I'm so indignant right now!

[Gamera]

As we all know, due to the recent tragedy in Germany that happened to involve guns, Europe has been thinking about stricter gun control.

In this article from Time.com (on Yahoo news), Aaron Karp (professor of political science at Virginia's Old Dominion University and a senior consultant with the Small Arms Survey in Switzerland according to the article) says this:

What may be more instructive, Karp counters, is how stringent gun-control laws have helped reduce rates of gun violence elsewhere. Following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people, Australia banned all semiautomatic rifles and shotguns and passed strict laws requiring trigger locks and secure storage of guns in homes. "That is the next step for Europe," Karp says, noting that such controls could have prevented Wednesday's killings. "Making that move will be easier in Europe than in the U.S., because no one in Europe dares pretend they own a gun for their own defense."

Does anyone else see what this guy seems to be insinuating? This really makes me upset. Especially the fact that our brothers in Europe may not be able to protect themselves very soon.

 

[Cannonball888]

So, he believes I'm pretending that I own a gun for defense? I guess my CWP is part of that pretense too. That arrogant SOB is out of touch with reality.

 

[kirklandkie]

Cannon, this shouldn't be a surprise to you for two reasons.
a.) most media is out of touch with reality
b.) most Europeans are out of touch with reality
this dude was a European journalist!

-kirk

 

[miconoakisland]

I guess people in Europe feel they are more "civilized" and feel there is no reason for them to feel threatened by firearms if a law is passed, because they are so "civilized" only thugs will have firearms and use them only on other thugs, and the police will eventually confiscate all the firearms that the thugs may use and render society safer than has ever been possible since well before firearms were ever invented!

Every person opposed to gun ownership relies on others to risk their own lives to protect those that refuse to protect themselves.

 

[Sixtigers]

What may be more instructive, Karp counters, is how stringent gun-control laws have helped reduce rates of gun violence elsewhere. Following the 1996 Port Arthur massacre that killed 35 people, Australia banned all semiautomatic rifles and shotguns and passed strict laws requiring trigger locks and secure storage of guns in homes. "That is the next step for Europe," Karp says, noting that such controls could have prevented Wednesday's killings. "Making that move will be easier in Europe than in the U.S., because no one in Europe dares pretend they own a gun for their own defense."

You know, I read the article completely...and I think I'm missing something. I see an unsupported statement. I don't see one follow-on fact, or any reference, to show that gun-control laws have helped reduce rates of gun violence elsewhere. Isn't that odd? I understand the Times is as anti-gun as they come, but don't they usually offer some sort of corroboration?

 

[Proud Boer]

American's (like South African's) are(generally) from Mars,Europeans (generally) are from Venus.

 

[divemedic]

Since when we look at Australia's crime rates since the ban, we see that robbery, homicide, andkidnapping, crime rates have remained flat, and sexual assault, and assault rates have climbed: (Robbery actually climbed after the ban)

You see that gun control (OK, a complete BAN, had absolutely no effect. Despite a complete ban of all firearms, 1/5 of all murders in AU are committed by a criminal with a firearm.

 

[Hoot Gibson]

The Euros surrendered themselves years ago...first to Socialism and now to the forces of Radical Islam.

They are dead men walking.

 

[22-rimfire]

Gun crimes and serious crimes in general are UP in Australia since the strict gun control measures. Does not work no matter how much some journalist wants to make people think it does.

England has strict storage and gun control measures in place and I believe their crime rate is climbling there as well. It is one of reasons that knives have been a legislative discussion of late.

The political answer is always more legislation. So the honest foks are the only ones that are hurt, not the criminal.

 

[heron]

We may be partly to blame for Europe's attitude . . . didn't we stringently disarm them all after WW II?

 

[DocBoCook]

I live near ODU in Norfolk, VA. Maybe I should pay him a visit with a few fact sheets showing him how wrong he is about Australia

 

[Mike J]

I doubt it would do any good DocBoCook. People like that usually don't want to be confused by facts. They are too busy pushing their own agenda.

 

[Pulse]

As we all know, due to the recent tragedy in Germany that happened to involve guns, Europe has been thinking about stricter gun control.

actualy that is wrong.
the German media does call for stronger guncontrol because of that tragedy, they do also call for a ban on PC games and softair.. because of that tragedy.
the german Politicans however do not want stronger guncontrol.
after the last tragedy in 2002, Germany made some of the strictest gunlaws in the world with little effect, also many other non.gun related laws, all with little or no effect.
the people are fed up and many come to realise that there simply are problems that can not be solved by stricter laws, suprising, considering the way many germans think.

"Making that move will be easier in Europe than in the U.S., because no one in Europe dares pretend they own a gun for their own defense."

in most of europe you have to have a permit to buy a firearm.
"self defense" is a legit reason to get a permit in is most of europe, yes sometimes tied with regular training in a gunclub, but none the less a legit reason for a permit.