What's So Great About Australia's Gun Laws?
Today President Obama expressed frustration that the US hasn't tightened gun laws after repeated school shootings, and pointed to Australia as a great example of how tighter gun laws have stopped mass shootings.
I left Australia because of the clampdown on shooters' rights that came about as a result of the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania (1996). Semi automatic long arms and pump action shotguns were severely restricted, all long arms were registered and all shooters had to procure licenses.
President Obama claimed that no mass shootings had occurred since, as a direct result of the clampdown. This is not true. Seven were shot (two killed) in 2002 at Monash University by a Chinese student.
Both shooters were mentally deranged.
I guess you could argue that shootings may have declined, since so many guns have been taken out of circulation, and it's now so very difficult for any law-abiding citizen to legally buy a firearm. But here's the kicker. Home invasions have increased, as have random violent attacks in the streets. I also remember witnessing numerous road rage incidents before I left. Honestly I worry about my aging parents, who live in Logan City (south of Brisbane), which is so unsafe I'd never consider walking the streets after dark, and would even think twice about doing so in broad daylight. I've lived all over the US over the past 14 years and have never had any such qualms. Admittedly I haven't ever lived in any of the really rough neighborhoods in Chicago or Pittsburgh. But it is true what they say, an armed society is a polite society, and I love it.
I left Australia because of the clampdown on shooters' rights that came about as a result of the Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania (1996). Semi automatic long arms and pump action shotguns were severely restricted, all long arms were registered and all shooters had to procure licenses.
President Obama claimed that no mass shootings had occurred since, as a direct result of the clampdown. This is not true. Seven were shot (two killed) in 2002 at Monash University by a Chinese student.
Both shooters were mentally deranged.
I guess you could argue that shootings may have declined, since so many guns have been taken out of circulation, and it's now so very difficult for any law-abiding citizen to legally buy a firearm. But here's the kicker. Home invasions have increased, as have random violent attacks in the streets. I also remember witnessing numerous road rage incidents before I left. Honestly I worry about my aging parents, who live in Logan City (south of Brisbane), which is so unsafe I'd never consider walking the streets after dark, and would even think twice about doing so in broad daylight. I've lived all over the US over the past 14 years and have never had any such qualms. Admittedly I haven't ever lived in any of the really rough neighborhoods in Chicago or Pittsburgh. But it is true what they say, an armed society is a polite society, and I love it.
posted by Warren at 11:09 PM
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