25 years murder-free in "gun-town" USA

[KenpoTex]

I know most here are probably familiar with the town of Kennesaw, Ga...just saw some new info.
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55288

[SIZE=+1]Crime rate plummeted after law required firearms for residents[/SIZE]

[SIZE=-1]Posted: April 19, 2007[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]1:52 p.m. Eastern[/SIZE]



[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com [/SIZE][/FONT]


[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]As the nation debates whether more guns or fewer can prevent tragedies like the Virginia Tech Massacre, a notable anniversary passed last month in a Georgia town that witnessed a dramatic plunge in crime and violence after mandating residents to own firearms. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]In March 1982, 25 years ago, the small town of Kennesaw – responding to a handgun ban in Morton Grove, Ill. – unanimously passed an ordinance requiring each head of household to own and maintain a gun. Since then, despite dire predictions of "Wild West" showdowns and increased violence and accidents, not a single resident has been involved in a fatal shooting – as a victim, attacker or defender. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]The crime rate initially plummeted for several years after the passage of the ordinance, with the 2005 per capita crime rate actually significantly lower than it was in 1981, the year before passage of the law. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]Prior to enactment of the law, Kennesaw had a population of just 5,242 but a crime rate significantly higher (4,332 per 100,000) than the national average (3,899 per 100,000). The latest statistics available – for the year 2005 – show the rate at 2,027 per 100,000. Meanwhile, the population has skyrocketed to 28,189. [/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]By comparison, the population of Morton Grove, the first city in Illinois to adopt a gun ban for anyone other than police officers, has actually dropped slightly and stands at 22,202, according to 2005 statistics. More significantly, perhaps, the city's crime rate increased by 15.7 percent immediately after the gun ban, even though the overall crime rate in Cook County rose only 3 percent. Today, by comparison, the township's crime rate stands at 2,268 per 100,000. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]This was not what some predicted. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]In a column titled "Gun Town USA," Art Buchwald suggested Kennesaw would soon become a place where routine disagreements between neighbors would be settled in shootouts. The Washington Post mocked Kennesaw as "the brave little city … soon to be pistol-packing capital of the world." Phil Donahue invited the mayor on his show. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]Reuters, the European news service, today revisited the Kennesaw controversy following the Virginia Tech Massacre. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]Police Lt. Craig Graydon said: "When the Kennesaw law was passed in 1982 there was a substantial drop in crime … and we have maintained a really low crime rate since then. We are sure it is one of the lowest (crime) towns in the metro area." Kennesaw is just north of Atlanta. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]The Reuters story went on to report: "Since the Virginia Tech shootings, some conservative U.S. talk show hosts have rejected attempts to link the massacre to the availability of guns, arguing that had students been allowed to carry weapons on campus someone might have been able to shoot the killer." [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Palatino, Book Antiqua, Times New Roman, Georgia, Times][SIZE=-1]Virginia Tech, like many of the nation's schools and college campuses, is a so-called "gun-free zone," which Second Amendment supporters say invites gun violence – especially from disturbed individuals seeking to kill as many victims as possible. Cho Seung-Hui murdered 32 and wounded another 15 before turning his gun on himself. [/SIZE][/FONT][/FONT]

 

[loyalonehk]

Who would of imagined that - Genius...

I was looking for the smiley that went "Dee, Dee-Dee !"

Great post - thanks for sharing.

 

[MA-Caver]

See, that's the paradox right there... and a mystery wrapped in an puzzle wrapped around an enigma... (to coin a phrase)... why is it with higher levels of gun ownership seems to deter crime and low to no gun ownership increases crime? But again go somewhere else and there's a higher murder/killing rate because of high gun ownership and then the opposite with no-gun ownership.

Something in the environment or society itself is what is actually determining these numbers... economic reasons can be cited and just about anything else can be attributed to plus or minus of the murder rate of any given community.

Just as it's always been said... it isn't the weapons themselves that are killing people but the people who are wielding these weapons...

 

[loyalonehk]

See, that's the paradox right there... and a mystery wrapped in an puzzle wrapped around an enigma... (to coin a phrase)... why is it with higher levels of gun ownership seems to deter crime and low to no gun ownership increases crime? But again go somewhere else and there's a higher murder/killing rate because of high gun ownership and then the opposite with no-gun ownership.

Something in the environment or society itself is what is actually determining these numbers... economic reasons can be cited and just about anything else can be attributed to plus or minus of the murder rate of any given community.

Just as it's always been said... it isn't the weapons themselves that are killing people but the people who are wielding these weapons...

Instantly made me think of the old bumper sticker "God created man - S&W made them equal"...

I know that leaves a lot to be argued. (maybe Im just kicking the hornets nest ) A little training goes a long way. I do not agree with everyone being allowed to own guns flat out. Required training and continued refresher training (safety, etc) is paramount. But if the criminals knew that every home and head of household had a firearm, then the criminal mind is going to seek a softer target/victim.

Nothing new in my post - just refreshing the idea.

 

[Blotan Hunka]

See, that's the paradox right there... and a mystery wrapped in an puzzle wrapped around an enigma... (to coin a phrase)... why is it with higher levels of gun ownership seems to deter crime and low to no gun ownership increases crime? But again go somewhere else and there's a higher murder/killing rate because of high gun ownership and then the opposite with no-gun ownership.

Something in the environment or society itself is what is actually determining these numbers... economic reasons can be cited and just about anything else can be attributed to plus or minus of the murder rate of any given community.

Just as it's always been said... it isn't the weapons themselves that are killing people but the people who are wielding these weapons...

Theres a difference between gun OWNERSHIP and gun POSSESSION in my lexicon. A law abiding citizen OWNS a weapon, a gangbanging thug ony POSSESSES one. I wager that areas of high gun OWNERSHIP are far safer than areas of gun POSSESSION. Just my little take on the issue.