If laxed gun laws are supposed to keep violence down, so why is Arizona seeing a rise in gun violence?

Question

Republicans gun nuts push against gun laws saying that the more guns we have, the less violence we'll see, but in the past three years, Arizona has seen a rise in gun violence. This violence is nowhere near the border and illegals are never involved. Does this discredit their little claim?

AZ Gun Deaths Among Highest in Nation
http://knau.org/post/az-gun-deaths-among-highest-nation

Police: Phoenix shooting preceded by $18K robbery
http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/ap-stories/238470231.html

Suspect sought in fatal Phoenix office shooting
http://www.cnn.com/2013/01/30/justice/arizona-shooting/index.html

Answer 1

My understanding was that Arizona's crime problem was related to drugs coming across the border with Mexico. How did you come to the conclusion that illegals are never involved? I read the articles you linked, and they certainly didn't say that.



Also, if strict gun control is supposed to keep violence down, then why are the crime rates so high in Chicago and the UK, and so low in Switzerland?

Answer 2

Aren't STRONG gun laws supposed to keep violence down? It seems California having the strongest in the country would be a good comparison to make with Arizona. 2012 crime stats show AZ to have had 358 Murders. California had 1884 murders. That by the way is roughly equal on a per capita basis. Robberies? AZ 7,358 CA 56,521and Aggravated assaults again Arizona 18,087 and California 94,702. All these crimes may or may not have involved guns but I picked them because these are the types of crimes that often do. Now you may be correct in saying that lax gun laws do not reduce violence but please note that strong gun laws obviously do not either. Therefore your point is not made. You do know there are an awful lot of gun nut democrats do you not? Oh they really aren't nuts but if owning a gun and supporting gun rights is the only qualification needed to call all republicans gun nuts then the shoe fits democrats too. It was in the democratic controlled senate that the last attempt at gun laws failed, the house never even saw it. Some people in the democratic party had to have voted against it.

Answer 3

How do you know it would not be higher if it was not for "laced" gun laws? You don't.



Example: Say you do not have a gun. A person for whatever reason wants to do you harm, you most likely have no chance to stop it. Now you have a gun you may be able to stop one, two or three people who want to do you harm. But if their are five or more you may not be able to stop them from doing you harm. Similarly armed law abiding citizen will keep crime down, until there are way more criminals there there are armed citizens.



So is the number of criminals in Arizona on the rise?



For a more complete answer your question read John Lott's More Guns, Less Crime.

Answer 4

I live in the 4th largest city in North America. There were 11 fatal shootings last year in a city of 4 million +.



We have gun control. No pistols for anyone except cops. Of course, it's still too easy to go to the US and smuggle a gun in, but that's because your gun "laws" are absurd. You can't say the punks are swarming out of control here though with 11 fatal shootings.

Answer 5

You've got three news articles, no statistics. None of your sources actually support your assertions. It's no different than the conservatives who point and laugh at the climate change scientists who got stranded in the Antarctic ice in the middle of the Southern hemisphere's summer. One (or three) incidents do not a trend make. So you actually discredit yourself. Strong work, bro.

Answer 6

Violent crime covers a whole spectrum of criminal behavior and actually if you check you will see that the murder rate has actually dropped from 397 in 2011 to 358 in 2012 matter of fact is has dropped sense 1985

check it out for yourself

Answer 7

No, the crime is still from illegals, it's increased because the irresponsible federal government is actively preventing Arizona from enforcing the laws. Where do you come up with all these lies?

Answer 8

It's not rocket science pal



ALL Gun Violence in Gun Free Zones IS committed by ARMED CRIMINAL OUTLAWS



Why can't you understand that More Gun Laws ONLY disarm law abiding citizens and make them EASIER prey for Criminals who ignore ALL Gun Laws and many other Laws when they use guns to commit crimes ?

Answer 9

@GOD

Actually if your going to use per capita then MI has the highest in the Country. Rural areas far out pace cities in gun violence per capita.

Answer 10

I support Arizona in its bid to stop the infiltration by Californian leftists.



A veritable plague of locust that devour common sense, tradition and prosperity.

Answer 11

If strict gun laws reduce crime why do cities like Chicago, DC, LA, and NYC ALL have higher murder rates?

Answer 12

Only a fool thinks making guns readily available will reduce the number of people killed by guns.



It is like having sex to promote virginity.

Answer 13

More Democrat "MIGRANTS"...as they flee Baltimore, Chicago, LA, Sandy Hook, and other Democrat crime scenes, it will take a while for them to decompress...Plus national Democrat broadcast news is available NATIONWIDE even though the Democrat print media is almost gone

Answer 14

It is hard for Arizonians to shot all of the criminals pouring into their state from California.

Answer 15

Because your own link lists Chicago at the top of the list.



Kind of blows your point out of the water.



DOH!!!!



I read it. What does laxed mean?

Answer 16

Gun violence is a 2nd amendment right.

Answer 17

sorry, but the murder capital of USA is STILL Chicago, Detriot ,and New York...where their is a gun ban...





EDIT: Also ,the drug cartels have a play in this...