The Republicans who lead Congress plan to let the federal law that bans the manufacture and sale of 19 semiautomatic assault weapons die quietly Monday, without renewing the statute that is a symbol of the gun-control movement's success during the Clinton era.
The law most certainly will die, but it won't go quietly. A frenzied version of the emotional debate that occurred before the ban became law in 1994 is playing out here.
Supporters of the ban - including police chiefs from across the nation and relatives of gun-crime victims - are here to twist lawmakers' arms, if congressional leaders won't. Gun-control groups have taken out full-page newspaper ads that offer dire predictions of increases in violent crime once weapons that can fire several bullets a second are available for sale again. Today, a new ad will feature Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) with an assault rifle, under the headline "Terrorists of 9-11 can hardly wait for 9-13."
Terrorists of 9-11 can hardly wait for 9-13
When I was in Great Britain a few years ago the newspapers are full of murders either by beatings or the use of knives.
Does this prove that gun control works? Egads! I hope not.The proportion of murders involving a firearm in 2003 was also at its lowest on record at 13%. Firearm use in murders peaked at 32% in 1996, but has since declined steadily. For attempted murders in 2003, a firearm was used in 20% of offences, marginally above its low of 19% in 1998 and well below its high of 32% in 1999.
I think the reason DC has so many murders is because the citizens have been unarmed for years. No handguns allowed and all long arms must be stored disasembled with ammo in a seperate place. The law breakers know they are dealing with an unarmed society and it makes it that much easier to rob/kill.By contrast Washington D.C. our nations capitol logs 69.3 murders per 100,000 per year. Or roughly 30 times the number of London. We should be so proud. Let's be fair though, D.C. has become the murder capitol of the world.
topgun146 said:2. Violent crimes can be commited with or without guns. A heavy hammer to the head will kill just as easily as a handgun.
topgun146 said:3. The primary increase in semi-automatic gun ownership will be among law abiding citezens. As I said earlier, criminals already have these guns.
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