Richmond, VA, and several other cities have finally made steps toward getting on the right track. You don't stop crime by punishing the law-abiding citizens.
"Project Exile." in brief, if you're caught with an illegal gun, whether you have used it in a crime or not, it's an AUTOMATIC 5-year federal prison sentence, with NO parole.
And whaddaya know.. criminal shootings there have dropped off dramatically! Crooks admit to being afraid to carry guns!
(Check "Time" magazine this week for more info - it's the issue with the "Blair Witch" cover.)
------------------ "When we turn our back on our principles, we stop being human." -- Janeway, "Equinox"
Posted by Chimaera on :
Sounds like an interesting solution. It's about time the Americans started cracking down like this. Mind you, between what's considered a legal firearm, and how easy it is to legally get weapons in the US, it may not get a significant percentage of the guns off the streets. I saw a spot on 60 minutes recently about the concealed weapons law in Florida, its easier to get a permit for a gun than a drivers licence. So a crackdown like this won't solve the whole problem (if I'm not mistaken, that day trader in Atlanta got his weapon legally), but its a good start.
------------------ "But, it was so artistically done." -Grand Admiral Thrawn
Posted by Baloo (Member # 5) on :
The objective is not to get guns off the street, but to get those who would use guns illegally off the street. If the streets were paved with guns, they would still be safe if the only people on them were not planning on stealing whatever you have at gunpoint.
Project exile lends credence to the theory that deterrence works.
Who it's easy to get concealed gun permits in Florida, that's nice however in TN I hear it is hard a hell to get a concealed gun permit.
------------------ HMS White Star (your local friendly agent of Chaos:-) )
Posted by Jedi Weyoun (Member # 110) on :
HMS--I think you might be right. I'm in Nashville...allow me to make a slight joke to which i would normally object, though. *L* here, there's not much REASON to carry a concealed weapon. A lot of the people here who HAVE them, just keep then in a rack in their pickup.
hehehehehehehe
------------------ "Fear attracts the fearful" ([[[[[[*]}�������������������������