Re: GUNS: Re: Self Defense

From: Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Fri Jan 19 2001 - 20:03:25 MST


>Some statistics a year after Australia's gun confiscation:

>State of Victoria, homicides with firearms up 300%!

< teeth grinding sounds >

With firearm homicides as low as they are in Oz, noise makes such claims
virtually meaningless.

For the facts, take a look at:

http://www.aic.gov.au/stats/homicide/

In 1997, the Australian Institure of Criminology stats show that for the
entire country of some 19 million people, there were 360 homicides. One a
day. 76 used firearms (100 the previous year, but I doubt this drop means
anything at such low rates).

Victoria's rate *for the whole goddam year* went from 7 to 19.

(Note well: not 70 to 190. Not 700 to 1900.)

Oh my god! Up by a factor of 2.7! 270%!! How shocking! Nineteen shot dead
in a year, in a State of some 4.5+ million people.

Get a grip on reality.

Damien Broderick



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