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LETTER
New laws, more deaths
06/06/2002 14:04 - (SA)
Once again the anti-gun lobby has attempted to mislead the public in the article titled "New gun laws can reduce domestic violence".
Firstly, in SA lightning kills more people than spouses using firearms. The lobby falsely states that while spousal murder has increased over ten years, firearm ownership has not.
The truth is that firearm ownership has increased by 60% in the same period. If firearm ownership is supposedly the cause of murder, why has SA civilian firearm ownership recently increased by 25%, during which time there was a 20% decrease in murder?
The existing laws completely encompass all police and court requirements for licensing and confiscation of firearms. Why is this government, under guidance from Gun Free SA, wasting R2 billion on firearm laws which it has admitted will not affect criminals, and "control" which will not prevent crime?
An unarmed woman is the helpless victim of a violent man, whereas an armed woman can stop the violent man, for a firearm in the hand is better than a policeman on the phone.
Kevin Duffy
Pietermaritzburg
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