Gun Stats

I recently came across articles about murder rates in a couple of America's large cities. First is New York City, which is on a course to have less than 500 murders for the first time since 1963. I'm sure you'll recall that Rudy Giuliani basically revitalized the city as its Mayor, and part of that effort was a drastic reduction in crime. Next is Washington, D.C., which is experiencing a swell in murder incidents, pushing close to 170 at this point in the year.

Here's the interesting part. New York has a population of about 8.2 million people. That means there was 1 murder for every 19,192 people so far this year. Washington, D.C., on the other hand, has a population of only about 580,000, giving it a ratio of 1 murder for every 3,441 people.

So why does Washington, D.C. have such a higher rate of murder? I'm sure there are many variables, but I'm also sure that at least one is the fact that guns are banned in Washington, D.C.

Let's follow the logic. A gun 'ban' really means that guns are just banned for those who obey the law - criminals will still get them. And, of course, a ban also means criminals know their victims won't have guns, allowing them much greater freedom to pursue their criminal intentions without fear of a strong defense from their victims.

That's why the 2nd Amendment is so important, and why 'gun control' is such a dangerous line to play with - it is our right as an American to own a gun if we so choose, and it is something that can keep us safe.

There's my two cents.