You're going to have to provide me with something more than a single example. That page states that concealed carry permits are in place in the majority of US states, but the US still has a much, much bigger volume of firearms related violence than countries without concealed carry permits. Essentially, though, what I'm arguing against is continuing to proliferate firearms, and passing laws to bring them into the streets, in a country so plagued by their criminal applications. Gun violence is a problem that needs to be attacked at its roots, and arming everyone is doing precisely the opposite.
I'm not arguing for more proliferation, damnit! I'm arguing for fewer/no new ineffective restrictions on law-abiding citizens! I don't care if the total firearm supply in the US changes. I care about what people with no criminal history/mental health dangers have the right to own.
You are completely missing the CCW debate here. You are comparing crime rates in the US with other nations, then trying to argue that CCW laws are bad when the gun-crime rate was higher in the US during the whole time. What you fail to notice is that crime rates (with and without guns) decreased in many US states after "lax" CCW laws were enacted. Besides all the OTHER factors which influence crime rates (many of which are stronger correlations), how are you arguing CCW is bad when crime rates decreased? Yes, the UK has a lower gun-crime rate. However, their violent crime rate is pretty high (and increasing), while the US's crime rate has been decreasing.
Are crime rates changing BECAUSE of gun laws? Not neccessarily. Gun laws and firearm proliferation have a very small impact on violent crime rates. HOWEVER, numerous US states have found that CCW carriers commit very little crime, and are able to defend themselves and others. Some studies indicate that CCW proliferation serves as a deterrent to criminals, while NOT increasing crime rates.
I highly reccomend reading "Targeting Guns" for a general overview of gun control in the US. "More Guns, Less Crime" is a very in depth statistical analysis of CCW laws in the US, written by Lott.
Last edited by RAIMIUS (2008-10-16 14:05:21)