Why Gun Control Is Self-Defeating

Why Obama is Wrong about Gun Control

Obama said, “Without gun laws it is far too easy for criminals to buy guns.” 10-27-2015
- Every state already has outlawed convicted felons owning a gun. WITH gun laws, it is far too easy for criminals to get guns because you are not enforcing existing gun laws against criminals possessing guns.
- The problem with this law is that it is by and large not enforced or enhanced with another type of action or investigation to ensure that it is enforced.
- The fact is that you can buy guns underground, on location and even online. Laws prohibiting guns sales do little to prohibit criminals from getting guns.
- http://gizmodo.com/5927379/the-secret-online-weapons-store-thatll-sell-anyone-anything

http://gawker.com/5879924/now-you-can-buy-guns-on-the-online-underground-marketplace

Obama said, “States with high gun ownership, police are 3 times more likely to be murdered.” 10-27-2015
- The link below is where Obama is getting this from. This only qualifies in “some states” where other factors contribute to this such as the propensity of violence in that state as well as a larger in population and more overworked police force.
  - http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/pdf/10.2105/AJPH.2015.302749
- A more thorough evaluation of the statistics shows that no direct correlation can be made between gun ownership and Law Enforcement murders. Just as many states show that the reverse is true. Statistics were accumulated for 2014 in relation to gun ownership, population, murder totals, gun murder totals, and Law Enforcement Officer murders. Offender population statistics could only be found for 2015, but that would not be drastically different than in 2014. In order to reflect active and likely to use gun ownership, the number of Gun Background checks were used as an indicator of gun ownership. To see the full statistics on this, download the spreadsheet posted at the end of this article.
- The Law Enforcement Officer murders can be seen in relation to the rate of gun acquisitions in the graph below. Obviously there is no direct relationship. Once again, this is more of an indication that murders are not a reflection of the ownership of guns.

84.7% of all Law Enforcement Officer murders are caused by Previous Offenders. In fact 81% of all murders are caused by Previous Offenders. Now let’s take a look at the relationship between Previous Offender population and LEO (Law Enforcement Officer) murders. In the graph below, we can see that there is a much more direct relationship between the rate of previous offenders and LEO murders. Once again, Criminals cause murders, not guns. A gun is just a tool. If guns are taken away, knives, bats, bows and arrows, 2x4’s with nails in them can all become the weapons used.

Let’s see how gun ownership relates to gun murders overall in the graph below. Generally, as gun purchases increase, gun murders actually go down somewhat.

Now what about Gun Ownership in relation to murders overall. In the graph below, it can be seen that quite generally, as gun ownership goes down, murders go up.

Now what about gun murders in relation to offender population. In the graph below, we can see that generally, as offender percent of population goes down, gun murders go down. Very obviously, it is NOT the guns causing murders, rather it is the criminals using guns to commit murder. Now, I has already been established that 81% of all murders are committed by previous felony offenders.

Let’s see how offender population rate relates to murders overall. In the graph below, we can see that the previous offender population rate follows the overall murder rate fairly closely. Now with the fact that criminals are responsible for 81% of all murders, and most of these are gun murders, it would make a lot of sense to make a law restricting felons from possessing a gun (as is already a federal law), and actually enforce that law.

During the previous assault weapons ban, the number of police officers killed went up. So, the rule of fewer guns results in fewer murders, just does not coincide with reality.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/28/no-mr-vice-president-cops_n_2568497.html
Let’s take a look at a longer history of homicide rates and gun laws. In the graph below, we see that the homicide rates went up as gun laws were put into effect. Recently the homicide rate has gone down as concealed carry permits have increased.

Obama said, “More guns on the streets do not make you or your community safer.” 10-27-2015
- Statistics Prove: More Guns, Less Crime
- Obama’s own Department of Justice statistics show that as guns ownership increases, crime goes down.

http://www.infowars.com/statistics-prove-more-guns-less-crime/

Obama said, “States with the most gun laws tend to have the fewest gun deaths.” 10-01-2015
- Now it would seem there is truth in this. If you limit guns, it is likely that people will use guns less. I verified the state gun control ratings and also gun murders per state and they do seem to correlate as shown in the graph below – not much.

Now if you ban aluminum nails in an effort to stop flat tires, people will just use other kinds of nails to make tires flat. The same thing will happen with gun control. There are other weapons that people will use. Instead of guns, people can use knives, bats, rocks, 2x4’s with nails, ropes, fires, and the list can go on and on. Again, look at the chart below. There is no direct correlation.

Obama said, "It cannot be this easy for somebody who wants to inflict harm on other people to get his or her hands on a gun," 10-01-2015
- So why aren’t we enforcing existing laws against felons possessing guns? Why aren’t we cracking down on illegal gun sales and dealers that break existing laws to make sales to criminals easier?
- So, why should it be more difficult for someone that wants to defend himself from criminals to arm themselves with guns?
- If you make gun laws, criminals will still get guns. There will be more criminals because people that want to be criminals will see it is easier to be a criminal now that good people are disarmed. And more people will also be criminals because they will see that criminals are still arming themselves and will see the need for self-defense.
- I have already shown how easy it is for criminals to get guns, even though it is against the law for them to get them. That is because current laws are not being enforced.
- Someone that wants to inflict harm on others will get their hands on something gun or no gun.

Http://freedomoutpost.com/2015/06/after-uk-gun-ban-knife-murders-skyrocket-uk-urges-save-a-life-surrender-your-knife/

Obama said, “It doesn’t happen in other places with this kind of frequency.” 10-01-2015
- Actually, it happens in other places with a greater frequency.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2014/06/23/why-is-vox-doing-violence-to-gun-statistics/

http://crimeresearch.org/2014/03/comparing-murder-rates-across-countries/
Actually, gun homicides are down 49% since 1993.
http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2013/05/07/gun-homicide-rate-down-49-since-1993-peak-public-unaware/

Now, About Those Obama Proposals…

(Comments in RED are my own)

You can read about Obama’s proposed gun control proposals here:

http://www.ncsl.org/research/civil-and-criminal-justice/summary-president-obama-gun-proposals.aspx

Requires background checks.
- Already mandated by Federal Law.
Provides states with monetary incentives for background checks and information sharing.
- Good idea. This is mandated by federal law, but it this financed to ensure that it can be implemented? It there a national database for this? If not consider that things would be much more efficiently done on a National basis.
Bans military-style assault weapons and limits magazines to a capacity of 10 rounds.
- This will only serve to limit non-criminals from having them. Bad idea. We tried this before and it did not do much.
Provides additional tools to law enforcement. The plan proposes a crackdown on gun trafficking by asking Congress to pass legislation that closes “loopholes” in gun trafficking laws and establishes strict penalties for “straw purchasers” who pass a background check and then pass guns on to prohibited people.
- Now you are talking. Use background check information to investigate possible illegal gun sales and straw man purchases.
Urges Congress to pass the administration’s $4 billion proposal to keep 15,000 state and local police officers on the street to help deter gun crime.
- Is just keeping officers on the street going to help? What about performing the investigations? More funding may be needed.
Maximizes efforts to prevent gun violence and prosecute gun crime. The president calls upon the attorney general to work with U.S. attorneys across the country to determine gaps occurring in this area and where supplemental resources are appropriate.
- Like I said before, we only need to enforce the laws that we already have.
Provides training for “active shooter” situations to 14,000 law enforcement, first responders and school officials.
- How about banning gun free zones? Train stable individuals to be ready and armed in these areas in case of an active shooter situation.
Directs the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to issue a statement to health care providers that they are not prohibited by federal law from reporting threats of violence to the proper authorities.
- This is a good measure. Deal with the causes of mass murders, such as mental illness, or anger.
Launches a national gun safety campaign to encourage responsible gun ownership and authorizes the Consumer Product Safety Commission to examine issues relating to gun safety locks.
- Include some gun training in this. Train more stable individuals to be ready in case of an incident.
Helps schools invest in safety. The president’s plan calls for more school resource officers and counselors in all schools through the Community Oriented Policing Services hiring program. The plan also calls for the federal government to assist schools in developing emergency management plans.
- Good idea. We need better plans than just run and hide. There needs to be people to respond to assailants do that he is opposed by gun fire. It would work better to oppose the assailant by throwing chairs, desks, cans, or whatever can be at hand. The assailant may get a couple of victims, but any assailant cannot continue if 10 to 20 people at tackling him at the same time.
Improves mental health awareness through enhanced teacher training and referrals for treatment. The plan calls for the training of 5,000 additional mental health professionals nationwide. The plan also calls for coverage of mental health treatment under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.
- Good idea. Be aware of the signs of mental illness. Get help for people as soon as possible.

Is Obama aware that we already have some Federal Gun Laws?

http://www.fedcoplaw.com/html/federal_firearms_laws.html

Lacking: Make more people, gun sellers, states and municipalities of these already existing gun laws.
Lacking: Gun training for new gun owners.
Lacking: Stable citizen armed and readiness watch programs.
Lacking: Eliminate gun free zones. Replace those with authorized gun carriers only zones.