It certainly sounds like licensing and registration are not working in Brazil. What do you think? Is it possible the high rate of gun violence is due to other factors and if the strict gun laws were removed the violence would be worse? Is that possible?Because of gun politics in Brazil, all firearms are required to be registered with the state; the minimum age for ownership is 25 and although it is legal to carry a gun outside a residence, extremely severe restrictions were made by the federal government since 2002 making it virtually impossible to obtain a carry permit. To legally own a gun, the owner must pay a tax every three years to register the gun, and registration can be done via the Internet or in person with the Federal Police. Until the end of the 2008, unregistered guns could be legalized for free. The total number of firearms in Brazil is thought to be around 17 million with 9 million of those being unregistered.
Some 39,000 people died in 2003 due to gun-related injuries nationwide. In 2004, the number was 36,000. Although Brazil has 100 million fewer citizens than the United States, and more restrictive gun laws, there are 25 percent more gun deaths; other sources indicate that homicide rates due to guns are approximately four times higher than the rate in the United States. Brazil has the second largest arms industry in the Western Hemisphere. Approximately 80 percent of the weapons manufactured in Brazil are exported, mostly to neighboring countries; many of these weapons are then smuggled back into Brazil. Some firearms in Brazil come from police and military arsenals, having either been "stolen or sold by corrupt soldiers and officers."
Could it be that like Canada, the problem is improper or ineffective administration of the licensing and registration program? Could it be done better in order to achieve the desired results?
Again from Wikipedia one of the best descriptions of the gun debate.
The issue of gun law has become a political and/or controversial issue in many societies. There are many differing views on how gun laws should be set up in a society. A typical disagreement is over whether guns should be prohibited in the interest of public safety, or whether citizen gun ownership improves safety and should be allowed. This debate is fueled by black market sales of firearms, illegal firearm manufacturing, cross border purchases, witness intimidation, self defense as a right, use of deadly force in self defense, victims rights, accidental shootings, use of firearms in killing sprees, criminal use of firearms originally purchased legally, use of stolen firearms by criminals, hunting vs. self defense use, alternatives to firearms, etc.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
"To legally own a gun, the owner must pay a tax every three years to register the gun."
ReplyDeleteLike I said before, registration only has two purposes: Taxation and confiscation. Here we have a perfect example of taxation.
"Is it possible the high rate of gun violence is due to other factors..."
Yes.
"..and if the strict gun laws were removed the violence would be worse? Is that possible?"
How much worse could the violence get? In the US, blood is running through the streets, if you let the average gun controller tell it. And Brazil has 4 times as much? They must need boats to get around in all that blood.
"Could it be that like Canada, the problem is improper or ineffective administration of the licensing and registration program? Could it be done better in order to achieve the desired results?"
Can you do a bad thing better?
Just another example where registration does nothing to stop crime.
ReplyDelete--Not Jade Gold
http://gunloon.com
Often, gunloons will point to countries like Brazil and Mexico (Mexico also has tough gun laws) and pule, 'See...it doesn't work.'
ReplyDeleteThis ignores the fact that many such countries very often have very strict laws--but they are not enforced. and/or police forces are corrupt or ineffectual. Prostitution and drug trafficking is also illegal in these countries--yet both are rampant.
--JadeGold
"Is it possible the high rate of gun violence is due to other factors"
ReplyDeleteYa think? The social and economic realities of the country are a far bigger factor in the violence that is occurring down there.
Ya think? The social and economic realities of the country are a far bigger factor in the violence that is occurring down there.
ReplyDeleteKinda like DC, Chicago, Wilmington or Philly......yet MikeB and his ilk keep screaming that gun laws are the answer.
"This ignores the fact that many such countries very often have very strict laws--but they are not enforced. and/or police forces are corrupt or ineffectual. Prostitution and drug trafficking is also illegal in these countries--yet both are rampant."
ReplyDeleteSo in other words, Mexico and Brazil are just like the US.
AztecRed beats me to it:
ReplyDeleteSo in other words, Mexico and Brazil are just like the US.
I was just about to ask JadeGold if he thinks drug trafficking and prostitution are uncommon in the U.S.
So basically Jade Gold's answer to claims that registry doesn't work is to say, yes it doesn't work but it could work if criminals obeyed the law.
ReplyDeleteFat White Man:
ReplyDeleteWrong. JadeGold is saying that the law is not enforced--huge difference.