25 years murder-free in ‘Gun Town USA’

[Mercury]

Crime rate plummeted after law required firearms for residents

As the nation debates whether more guns or fewer can prevent tragedies like the Virginia Tech Massacre, a notable anniversary passed last month in a Georgia town that witnessed a dramatic plunge in crime and violence after mandating residents to own firearms.

In March 1982, 25 years ago, the small town of Kennesaw – responding to a handgun ban in Morton Grove, Ill. – unanimously passed an ordinance requiring each head of household to own and maintain a gun. Since then, despite dire predictions of “Wild West” showdowns and increased violence and accidents, not a single resident has been involved in a fatal shooting – as a victim, attacker or defender.

The crime rate initially plummeted for several years after the passage of the ordinance, with the 2005 per capita crime rate actually significantly lower than it was in 1981, the year before passage of the law.

Prior to enactment of the law, Kennesaw had a population of just 5,242 but a crime rate significantly higher (4,332 per 100,000) than the national average (3,899 per 100,000). The latest statistics available – for the year 2005 – show the rate at 2,027 per 100,000. Meanwhile, the population has skyrocketed to 28,189.

By comparison, the population of Morton Grove, the first city in Illinois to adopt a gun ban for anyone other than police officers, has actually dropped slightly and stands at 22,202, according to 2005 statistics. More significantly, perhaps, the city’s crime rate increased by 15.7 percent immediately after the gun ban, even though the overall crime rate in Cook County rose only 3 percent. Today, by comparison, the township’s crime rate stands at 2,268 per 100,000.

This was not what some predicted.

In a column titled “Gun Town USA,” Art Buchwald suggested Kennesaw would soon become a place where routine disagreements between neighbors would be settled in shootouts. The Washington Post mocked Kennesaw as “the brave little city … soon to be pistol-packing capital of the world.” Phil Donahue invited the mayor on his show.

Reuters, the European news service, today revisited the Kennesaw controversy following the Virginia Tech Massacre.

Police Lt. Craig Graydon said: “When the Kennesaw law was passed in 1982 there was a substantial drop in crime … and we have maintained a really low crime rate since then. We are sure it is one of the lowest (crime) towns in the metro area.” Kennesaw is just north of Atlanta.

The Reuters story went on to report: “Since the Virginia Tech shootings, some conservative U.S. talk show hosts have rejected attempts to link the massacre to the availability of guns, arguing that had students been allowed to carry weapons on campus someone might have been able to shoot the killer.”

Virginia Tech, like many of the nation’s schools and college campuses, is a so-called “gun-free zone,” which Second Amendment supporters say invites gun violence – especially from disturbed individuals seeking to kill as many victims as possible.

Cho Seung-Hui murdered 32 and wounded another 15 before turning his gun on himself.

http://felonsforguncontrol.wordpress...0/kennesaw-ga/

[Supreme American]

They said the same thing when Colorado passed the first home defense law in the 1980s. The libs coined it the "Make My Day" law and were howling about Wild West showdowns as well. They never happened. Only 2 people tried use the law to commit murder by luring people onto their property. Both of those 2 were tried and convicted of murder.

[Supreme American]

Cho Seung-Hui murdered 32 and wounded another 15 before turning his gun on himself.

Wasn't that loser upset because white girls wouldn't date him?

[mimzy]

It's a town of 5000 people of course there's not gonna be a lot of murder there. Maybe there is just a really strong sense of community there.

[2DREZQ]

Gun ownership can have a direct impact on crime. If you want to see a real impact on violent crime; pass "Shall-Issue" concealed weapons laws. The criminals won't go away, but they often switch to non-violent or non-confrontational crimes. You RARELY see armed street robbery in states where the robber might run into someone (like me) who is fast and well trained and always carries his/her weapon. Armed bank robbery is likewise quite unusual, despite the near total lack of armed guards. Hit a bank in my home state, and you might not make it out of the parking lot alive. They hit places of business like motels here, because most desk clerks at night are young and don't have, or aren't allowed a weapon.

I know some police chiefs who actively encourage law-abiding citizens to carry.

[Mercury]

It's a town of 5000 people of course there's not gonna be a lot of murder there. Maybe there is just a really strong sense of community there.

Notice this key word:

Crime rate plummeted after law required firearms for residents

[TheBorrebyViking]

Go OC on valentine's day at Starbucks and bring this up while the liberals are crying.

[2DREZQ]

Armed criminals also tend to not be members of MENSA.
25 years or so ago 3 black guys in a purple van attempted a bank robbery in Bismarck North Dakota in broad daylight. The radio announcer was actually laughing as he broke the story. There isn't much crime in the area, and many people listen to KFYR, and kept a constant string of phone calls coming in as the van was spotted over and over again. Then they pulled out onto the Interstate highway, which runs uncrowded for hundreds of highly visible miles across open country. Every bored cop and Highway patrolman within 75 miles converged on them, and they were stopped about three exits from the city.

Manhunts around here tend to end badly for the hunted.