Quote Originally Posted by Jack Sawyer
Quote Originally Posted by Lukie
How would you explain the overriding trend then? I.e. areas that have loose ccw and castle doctrine laws almost invariably see decreases in crime, whereas a place like Washington D.C. (where handguns were outright banned until recently) have very high rates of violent crime and was once known as the 'Murder capitol of the U.S'-- all while handguns were banned.
gentrification is seen as the main reason (apparently since '93), and not gun control
Jack, a few points. I can go into more detail later but I'm short on time, but I just had to say a few things. I'll start from the bottom up from your big post (going purely by memory here).

How come you can google the gun politics situation in Washington DC and come up with gentrification, yet you won't also apply the same theories to why the U.S. handgun murder rate is higher than other industrial countries.

The fact is that the U.S. is a violent country. We have *non-firearm* homicide rates higher than some European countries' *total* homocide rates. Likewise, some countries, particularly in central america, have non-firearm homicide rates higher than OUR total murder rate.

You also have to consider that many of these other developed countries had remarkably low murder rates before they implimented any kind of gun control whatsoever.

You have some facts regarding Switzerland wrong. In addition, I've long been under the impression that their guns per capita was the highest in the world, and their gun crime among the lowest per capita in the world. If you can prove that wrong (or right), please do. I'll do a little more research on it when I have the time. Keep in mind, the country likely exists today because of their gun culture.

About your home poker game scenario, it's a bunch of crap and you know it. You're implying the same wild-west crap that irritates me so much. CCW holders for example, and as I've already pointed out and provided sources for, are the cream-of-the-crop law abiding citizens. So drum up any wild scenario you want, facts are facts.

I have a lot more to say.