-Caveat Lector- > http://www.netside.com/~lcoble/2ndamend/lies.txt > Gun Lies > Somebody is lying.... > ------------------- > > Statement: "One child under 14 is accidently shot to death > every day in the USA" (Center to Prevent Handgun Violence) > > Truth: True, if the year in question is 1979, when there were > 364 such deaths. In 1990, the most recent year for which data > are available, the number was 236, according to the National > Center for Health Statistics. The number of fatal gun > accidents among children has fallen by 56% since 1970, even > as the gun supply has grown significantly.[4] > > Statement: "In the past decade, more than 138,000 Americans > were shot by children under the age of 6." > (Hartford Courant) > > Truth: No source is ever cited for this factoid because there is none. > No government or academic agency even collects data to provide > an estimage for the true figure.[4] > > Statement: 135,000 children carry guns to school each day. > (U.S. Sen. Biden and Chafee) > > Truth: The 135,000 figure, also sometimes given as 186,000, is often > attributed to the Department of Justice (DOJ), but no specific > DOJ study is identified. The number is a huge distortion from the > plausible 16,000 to 17,000 nationally extrapolated from > criminologist Gary Kleck's data.[4] > > Statement: "Firearms are responsible for the deaths of 45,000 infants, > children and adolescents per year." (American Academy of > Pediatrics) Truth: Even if all persons 15-95 are considered > "adolescents," this one > can't be true. The 45,000 figure exceeds the total deaths in all > ages from all causes related to firearms.[4] > > Statement: "One million U.S. inhabitants die prematurely each year > as the result of intentional homicide or suicide." (former > Surgean General C. Everett Koop) > > Truth: According to the National Center for Health Statistics, in 1988 > there were about 30,000 suicides (by all methods) and about 22,000 > homicides (by all methods, including legal self-defense). Thus, > the "one million" claim is off by about 1800%.[4] > > Statement: "Guns are the leading cause of death among older teenagers- > white and black-in America." (Newsweek) > > Truth: True for black males, but not for females or for males of other > races.[4] > > ----------------------------------------------------------- > > Statement: "People without guns injure, people with guns kill." > (The Coalition for Gun Control)[2] > > Truth: Most homicides (c. 60-75%) in Canada are done with something > other than a firearm. One is more likely to be injured by a knife > wielding attacker than a gun wielding attacker. If injured, > (non fatal) knife wounds are more likely to be more serious > than firearms injuries according to Statistics Canada. > > In Canada from 1961-1990, there were a total of 15,198 > homicides. > > 63.1% were with a non-firearm. > 14.3% were with a non-restricted rifle. > 13% were with a illegally owned restricted firearm. > 6.5% were with a non-restricted shotgun. > 2.4% were with a unidentified firearm. > 0.7% were with a legally owned and registered restricted > firearm. [8] > > In 1992, there were 756 homicides(including self defense > homicides) > in Canada, of those, 26.19% with with firearms, that leaves > 73.81% homicides by means other that a firearm. [8] > > Statement: "Dogs are more regulated than firearms are." > (The Coalition for Gun Control) > > Truth: No permit is needed to purchase or acquire a dog. No permit is > required to transport a dog or take a dog for a walk. Dogs are > not banned because of physical appearance. Small dogs are not > more strictly regulated than larger dogs. Dogs are not registered > everywhere, and where they are, registration is quick and easy, > available to everyone, and used to control dogs that tend to run > > around on their own. Registration of dogs has not been used to > confiscate expensive dogs that have not been used in criminal > offenses. > > Statement: "Motor vehicles are more regulated and taxed than guns." > (The Coalition for Gun Control)[2]. > > Truth: Applicable taxes on firearms and motor vehicles are the same, > being the Goods and Services Tax and Provincial Sales Taxes. > Motor vehicles are not banned for being paramilitary > in appearance (i.e Jeeps and 4WD vehicles), having automatic > transmissions, large capacity (> 5 litres) gas tanks, or > colour. No permit is needed to purchase a motor vehicle. > No permit is needed to tow or ship a vehicle if the > vehicle is not being driven. Drivers licenses are easy to > get, good for 5 years and allow the motor vehicle to be taken > anywhere in Canada by the driver. Concealed weapons permits > are not available to Canadian citizens. Motor vehicles > are not required to be stored with empty fuel tanks and disabled > engines in locked garages. > > Statement: "Guns are more lethal on a per use basis than motor > vehicles." > (The Coalition for Gun Control)[2] > > Truth: Number of motor vehicle related accidental deaths in Canada > in 1990, 3798. Number of firearms related accidental > deaths in Canada in 1990, 186. Canadians fire millions of > rounds of ammunition every year while hunting, plinking, > target practise, and competitive shooting. Target shooting > is one of the safest of the outdoor sports. > > Statement: "Easy access to firearms contributes to crime". > (The Coalition for Gun Control)[2] > > Truth: Areas that have instituted tougher restrictions on the legal > access or ownership of firearms have seen increases in the violent > crime rates. Canada and Britain have both increased the restrictions > on firearms owners in the last 15 years, and have seen dramatic > increases in violent crime and the use of illegal firearms. > Areas of the US (and several countries) that have liberal > restrictions, > or have eased their restrictions on legal gun owners have low > crime rates, or have seen their crime rates drop. > > Prior to January 1978 when Bill C-51 came into effect, Canada > had > very liberal gun laws. From 1977 to 1991, Canada's violent crime > rate has increased 89% (583 to 1099 violent crimes per 100,000 > population) compared to a 59% for the US in the same period. > (476 to 758 violent crimes per 100,000 population). > [10] > > Statement: "The majority of Canadians support tougher gun control." > (The Coalition for Gun Control)[2] > > Truth: While a survey that asked "Do you favour more gun control?" had > 80% of the respondants say yes. However when asked "What should > the Government do to fight crime?", less than 1% responded by > saying "more gun control". "Do you agree that the courts are > presently much too lenient in punishing criminals using guns?" > 86% said yes. "Do you agree that law abiding sportsmen, > recreational shooters and collectors should not lose their guns > because the the actions of relatively few criminals?" 82% said > yes. A September 1991 nationwide Gallup poll found that 88% of > Canadians favor sever penalties for crimes involving firearms, > in preference the only 8% in favour of increasing restrictions > over existing firearms owners, and 68% felt that passing more > severe laws over legitimate gun users will will have very little > influence on criminals.[1] > > Statement: "The experts support toupher[sic] gun control." > (The Coalition for Gun Control)[2] > > Truth: The individuals that the CfGC claims are experts, are not > experts on gun control. Some are merely more politicians, some are experts > in unrelated fields, some are bureaucrats that have admitted to > their lack of knowledge, and are simply following the line put forward > by their political masters. Experts who have actually studied the > effects of gun control have found that gun control does not > reduce violent crime. > > Statement: "The NRA worked feverishly to block all attempts to ban > plastic, undetectable handguns that could easily be smuggled onto > airlines." > (Handgun Control Incorporated) [3] > > "The NRA's army of slick lobbyists even fought our efforts > to ban ... plastic pistols which can't be found by > metal detectors, ...! > (COALITION TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE)[9] > > Truth: The NRA and the Federal Aeronautics Admininstration (FAA) showed > how the Glock-17 pistol was 83% steel, and completely visible > to X-ray machines. The NRA then worked with the FAA to write > a law making undetectable firearms illegal. > > Statement: "When the nation's police asked congress to ban the > manufacture > and sale of "cop killer" bullets -- ammunition that penetrates > the vests worn by police -- the NRA lobbied furiously to defend the > sale of this ammunition.[3] > (Handgun Control Incorporated) > > "The NRA's army of slick lobbyists even fought our efforts > to ban ...cop-killer bullets specifically designed to > pierce bullet-proof vests!" > (COALITION TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE)[9] > > Truth: The NRA helped write the law restricting the sale of armor > piercing handgun ammunition to the police and armed services only. >The NRA pointed how an earlier version of the law was so badly > written that it would have banned most ammunition, including > regular normal ammunition used for hunting and target shooting. > The company that was making "armor piercing" handgun ammunition > was owned and run by senior police officers, and only sold the > ammunition in tiny quantities to some police departments and > the military anyway. The ammunition was specifically designed > to provide improved penetration against autobody panels and > auto glass, and its design actually reduced the chance that > it would pierce bullet-resistant vests.. > > Statement: "Handgun Control Incorporated, One million strong" > (Handgun Control Incorporated)[3] > > Truth: According to papers filed by HCI, their membership is actually > about 250,000, although they only have about 146,000 names on their > mailing list. The NRA, on the other hand, has over 3,400,000 members. > In Canada, the Coalition for Gun Control has only about 3,000 >members, while the National Firearms Association has about 100,000 >members. > > Statement: "14 children are killed by handgun abuse every day in the > USA". (Handgun Control Incorporated) > > Truth: 14 children/day times 364 days/year means about 5100 children > killed by handguns every year in the USA. This is false. The total > firearms deaths for children (up to age 14) was 587 in 1988. In 1990 the > number children killed by firearms related accidents was 236. The total > number of children killed by abuse of firearms (handguns, shotguns, and > rifles) in the USA is between 600 and 800 a year. > > Statement: "The United States has weak gun control laws." > (Handgun Control Incorporated) > > Truth: Gun control varies greatly within the USA. Unlike many > countries, > every political unit within the USA can make their own laws. In >addition to federal laws such as lifetime firearm prohibition >orders for convicted felons, age minimums for buying firearms > that are higher than Canada, and restrictions on the interstate > purchase of firearms, every state, county, city, town and village can and >does set up their own gun laws. Many areas of the USA have gun > control laws much tougher than anywhere in the world. Example, > Washington D.C., handguns are banned, longarms must be stored > disassembled. In Chicago, Illinois, handguns must be registered, but > registration forms are not >available. New York City, firearms permits take up to 6 months > to get, and concealed weapons permits are only available for the rich > and politically connected. California has a 15 day waiting period on > the purchase of all firearms. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
