5.56X45mm
Milforum Mac Daddy
The US is a violent, crime-ridden society whose citizens (if you believe Michael Moore) cower in fear behind locked doors in gated communities. Meanwhile, other countries, such as England, Canada, Germany and France have peaceful, safe societies due to their "enlightened" social policies.
Oh really?
If you agreed with that statement, wake up and smell the coffee, dear reader. Here are the 2001 Interpol statistics showing number of crimes per 100,000 people in these countries; note where the US falls:
9927 - England and Wales
8572 - Canada
7736 - Germany
6941 - France
4161 - United States
Yes, intrepid reader, that's right. Half as much crime in the US as in Merrie Olde England or Canada.
In particular, crime has risen sharply and continually in England since it instituted a complete gun ban in 1997. Since then, appallingly, crime has doubled!
For example, in 2002 alone, the English saw a 9% increase in overall crime, a 35% increase in gun crimes and a 28% increase in "personal violence". In 2002, your chances of being mugged in London were six times higher than in New York.
So how has 2003 been shaping up? No terribly good. According to the not-always-trusted** British Crime Survey (BCS), there's been another 14% rise in violent crime overall with an 18% rise in the most serious types of violence. Gun violence figures have dropped very slightly, but police say it's due to increasing use of poor-quality weapons, while the Sun reports: "There was also a huge 46 per cent jump in the use of replica weapons to 1,815 incidents."
Regarding the aforemention Interpol stats, the Sun updates them thusly:
If one wants to look for the bright side, Brits can focus on a 1% drop in crime overall, a 2% drop in domestic burglary, and a 5% drop in stolen cars. Of course, in my world, a 1-2% drop translates as "business as normal; no significant change." Especially if one is already living amongst astronomical crime levels.
So what's next?
There have been calls for more gated communities (of the type Michael Moore stereotypically depicts Americans as living in), and attempts to restrict alcohol use, "replica" guns (think toys, and the cigarette lighter in The Pink Panther).
And of course, harsher gun laws with stiffer sentences for those found possessing a banned weapon. (If something isn't working, do more of it!) Law enforcement and crime figures are, understandably, not impressed:
Oh really?
If you agreed with that statement, wake up and smell the coffee, dear reader. Here are the 2001 Interpol statistics showing number of crimes per 100,000 people in these countries; note where the US falls:
9927 - England and Wales
8572 - Canada
7736 - Germany
6941 - France
4161 - United States
Yes, intrepid reader, that's right. Half as much crime in the US as in Merrie Olde England or Canada.
In particular, crime has risen sharply and continually in England since it instituted a complete gun ban in 1997. Since then, appallingly, crime has doubled!
For example, in 2002 alone, the English saw a 9% increase in overall crime, a 35% increase in gun crimes and a 28% increase in "personal violence". In 2002, your chances of being mugged in London were six times higher than in New York.
So how has 2003 been shaping up? No terribly good. According to the not-always-trusted** British Crime Survey (BCS), there's been another 14% rise in violent crime overall with an 18% rise in the most serious types of violence. Gun violence figures have dropped very slightly, but police say it's due to increasing use of poor-quality weapons, while the Sun reports: "There was also a huge 46 per cent jump in the use of replica weapons to 1,815 incidents."
Regarding the aforemention Interpol stats, the Sun updates them thusly:
Britain dominates the top five in the crime league of Western countries, with only Sweden above them. England and Wales have 10,608 crimes for every 100,000 citizens, followed by Scotland and Northern Ireland with 8,315. Germany has 7,734, France 6,880 and America — known for violent crime — just 4,157.
(Ah yes. Lovely, safe Sweden, the socialist paradise. Scary, crime-ridden, bankrupt Sweden, actually.)
If one wants to look for the bright side, Brits can focus on a 1% drop in crime overall, a 2% drop in domestic burglary, and a 5% drop in stolen cars. Of course, in my world, a 1-2% drop translates as "business as normal; no significant change." Especially if one is already living amongst astronomical crime levels.
So what's next?
There have been calls for more gated communities (of the type Michael Moore stereotypically depicts Americans as living in), and attempts to restrict alcohol use, "replica" guns (think toys, and the cigarette lighter in The Pink Panther).
And of course, harsher gun laws with stiffer sentences for those found possessing a banned weapon. (If something isn't working, do more of it!) Law enforcement and crime figures are, understandably, not impressed:
New laws that make carrying a firearm an offence with a mandatory five-year sentence have won little favour with officers on the street. 'It changes nothing,' said one drug squad detective who asked to remain anonymous. 'Most of the kids carry guns in order to protect themselves when they are dealing. They are going around with enough crack or heroin to ensure that they go away for 10 years if they get caught. Because of that, they feel they have nothing to lose and everything to gain by carrying a gun. They carry them just for the hell of it.'
Notorious underworld figure Joey Pyle agrees. 'In the old days, during the time of the Krays and the Richardsons, people didn't go around with guns on them all the time. You only got tooled up if you were out on a bit of work. That's all changed now. For a lot of people out there, having a gun is little more than a fashion accessory.'
As I've said before, the Brits are conducting a fascinating little controlled experiment with their country and self-defense and gun-control laws. It'll be interesting to see how these next couple measure work out. But regardless, my sympathy extends to UK citizens who have apparently had enough of this silliness and want a change to the laws.Notorious underworld figure Joey Pyle agrees. 'In the old days, during the time of the Krays and the Richardsons, people didn't go around with guns on them all the time. You only got tooled up if you were out on a bit of work. That's all changed now. For a lot of people out there, having a gun is little more than a fashion accessory.'
! Once again it is proven that statistic show what you want them to show.
