Failed Prohibitions---Alcohol & Guns

THE FOLLOWING LETTER WAS SENT TO VARIOUS COMMONWEALTH EDITORS AND REAL PERSONS.


In the USA the Prohibition against the manufacture, importation, etc. of alcoholic beverages was a very great failure as if failed of its goals of a more sober America and reduction in alcohol related social problems. As a matter of fact, that experiment (Like so many others supported by the proponents of the "Nanny State") brought more evil into the USA by: Raising minor gangsters to positions of great power; Increased the level of corruption among public officials; May have, through making drinking the "forbidden fruit", increased drinking and resultant personal problems; Destroyed the beer industry, substituting "booze" and drinking to get drunk for the liquid-bread previously enjoyed among family and friends; And, encouraged a general disrespect for the Law on the basis of the noted corruption, general breaking of laws and glorification of such as Al Capone.

In the UK and over the last 60-years or so, there has been imposed and inflicted on the Queen's subjects a growing prohibition against both the private possession of effective firearms and the Natural Law right to self-defense, those defending themselves against criminal attacks do so in violation of public policies-and-laws and at great peril of being treated more harshly than those who attack them.

There was a time (With lower crime rates) that real people (Not only such fictional ones as Holmes' Dr. Watson) thought nothing of putting a large-bore revolver in their coat pocket before going into dangerous areas or situations OR just walking about. In those times such truly real and truly great people as G. K. Chesterton actually took pride in going about armed (In his case with a sword cane).

I think there is little doubt that the UK's experiment with effectively banning the private ownership of effective firearms and suppressing the right to self-defense (And the means of executing that right) has horridly failed. According to published crime figures (Even allowing for suppression of some by UK police authorities): It is much more dangerous to walk about the streets of London than of New York City; The overall serious crime rate in the UK has overcome and surpassed, sometimes by 60%, that in the USA; The criminal misuse of firearms in the UK has skyrocketed (Remember: "When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns."); 50%-plus of UK's burglaries now occur when the home is lawfully occupied (A crime often called "Home Invasion" in the USA); And, armed robberies increased more than 50% in one year (2002).

This evidence does not support the claims of the Labour Government and other "nannies" that gun banning has been a success!

What, then, should be done? I suggest that, over the next four years, the following be done:
1. First and foremost, the Parliament should affirm that individuals have a right to self-defense against criminal attacks (Including home invasions) and that the use of weapons in such defense is allowable under law and not subject to criminal or civil prosecutions;
2. Immediately issue personal handguns (0.38-caliber/9mm) and 50-rounds of frangible ammunition to all active duty police officers, customs agents, commissioned military officers, senior military NCOs and like persons, such weapons to be kept as their private property and carried in a concealed manner, at their discretion, when off duty and not drinking alcoholic beverages;
3. Within a year make the same issuance to all honorably retired persons in the above categories, upon their request, under the same conditions plus passing a live firing exercise by placing six of six rounds in a silhouette target's chest area at three-meters;
4. Within four-years make concealed weapons carrying permits available to all adult citizens of the UK who pass an annual police record check (Only drug and violent crime convictions to exclude such permits), pass a gun safety course (Not more than ten-hours) and pass a every three years shooting test as noted above.

Of course, a conviction for a criminal or negligent misuse of a fire arm would result in revocations of any such licenses; But, as few other restrictions should be put in place as is possible.

I suspect that the serious crime rate in the UK will begin dropping after steps 1 & 2 are enacted and continue to decrease over and beyond the noted four-year period. There might be a short increase in (Justifiable) homicides while the current crop of thugs learn that "the rules have changed", a phenomena which will reduce the strains of the UK's overcrowded prison system.

Other Commonwealth nations which have been experimenting with gun bans, and have likewise failed to protect their Citizens, should consider the same solution.

PS---If there is a shortage of firearms available to enact my
recommendations, I suggest that the Authorities search
the various Mosques and other Islamic centers out of
a reasonable expectation that they have modern weapons
stored-and-stockpiled within their walls.