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I am a red blooded Oregonian but lived overseas for 20 yrs until recently. Just thought I'd pass on my experience living with the end result of extreme gun control.
Country is Belize. Ex British colony where the brits made the original gun laws to ensure the oppressed local population could not be an armed threat to the colonial minority.
The interesting part is that gun control actually wasnt that horrible in the 70's to 90's for it being a brit country. You had to have a license issued by the police commissioner and it was pretty much guaranteed if you were a sound citizen with no criminal background and either a hunter, in need of a handgun for personal protection, or a shooting competitor. You could have any non military semi auto rifle, any handgun or shotgun and a decent amount of ammo but you couldnt make your own. The govt did control the importation and local distribution of ammo but it was readily available.
And then in the 90's the usa experienced a surge in black gang violence aka the bloods and the crips. Many Belizean blacks had emigrated to the usa and guess what? Many where involved in those gangs due to Belize's cocaine connection. So the us feds started rounding up these guys and deporting them back to the country they came from. So Belize got back its share of garbage from LA, Chicago and NYC (as did Jamaica due to their weed).
In short time peaceful Belize experienced a massive surge in gang gun violence, armed robberies and car jackings. The local populous became enraged and it was immediately decided that further controlling guns would alleviate the violence and stop the problem. They forgot that ample gun control was already in place to stop criminals or crazies from buying them (legally).
I see the same happening in the usa right now. Ignorant massive outcry to control the gun because it will protect our society from itself. Anyhow we all know about this bs. The point is the similarity of denial of the real problem and the possible outcome.
This is the outcome for a citizen iN Belize to now own a firearm:
-You have to be interviewed by a FBI type cop and get his recommendation to be eligible for one.
-You are typically only allowed one gun in any category (self defense pistol or hunting rifle or shotgun) and max one of each category if you have any clout
-You are limited to guns that shoot non military cartridges, no centerfire semi rifles, no magnums or large calibers in anything and no semi auto shotguns
-You have to pay high annual fees to license each weapon
-Guns and ammo are subjected to 100% govt taxes
-You are limited to the amount of ammo you can have in possession per gun permit (100 pistol, 50 shotgun, 100 rifle)
-You are limited to only purchasing that amount of ammo per day based on your permit but cant have more than the permit amount in possession or at home
-You cannot loan your gun to anyone else other than at a gun club shoot
-You cannot manufacture your own ammo
-You can only sell your gun to another licensed and vetted person via a dealer.
-The penalties for gun law violation are a fine with no bail and mandatory jail time. There is no distinction made in the law between a licensed person having 10 rounds over the permit amount and a gangbanger getting caught with 10 rounds in his pocket.
-The police can raid your house with no warrant if they suspect illegal firearms or ammo. If they find anything then all present in that house can be charged for the same offense. Even the maid.
Of course gun violence stats have not notably changed since the implementation of these draconian laws. In fact its worse there now!
I know this is an extreme example but it does show you how public pressure can change laws fast and for the worse!
Country is Belize. Ex British colony where the brits made the original gun laws to ensure the oppressed local population could not be an armed threat to the colonial minority.
The interesting part is that gun control actually wasnt that horrible in the 70's to 90's for it being a brit country. You had to have a license issued by the police commissioner and it was pretty much guaranteed if you were a sound citizen with no criminal background and either a hunter, in need of a handgun for personal protection, or a shooting competitor. You could have any non military semi auto rifle, any handgun or shotgun and a decent amount of ammo but you couldnt make your own. The govt did control the importation and local distribution of ammo but it was readily available.
And then in the 90's the usa experienced a surge in black gang violence aka the bloods and the crips. Many Belizean blacks had emigrated to the usa and guess what? Many where involved in those gangs due to Belize's cocaine connection. So the us feds started rounding up these guys and deporting them back to the country they came from. So Belize got back its share of garbage from LA, Chicago and NYC (as did Jamaica due to their weed).
In short time peaceful Belize experienced a massive surge in gang gun violence, armed robberies and car jackings. The local populous became enraged and it was immediately decided that further controlling guns would alleviate the violence and stop the problem. They forgot that ample gun control was already in place to stop criminals or crazies from buying them (legally).
I see the same happening in the usa right now. Ignorant massive outcry to control the gun because it will protect our society from itself. Anyhow we all know about this bs. The point is the similarity of denial of the real problem and the possible outcome.
This is the outcome for a citizen iN Belize to now own a firearm:
-You have to be interviewed by a FBI type cop and get his recommendation to be eligible for one.
-You are typically only allowed one gun in any category (self defense pistol or hunting rifle or shotgun) and max one of each category if you have any clout
-You are limited to guns that shoot non military cartridges, no centerfire semi rifles, no magnums or large calibers in anything and no semi auto shotguns
-You have to pay high annual fees to license each weapon
-Guns and ammo are subjected to 100% govt taxes
-You are limited to the amount of ammo you can have in possession per gun permit (100 pistol, 50 shotgun, 100 rifle)
-You are limited to only purchasing that amount of ammo per day based on your permit but cant have more than the permit amount in possession or at home
-You cannot loan your gun to anyone else other than at a gun club shoot
-You cannot manufacture your own ammo
-You can only sell your gun to another licensed and vetted person via a dealer.
-The penalties for gun law violation are a fine with no bail and mandatory jail time. There is no distinction made in the law between a licensed person having 10 rounds over the permit amount and a gangbanger getting caught with 10 rounds in his pocket.
-The police can raid your house with no warrant if they suspect illegal firearms or ammo. If they find anything then all present in that house can be charged for the same offense. Even the maid.
Of course gun violence stats have not notably changed since the implementation of these draconian laws. In fact its worse there now!
I know this is an extreme example but it does show you how public pressure can change laws fast and for the worse!
