From: dahoov2@cox.net   
      
   This happened in the Harry Potter reading group.  Got WAY off track   
   and people started attacking each other and then people putting down   
   USA for it's crime.  What happened was people started to take things   
   personally.   
      
   Here's the thing; crime can go up and people will argue uit has or   
   hasn't based upon their own unique experiences.  Even though somewhere   
   liek Australia and US is large in area and population, stats are lower   
   in compared to some places like the UK where people are grouped in   
   lesser space and the cities may be more congested.... so crime is more   
   there if you equate it to land/people mass.  Stats can go up 100% if   
   say a community had ONE murder a year with a gun and year two they   
   have 2 murders.  Doesn't mean much when you look at it like that   
   right?  So it's not the best idea to start quoting stats unless you   
   understand what the stats are based on?   
      
   Just my opinion   
      
   It's like polls on websites that have not many visitors.  A handful of   
   people speak for the masses who are too lazy to vote... same with   
   straw polls and most the stats in the USA (ask one group then another   
   and you'll get two VERY different opinions!).   
      
   On Mon, 7 Apr 2008 12:58:22 -0500, "Gummby3"   
    wrote:   
      
   >Unfortunately, crime is going to happen whether there is a gun   
   >involved or not.  The sad thing is that there are people with no   
   >morals and compassion for their fellow man that will use a fingernail   
   >file to the throat to get their way.  Whether guns are banned or   
   >legalized, a person is going to commit an assault to get their way   
   >with whatever is available.  That is mixed in with your stats too.   
   >This is coming from a guy that lives in Texas where concealed weapons   
   >are legal for the citizens to carry.  Crime still happens.   
   >   
   >Anyway, this has gotten WAY off topic.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)