"Laws that forbid the carrying of arms... disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man." --Cesare Beccaria, On Crimes and Punishment, quoted by Thomas Jefferson in Commonplace Book
Kent comments:
In light of all the hubbub regarding the recent shootings in Arizona, we do well to remind ourselves of Mr. Jefferson’s sentiments. What Beccaria says, and Jefferson repeats, is not just abstract theory. As portrayed in the sign above, weapons are prohibited at most universities. Yet, this does not stop shootings at schools – witness the tragedy at Virginia Tech in 2007 and Columbine High School massacre in 1999.
Statists constantly repeat the idea that gun control will prevent gun crimes – in the face of reason and evidence – as though repeating something often enough will make it true. This reminds me of many non-Christian religions and the “vain repetition” (as Jesus said) of certain words and phrases as though they are magic.
If you want to prohibit guns by law, all reason and evidence prove that your motive cannot honestly be safety and security. You have other motives and goals, even if unspoken.
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