Friday, May 6, 2011

Three Potential Leads*...

Hunter in AK sends in this interesting story:

Group calls Alaska 'do nothing' state in preventing gun violence

Some Alaskans will call this a victory -- gun fans in Arizona already are: Alaska has tied with Utah and Arizona for worst score in the annual state rankings on gun laws by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. "Arizona, Alaska and Utah do not have a single common sense gun law on their books," the group said in a press release Wednesday. All three states scored 0 on a 100-point scorecard for laws aimed at preventing gun violence. "Alaska has weak gun laws that help feed the illegal gun market and allow the sale of guns without background checks," the Brady Campaign says.

Okay, where to begin...

1. California is rated "best" in this study, yet only garners 80% out of 100 - a B-, if you will. MA barely passes with a 65, a solid D. Compare the incidents of violent crime between CA/MA and AK/UT:

According to the US Census of 2006, CA is 14th in violent crime, with 533 violent crimes per 100,000 people. MA is 8th, with 447 violent crimes. AK is 6th, with 688 violent crimes, UT is 45th with 224 violent crimes. MA + CA = 980 violent crimes per 100K people; AK + UT = 912 violent crimes. Not exactly a convincing argument for more gun control, is it?

2. Alaska is "feed[ing] the illegal gun market"??? Is the Brady Campaign honestly suggesting that criminals are buying guns in Alaska and then smuggling them into other states? Are they aware that AK is actually not physically connected to the rest of the United States? That they would have to get on a plane - where they would have to declare the firearm ahead of time or face prosecution - or drive through another country???

So a criminal ready to commit multiple Federal crimes (buying a gun out of state, transporting across state lines, getting on an airplane without declaring, etc.) is going to be dissuaded by AK requiring a background check? Are they for real?

Then again, I guess it's to be expected that they'd be grasping at straw(men) while they scramble for relevance...

That is all.

*Leads on states to move to, although after this past winter I think AK is right out...

12 comments:

bluesun said...

They just don't like Alaska because it's abbreviation is "AK."

Wolfman said...

Have you considered becoming a pirate? You'd make a wonderful Dread Pirate Roberts... Also, have you considered Montana? Western MT has milder winters than Eastern, plus great mountains. The G family could hunt, fish, camp, and shop for groceries, all while armed. The ccw restrictions have recently been removed, and only ever applied to within the city limits anyway, and the only Brady points the have EVER scored are for campus carry, and they're in the works. Sometimes, banks and stores even give away guns for free...

Rev. Paul said...

You had more snow, this winter, than we did here in Anchorage. Just saying you might want to move here to avoid the bad winters in MA. Heh.


WV: warms. Exactly my point. :)

Lissa said...

Lol, blue sun!! The idea of people buying gums in Alaska in order to smuggle them through customs -- TWICE -- would be funny if it weren't so stupid.

Jay G said...

bluesun,

They also hate Arkansas for a similar reason...

Wolfman,

Hmmm. Dread Pirate G. does have a certain... panache to it... :)

As for MT, I do have to admit I like their attitude on the second amendment specificallyt and state's rights in general. Little more remote than I'd care for, though. Mayube once we perfect teleportation... ;)

Rev. Paul.

Heh. Everyone's a comedian...

(On a side note, my condolences on your father).

Lissa,

Stupid's what the Bradys do best!

Bubblehead Les. said...

Fishing boats. Don't you know that Sarah Palin's Husband Todd sneaks over to Russia, picks up tons of AK-47's, puts them on Fishing Boats, and secretly turns them over to Smugglers off the California Coast, who, in turn, sells them to Mexican Drug Lords?

At least, that's what I heard from the ATF, when they were questioned by Congress this past week.

Paul, Dammit! said...

I don't have access to the raw data, but can someone, por favor, do a quick regression analysis to compare ranked restrictions on gun ownership vs. violent crime using this system?

Dave H said...

Dread Pirate G. does have a certain... panache to it...

I agree. Sounds like a name to make nanny states and record companies tremble in fear.

You'd need to wear an earring though. A gold hoop. Nothing else will do.

TinCan Assassin said...

C'mon over to AZ! Nice winters, and we shoot unruly congresscritters here! Appropriately enough, the captcha is "ouster".

Hunter said...

No, Rev Paul is correct. Overall numbers for snowfall were down this year across the state. Several big snowfalls, yes, but not the continuous pileups that you had in MA. Colder, not deeper.

Eck! said...

Actually the rating they gave MA was bogus.

Should have been 17points higher as we have no "gun show loophole" but they are too stupid to realize that ow they want a new and even more restrictive one.

Eck!

Unknown said...

Proud to be from failing state Ohio with a robust 8%