lol. I fear though it is just a matter of time before it does. I have to say one thing though about Hawaii. I may have to register every gun here and hanguns are a pain to buy, at least here I can own the handguns. I grew up in Chicago where hanguns were illegal.

Heck even a hangun BB gun was illegal. Never will move back there.