Brazil Weighs a National Gun Ban

[rstickle]

Later this month every citizen from 18 to 70 will confront a clear, yes-no question: Should the sale of all types of guns and ammunition be banned nationwide for everyone except the police and military?

The Oct. 23 referendum, in which all adults must participate (voting is optional for those over 70), will be the first time any country has taken a proposed gun ban to the national ballot. Brazil has the highest number of firearms fatalities in the world, with more than 36,000 people shot dead last year, according to government figures.

Initial surveys indicate that most Brazilians favor a ban, hoping it will at least reduce the large number of guns circulating in the country. Opponents argue that banning guns will do little to stop criminals while making it harder for citizens to defend themselves.

Internationally, gun control advocates and opponents are monitoring the campaign closely, studying the possibility that the referendum could be replicated elsewhere.

"If the ban is passed, then I definitely expect other countries to try the same thing," said Rebecca Peters, director of the International Action Network on Small Arms, a coalition of nongovernmental organizations leading a U.N. effort to curb the illegal gun trade. "It will send a message to other countries influenced by powerful gun lobbies that it's possible to work around them."

This is a portion of an article in this mornings Washington Post which is scary to say the least. The whole story can be found at:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...093001838.html

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[QKShooter]

I wonder if all of those Brazilian 1911 Colts will make it up to the U.S.

Gee....I wonder how long it will take for the Brazilian thugs & drug dealers to revert back to hacking people up into bite~size little pieces with machetes again?

[LenS]

Just like drugs, criminals can get damn near any weapon they want and smuggle it into any country or state.

Only the law abiding citizens get hurt, left defenseless.

I'm sure this will pass into law in Brazil. Very few people in the world have the brain power to rationally think any proposal thru. They WISH for crime to end and thus will clutch at any straws available to try to force their wish to become reality.

[Scott]

I have some insight into this since I just spent the last week in Brazil.

The crime in the suburbs of the big cities is out of control. There are places the police will not go, so the residents are on their own. The problem is just like here. The people who will cast the majority of the votes don't see violence each day, but fear it based on what they read or see on the TV. Incidents of entire buildings being robbed door to door. Vans taking children to school being stopped and children being kidnapped, etc.

So the problem is that a lot of the people believe if guns are banned then this sort of criminal activity will not happen anymore. The media in Brazil like the media everywhere is pushing that notion. Fortunately the guys I was talking with aren't so stupid. They know that having a gun for protection is about the only way to stop these criminals if there is a way.

We will have to wait and see. I did my part trying to give the guys there info about our concealed carry system and so on.

-Scott-

[FortyFive]

I don’t believe this is a new course of action for their country it is all part of the world net to take guns from people. Well financed managed by a few people the group has been holding meetings for a number of years to lay the framework of remove guns. They need a foothold and found a willing partner to join them in their effort.

[rstickle]

I have some insight into this since I just spent the last week in Brazil.

The crime in the suburbs of the big cities is out of control. There are places the police will not go, so the residents are on their own.

That was one of the interesting points in the full story, I got the impression that the drug gangs were actually providing some measure of protection in some of the areas the police wouldn't go into.

And, thanks for the first hand info.

[P95Carry]

I am so utterly sick and tired of the agenda that purports to provide an answer - ''getting guns off the streets'' sorta crap.

Trouble is so many folks buy into this - never thinking beyond to see that always but always, bad guys will be armed - there is no way to disarm them. Sadly a referendum such as this will probably be saturated with bliss ninney votes that hold this quaint notion dear - never realizing that things will only get worse.

UK was great at using the ''get guns off the street'' deal - didn't help them too much and just took guns from decent folks.

I despair of much of mankind's ability to think for self, with logic - must be a dying art.

[FortyFive]

Chris, the same people are steering this one that did Canada, GB and the Aussies in. Figure it out, all of these people have unlimited amounts of money and backing with access to high places. The only show of force is money, we in America need access to the same money cash cow that other organizations have. A never ending supply of cash works wonders.

[P95Carry]

True Richard - I should have included in my comments, this cash debacle.

George Soros et al - is a danger of mammoth proportions - not simply because of his wealth but of course the way it can be and is being used to poison minds.

If decisions were made rationally, without bias and pressure such as from his ilk, they would at least stand a better chance of being a fair deal.

Oh that we did have some cash cows of such mammoth proportions - it would help level the playing field.

[buzzg]

Ditto all of the above, and I too thought the drug cartels were keeping the most dangerous neighborhoods under some semblance of control to further their own agenda. Cash cows, well most of 'em here are on the other side I fear. IMHO the whole anti-gun rant is has one goal; the disarmament of the private citizen. The private citizen with a gun and the skill/determination to use it is the only real threat to tyranny. True, there are some people, misguided souls to be sure, that honestly believe that taking guns away from everybody will make them and their children safer. These poor dimwits are the ammunition the tyrants use. It's very similar to the rabble rouser at the back of the crowd shouting slogans to get the crowd going his way. It's effective. Hitler was a master at it. What we are fighting for is the right to prevent being tyrannized. Most of our freedoms are under attack from some direction or other. Our right to keep and bear is the only barrier to that attack. It's the freedom that guarantees all the others.

[FortyFive]

Buzzg, very well put, you did it much better than I in explaining the true goal of the anti-gun or anti-freedom groups. The problem is our own people the gun organizations for the past 30 years took our money and did zero to further the gun cause, they built their organziation and touted we been doing this for 100 years plus. Doing what for 100 years plus. Now we the people are jammed with thoughts like well if you don't like your state move or vote at the polls etc. Sound bytes that sound good but are empty in substance.
Now we are paying and slip sliding backwards.
Foundations provide endless amounts of grants to organizations like the ACLU founded in the 1920's to go after Christens etc. thats why they can afford to take up the fight on most anything.
The people in America don't see the true loss coming, boy you are so right about tyranny.

[500Mag]

Positive spin...if they pass the ban, the crime will not go down and it becomes a model of what not to do.

[buzzg]

Positive spin? I would hope so, but the Brazilians apparently have not examined the result of the bans in the UK, and Australia. Their "leadership" however know what's going on. They just have a different agenda. I don't have statistics, but I would bet a rolling doughnut that a majority of their major crime is the direct result of the presence of the drug cartels. Why not go after them with the same zeal as they direct at the abolition of firearms ownership? It's too dangerous for one, and I'll roll another doughnut that most of the Brazilian elected/appointed officials are being given a lot of money to guarantee the safety and continued prosperity of the cartel leaders.
Old Proverb: One hand washes the other.

[Betty]

I won't be surprised if the law passes. It's just another feel-good move that won't help. I sympathize for the Brazilians stuck down there who don't support this crazy legislation.

A disarmed populace is helpless against lawbreakers... and lawmakers.

[Bud White]

I wonder if all of those Brazilian 1911 Colts will make it up to the U.S.

Gee....I wonder how long it will take for the Brazilian thugs & drug dealers to revert back to hacking people up into bite~size little pieces with machetes again?

Weapon of choice is Chainsaw not as much work to hack them apart havent ya seen Scarface read a report once that they sold more chain saws in Flordia than in orgean logging country whats up with that