[Vision2020] Guns in Greenleaf

[Mike Finkbiner]

Mr Hanson -

One of the interesting things about newsgroups is difficult it is to hear 
the tone of voice a comment is written in.  Based on your comments I assumed 
you were uneasy about average citizens being armed.

Seeing as that isn't true, we can discuss the more interesting question - 
what is the government's role?

Paxton Quigley tells an interesting story in her book 'Armed and Female' 
about a problem Orlando had some years ago.  A rash of brutal rapes had 
resulted in a rush on the gun stores by large numbers of women.  In response 
to concern over these untrained and presumably unsafe gun owners, the police 
department and local paper co-sponsored a training program for women in the 
city park.

Quigly quotes one police officer who said he was never so scared in his 
life.  They were prepared for several hundred women to show up, but more 
than 2500 did, "Armed to their teeth".

The city re-grouped and scheduled a three-class-per-week program.  "Five 
months later they had trained more than six thousand women."

The following year the rape rate dropped from 36 to 4, violent assault and 
burglary dropped by 25 percent.

Strikes me that an area like Greenleaf, which has a fairly high crime rate 
and a small police department, could see some benefit in making sure that 
responsible citizens are trained to handle emergencies.

- Mike

Mike Finkbiner
mike_l_f at hotmail.com

"I am convinced that we can do to guns what we've done to drugs: create a 
multi-billion dollar underground market over which we have absolutely no 
control."
				--George L. Roman

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Mike Finkbiner stated:

"If I understand it correctly, Greenleaf is considiring an ordinance to
encourage gun ownership and training, not require it."

Nobody said that the city of Greenleaf's ordinance would require gun
ownership, Mr. Finkbiner.  I, like the article (that I and others quoted
from), stipulated that the article (and thus the city of Greenleaf) was
asking the citizens of Greenleaf to have a firearm.

Mr. Finkbiner further states:

"More people have been killed by ideas than guns, . . . "

Perhaps, Mr. Finkbiner.  And may I add that even more people have been
killed by ignorance.

Mr. Finkbiner further quips:

"Both England and Australia have tried to reduce violence by banning guns.
Since those laws have gone into affect, the number of home invasion
burglaries has gone up."

Again, Mr. Finkbiner, I am not against gun ownership.  I am against a city
council (by ordinance) asking its citizens to have guns.

As you suggest, Mr. Finkbiner, guns are useful tools . . . in the hands of
responsible gun owners.  Responsibility is what may prevent that old man in
your analogy from killing his son/daughter during a late night refrigerator
raid.  I, too, own a firearm, Mr. Finkbiner.  I keep it cleaned, oiled, and
functional as I am certain that other responsible individuals do with
theirs.

Tom Hansen
Vandalville, Idaho