In the Wild West, some frontier towns imposed strict gun laws.
For example, one of the causes of the notorious gunfight at the O.K. Corral was that the lawmen were trying to regulate guns.
Before the gunfight, Tombstone, Arizona had passed Ordinance #9 to prohibit the carrying of any deadly weapon within city limits, without first obtaining a permit.
The Earp brothers charged Ike Clanton with violating the ordinance and he was fined by a judge. But Clanton and the rest of his associates refused to give up their firearms.
Soon after the men refused to give up their guns, the Earp’s and Holliday confronted the group. Wyatt Earp allegedly told Clanton and his group, “I want your guns.”
This sparked the shootout at the O.K. Corral.
Tombstone was a model for towns that tried to restrict or ban firearms. The ordinance passed by the town was entirely ineffective.
Unfortunately, the same laws that passed and failed in Tombstone, and throughout our history in the U.S., are happening again today.
The criminals in the Wild West did not obey laws. And criminals today don’t care how many gun control laws are passed because it won’t affect them.
When it comes to violence in society, gun control is not going to solve the problems. History has clearly demonstrated this fact.
Regardless of the propaganda being spewed by some, here are a few reasons gun control won’t work today.
Criminals don’t obey gun laws:
Criminals don’t follow the law.
A study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics examined how prison inmates obtained the firearms they used during crimes.
The study found that about 10% of criminals obtained firearms from retail stores.
The rest?
Through illegal sales or by stealing them.
The reality is that gun control will only affect law-abiding citizens.
Cities with the strictest gun control:
There are many cities in the U.S. with strict gun control – such as New York, Chicago, Baltimore, and San Francisco.
But the fact is, that some of the cities with the strictest gun control laws have the highest crime rates.
In other words, gun control does not reduce crime.
In 2020, shootings in Chicago increased by 50%. Gun-controlled Chicago had one of the highest murder rates in the country.
In 2020, New York City homicides increased 41%, and shootings increased 95%.
Gun control did nothing to stamp out gun violence. In fact, as you can see, the violence actually increased.
The only people who suffered were the law-abiding citizens who were disarmed and made potential victims, left at the mercy of criminals.
No thanks.
Crime goes down when good guys have guns:
Over the past three decades, violent crime rates have dropped by more than half, while the number of firearms in the U.S. doubled during the same period.
The number of people who carry a firearm for protection has risen to an all-time high.
In a study of 2,000 prisoners, the majority of criminals fear armed citizens more than they fear the police.
On a personal note, it’s shocking how these smash and grab robberies are occurring in major cities.
Yet, in my conservative town, I’m not aware of any of these types of robberies.
That’s because the majority of folks walking around my town have a gun on their hip, and criminals know this.
There is no denying that something needs to be done about violence in our country. Innocent lives are being taken too often.
But gun control isn’t the answer and never will be.
The best way to combat violent crime is to go after the violent criminals. Not stripping away fundamental rights of law-abiding citizens who want to protect their loved ones.
