Gun Control: My God, Why?

No Parasan! gives us a few facts regarding gun ownership and violent crime that are quite noteworthy:

1997 Justice Department report on murders in the U.S. shows that our country has a murder rate of seven victims per 100,000 population per year. There are a number of well-known examples of countries with more liberal gun laws and lower murder rates than the U.S. One is Finland, with a murder rate of 2.9. Israel is another example; although its population is heavily armed, Israel's murder rate is only 1.4. In Switzerland, gun ownership is a way of life. Its murder rate is 2.7.

By contrast, consider Brazil. All firearms in Brazil must be registered with the government. This registration process can take anywhere from 30 days to three months. All civilian handguns are limited in caliber to no more than 9mm. All rifles must fire handgun ammunition only. Brazilians may only buy one gun per year. At any one time, they may only have in their possession a maximum of six guns: two handguns, two rifles and two shotguns. To transport their guns, citizens must obtain a special police permit. CCW permits are available but are rarely issued.

...Incidentally, Brazil's murder rate is 19 victims per 100,000 population per year.

Hmm. And since -

An estimated 24.3% of the 1,430,693 violent crimes (murder, aggravated assault, rape, and robbery) committed in the United States in 1999 were committed with a firearm.

It begs a question - what about the...:

...75.7% of all other violent crimes that don't involve a firearm(?).

Indeed. And Viking Phoenix takes us on a walk through the Gun Control Hall of Fame, reminding us of some of history's other advocates of this misguided policy:

Adolph Hitler's Nazi Weapons Law of 1938 specifically outlawed firearms ownership by Jews and Gypsies and anti-Nazi opposition, successfully eliminating 13,000,000 of his foes and ensuring that Germany would be free of crime. One benefit of Hitler's policies was a series of highly effective population reduction and control programs. Hitler was the leader of one the world's most industrialized nations during his term in office. Under his leadership German leaders finally had a comprehensive policy of sensible gun control. The charismatic Nazi leader pioneered the "sporting use" test for firearms ownership, a concept that remains important to today's gun control advocates. Hitler has many successful U.S. imitators in the Gun Control Hall of Fame, many of them are well-known politicians and public figures.

Quote time! Who said:

"This year will go down in history. For the first time, a civilized nation has full gun registration! Our streets will be safer, our police more efficient, and the world will follow our lead into the future."

Seems like a speech a Euro-lefty would give, or maybe Hillary Clinton, but no, again, it's Adolf Hitler, 1935...

Let's give some other somewhat famous historical figures a chance to weigh in, shall we?

Mohandas K. Gandhi: "Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest..."

Sigmund Freud: "A fear of weapons is a sign of retarded sexual and emotional maturity."

Admiral Yamamoto: "You cannot invade mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass." {It has been theorized that this was a major contributing factor in Japan's decision not to land on North America early in the war when they had vastly superior military strength. This delay gave our industrial infrastructure time to gear up for the conflict and was decisive in our later victory. }

The Dalai Lama: "If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun."

Israeli Police Inspector General Shlomo Aharonisky: “There's no question that weapons in the hands of the public have prevented acts of terror or stopped them.”

How would the likes of, say, Senator (D) Diane Feinstein {" If I could have banned them all - 'Mr. and Mrs. America turn in your guns' - I would have!" } respond to the fellow below?

Thomas Jefferson: "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."

Clear enough for you?