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11-20-2008, 09:10 AM

Read the following in my local paper today.

I know it's not about assault rifles but I thought it still "fit" the thread. This has to be the only positive piece of press I have seen in print in my local papers in many years. Made my day, thought I would share.

From the Courier News 11/20/2008

There are a lot of people in New Jersey with open minds and open eyes, but the majority of us have been mentally conditioned to be afraid of guns. The media in general have done an excellent job of demonizing firearms and the law-abiding citizens who own them.

A two-year study by the Media Research Center concluded that television reporters are overwhelmingly opposed to Second Amendment rights. Broadcasts of major networks from July 1, 1995, to June 30, 1997, covering 244 gun policy stories showed the ratio of anti-gun to pro-gun bias was 16 to 1. That means for every one story of someone using a firearm in self-defense or to save the life of another, 16 stories of criminals using their guns to hurt the innocent were aired. That ratio still remains the same today. It seems one-sided and unfair, does it not?

Despite what media coverage might seem to indicate, there are more deaths related to high school football than shootings. In a recent three-year period, twice as many football players died from hits to the head, heat stroke and other bizarre injuries as compared with students who were murdered by firearms during that same time period.

Why do the majority of our lawmakers think that making it more difficult to own and carry a concealed firearm is going to help quell the rate of violent crime in New Jersey? It's been proven time and time again that criminals in New Jersey do not care about gun restrictions or gun bans. The vast majority of the illegal guns used in crimes come from a few corrupt gun dealers outside the borders of the Garden State.

It seems most of our legislators have this unfounded fear that if A1282 is enacted, everyone will rush to get their concealed carry permit and there will be millions of guns on our streets that will result in a bloodbath the likes of which we have never seen. History shows that after concealed carry legislation was passed in Florida in 1987 only an estimated 3 percent of Floridians chose to obtain a concealed carry permit.

Now, let's return to New Jersey. The latest census estimates the population of New Jersey is 8.7 million. If 2 percent of citizens are granted a concealed carry permit, that would be approximately 174,000 people. That also means there would only be two people per square mile who would have permits to legally carry weapons. There are 10 times more criminals and street gang members in our cities who are illegally carrying concealed weapons right at this very moment. So what exactly are we afraid of?

The majority of us who live in and around urbanized areas in New Jersey believe guns are the problem. We seem to believe this because the mainstream media has trained us to think that way. The truth is there is an estimated 50.6 million households having at least one gun in the United States, totaling approximately 228 million firearms. The total number of firearms that are used by criminals to commit their violent acts is approximately 450,000 nationwide.

Ninety-seven percent of people in Florida have not chosen to obtain their concealed carry permits, but they are getting a huge benefit from the 3 percent who do. Since Florida passed concealed carry legislation, crime has dropped to 4 percent below the national average from 36 percent above the national average before 1987.

Most of us in New Jersey will choose not to apply for a gun, because we have been convinced by our government and the media that guns are evil. But for those upstanding law-abiding citizens who feel differently, they should not be denied their constitutional right to defend themselves, if they feel the need to do so.

11-20-2008, 09:10 AM	#90
ahc4353 Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Assault Rifle Ban Read the following in my local paper today. I know it's not about assault rifles but I thought it still "fit" the thread. This has to be the only positive piece of press I have seen in print in my local papers in many years. Made my day, thought I would share. From the Courier News 11/20/2008 There are a lot of people in New Jersey with open minds and open eyes, but the majority of us have been mentally conditioned to be afraid of guns. The media in general have done an excellent job of demonizing firearms and the law-abiding citizens who own them. A two-year study by the Media Research Center concluded that television reporters are overwhelmingly opposed to Second Amendment rights. Broadcasts of major networks from July 1, 1995, to June 30, 1997, covering 244 gun policy stories showed the ratio of anti-gun to pro-gun bias was 16 to 1. That means for every one story of someone using a firearm in self-defense or to save the life of another, 16 stories of criminals using their guns to hurt the innocent were aired. That ratio still remains the same today. It seems one-sided and unfair, does it not? Despite what media coverage might seem to indicate, there are more deaths related to high school football than shootings. In a recent three-year period, twice as many football players died from hits to the head, heat stroke and other bizarre injuries as compared with students who were murdered by firearms during that same time period. Why do the majority of our lawmakers think that making it more difficult to own and carry a concealed firearm is going to help quell the rate of violent crime in New Jersey? It's been proven time and time again that criminals in New Jersey do not care about gun restrictions or gun bans. The vast majority of the illegal guns used in crimes come from a few corrupt gun dealers outside the borders of the Garden State. It seems most of our legislators have this unfounded fear that if A1282 is enacted, everyone will rush to get their concealed carry permit and there will be millions of guns on our streets that will result in a bloodbath the likes of which we have never seen. History shows that after concealed carry legislation was passed in Florida in 1987 only an estimated 3 percent of Floridians chose to obtain a concealed carry permit. Now, let's return to New Jersey. The latest census estimates the population of New Jersey is 8.7 million. If 2 percent of citizens are granted a concealed carry permit, that would be approximately 174,000 people. That also means there would only be two people per square mile who would have permits to legally carry weapons. There are 10 times more criminals and street gang members in our cities who are illegally carrying concealed weapons right at this very moment. So what exactly are we afraid of? The majority of us who live in and around urbanized areas in New Jersey believe guns are the problem. We seem to believe this because the mainstream media has trained us to think that way. The truth is there is an estimated 50.6 million households having at least one gun in the United States, totaling approximately 228 million firearms. The total number of firearms that are used by criminals to commit their violent acts is approximately 450,000 nationwide. Ninety-seven percent of people in Florida have not chosen to obtain their concealed carry permits, but they are getting a huge benefit from the 3 percent who do. Since Florida passed concealed carry legislation, crime has dropped to 4 percent below the national average from 36 percent above the national average before 1987. Most of us in New Jersey will choose not to apply for a gun, because we have been convinced by our government and the media that guns are evil. But for those upstanding law-abiding citizens who feel differently, they should not be denied their constitutional right to defend themselves, if they feel the need to do so.