Gun Control vs. Right to Carry: The reality is in the facts.

A couple weeks ago I gave my support to a bill in the Oklahoma legislature that would give students who had a concealed weapons permit to carry firearms on campuses in the state.

Then I get the emails and the messages, "Big T – you're wrong! How can you believe that more guns equal more protection?" “No one but law enforcement should be allowed to carry guns on campus.” And here is one: “You gun nut jobs need a date with reality.”

Well the reality of this matter are in the facts, researchers can find no instance in history where banning handguns has led to less violence involving handguns. It just isn't the case. In most cases crime has increased.

The most comprehensive book ever written on the subject is titled More Guns, Less Crime by John R. Lott Jr. I suggest everyone read it.

If you don’t want to read it; there are plenty of nations we can use as case sample studies of what happens when a society is disarmed by government. Crime rates skyrocketed in England and Canada when they enforced their ban on firearms.

We can also look at Iraq and Afghanistan. The law abiding citizens of these countries have been disarmed and now rely on U.S. military and allies to protect them from insurgents, al Qaeda and the Taliban. It is one of the biggest strategic mistakes we have made in the war.

Now let’s look at a place we actually have some data on. Some of you may have seen this information before, but here's what happened in Australia just one year after gun owners were forced to surrender their means of protection. By the way, "disarming" Australia cost the taxpayers $500 million.

A dramatic increase in criminal activity has been experienced.

OBSERVABLE FACTS, AFTER 12 MONTHS OF DATA:

· Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2%

· Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6%


· Australia-wide, armed-robberies are up 44% (yes, FORTY-FOUR PERCENT)

· In the state of Victoria , homicides-with-firearms are up 300%


· Figures over the previous 25 years show a steady decrease in homicides-with-firearms (changed dramatically in the past 12 months)

· Figures over the previous 25 years show a steady decrease in armed-robbery-with-firearms (changed dramatically in the past 12 months)

· There has been a dramatic increase in breakins-and-assaults-of- the-elderly

· At the time of the ban, the Prime Minister said "self-defense is not a reason for owning a firearm"

Is he kidding, I can’t think of a better reason to own a firearm.

Then there is the old argument small disputes on campus will turn into gunfights instead of fistfights. Once again it just doesn’t seem to be the case.

College students in Utah have been allowed to carry concealed weapons since 2006. They have some of the safest campuses in the country.

The truth is an armed society is a respected and well-mannered society.