Ms. Hamilton stated in her letter recently that the statistic of 2.5 million uses of guns for self-defense was exaggerated.

The research on how many times guns were used for self defense was done by John R. Lott, professor in Chicago School of Law, Democrat supporter of the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union), who has never been an NRA member. He did the research to find facts to support his antigun view and, to his surprise, came up with the number 2.5 million on how many times guns were used for self-defense annually.

Following the completion of his research he wrote a book, “More Guns, Less Crime.” Criminals cause 13,000 deaths annually with guns; this compared with how many times guns are used for self-defense is more than enough reason to support and keep the 2nd Amendment. I looked at several different sources and have found what is said to be the most accurate research.

Our Founding Fathers knew the importance of having an armed citizenry. Guns have been around since this nation was founded, but there have not been shootings in the schools until recently. The movies of today have been polluted with murder, crime, killing, immorality, and all other types of violence. The public schools teach kids that they evolved from animals. We kill animals for food and other purposes, so if they believe that humans are just animals, why would they place value on human life?

Guns are not the problem; the root problem is a moral problem. Taking away guns is not going to make America a safer society. Just take a look at what happened in Australia.

One year after gun-owners were forced to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed, including semiautomatic .22 rifles and shotguns, a program costing the government over 500 million dollars, the results are in. A dramatic increase in criminal activity has been experienced. Gun control advocates respond, “Just wait, we'll be safer; you'll see.”

Observable facts after 12 months of data:

Australia-wide, homicides are up 3.2 percent.

Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 percent.

Australia-wide, armed-robberies are up 44 percent (yes, 44 percent).

In the state of Victoria, homicides-with-firearms are up 300 percent.

Figures over the previous 25 years show a steady decrease in homicides-with- firearms.

There has been a dramatic increase in break-ins-and-assaults-of-the-elderly.

At the time of the ban, the Prime Minister said, “Self-defense is not a reason for owning a firearm.” From 1910 to present, homicides in Australia had averaged about 1.8-per-100,000 or lower, a safe society by any standard.

The ban has destroyed Australia's standings in some international sport shooting competitions.

The membership of the Australian Sports Shooting Association has risen to 112,000, a 200 percent increase, in response to the ban and as an attempt to organize against further controls, which are expected.

Australian politicians are on the spot and at a loss to explain how no improvement in “safety” has been observed after such monumental effort and expense was successfully expended in “ridding society of guns.” Their response has been to “wait longer.”

We must defend our right to keep and bear arms.

Michael Brandon
Fayetteville

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