Another liberal mistake

As 2009 fades into the recent past, some interesting observations from the year continue to debunk the liberal myths on gun control.

The arrival of the Obama Administration in Washington caused a predictable effect on gun owners. Fearing an administration in power in Washington that was hostile to private ownership of guns, gun owners across the United States went on a buying spree, purchasing more than 14 million firearms in the year. Ammunition for those weapons became increasingly difficult to acquire as shortages developed nation-wide. This orgy of spending on firearms occurred despite the sharp downturn in the economy and rising and persistent unemployment.

So, with millions of additional firearms flooding the population, did these new purchases result in increased violence in the streets, more murder, mayhem, and assault. Did running gun fights happen in American cities and towns at a horrific pace? Quite to the contrary the national crime statistics went down in virtually every category and in cities and towns of all sizes, according to the FBI Uniform Crime Report for January through June, 2009.

Murders decreased nation-wide by 10 percent, and by an even higher rate in the big cities of the Northeast (13.7%). Rape decreased by 3.3% while aggravated assault declined by 3.2%. Robbery declined by 6.5 %.

Is it possible that the proliferation of weapons in the hands of honest, peaceful citizens produced a deterrent effect on the criminal class, uncomfortable preying upon a well-armed citizenry? Of course that is the only reasonable explanation. But will this interesting statistic cause the anti-gun, anti-violence groups to relent in their relentless campaign to remove firearms from the possession of law abiding citizens. Probably not, and for one very good reason. The anti-gun crowd does not care about the statistics. They do not care about reducing crime and increasing the domestic tranquility. They care about the ability of big government socialist democrats to control its citizens.