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Florida Polar Opposite of DC PDF Print E-mail
Written by Daniel White   
Thursday, 13 July 2006

Critics of the pro-concealed carry movement claim that allowing law-abiding citizens the option of carrying firearms for personal protection invariably leads to an increase in crime, or, at worse does nothing to affect overall crime rates. Studies by many researchers have shown that while the overall crime rate is sometimes unaffected, the violent crime rate tends to decrease with that crime being displaced to property crimes.

Often, one needs only to look at real-life examples of differences in gun policy and the resulting effect on the likelihood of being a victim of a violent crime.

The state of Florida has long been a leader in gun rights reform in the United States. Recently, statistics were released showing that Florida’s crime rate dropped for the 14th straight year to it’s lowest level since 1971. Florida Governor Jeb Bush attributes this continued decrease to “tougher laws, increased financial support from the Legislature and law-abiding citizens with guns”

"This report shows that staying tough on crime works," Bush was quoted by the Associated Press as saying. "Law abiding citizens that have guns for protection actually probably are part of the reason we have a lower crime rate."
The crime rate, compiled by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, decreased 3.7 percent from 4,855 crimes per 100,000 people in 2004 to 4,677 crimes per 100,000 people last year. The total included 881 murders, 12,230 rapes and 75,204 vehicle thefts.

In 2005, the state's law enforcement agencies reported 838,063 crimes compared to 850,490 in 2004, a 1.5 percent decrease.

This decrease occurred despite prediction by anti-gun zealots that there would be blood in the streets and dead tourists after Florida became the first state to pass “castle doctrine” legislation, removing the duty to retreat when a citizen is faced with a violent criminal attack.

In contrast, the nation’s capital has declared a “Crime Emergency.”
Two groups of tourists were robbed at gunpoint on the National Mall, just hours after the police chief declared a crime emergency in the city in response to a string of violence that included the killing of a British activist.

The activist, Alan Senitt, was attacked in the Georgetown area on Sunday, his throat was slit and police say the attackers attempted to rape his companion. It was the 13th homicide in the city this month. Robberies are up 14 percent, and armed assaults have jumped 18 percent in the past 30 days.

In less than half a month, the city of Washington DC has 1/8th the murders than the entire state of Florida for all of last year (and that includes Miami). Could it be that Jeb Bush is right, and that part of the problem is DC’s draconian ban on firearms for self protection?

Recently, legislation was introduced to restore the rights of residents of DC and overturn the gun ban. Gun control advocates are right to fear this law, for if it passes, it could well be the final nail in the coffin of their tapestry of lies as the failed social experiment of gun control is exposed as a fraud.