| A bill to provide the residents of Washington D.C. | | | | themselves. In 1976, the District's City Council passed |
| with a voting representative in the House was | | | | a law that required all privately owned firearms to be |
| passed by the Senate this month, but is on hold in | | | | registered and prohibited possession of a handgun |
| House. The reason? The Senate bill also includes an | | | | not registered with the city's police department prior |
| amendment which repeals many of the capital city's | | | | to September 24, 1976. Since the law was passed, |
| gun laws, and the House hopes to pass the bill, minus | | | | the District has earned the distinction of being the |
| the gun amendment. | | | | "murder capital of the U.S. The murder rate in D.C. |
| Back on June 26, 2008, the Supreme Court struck | | | | had been on the decline prior to the law taking |
| down the District's handgun ban and finally established | | | | effect, but has steadily increased since the law's |
| that the Constitution's Second Amendment gives | | | | passing. Between 1976 and 1991 the murder rate |
| individuals the right to keep guns in their home for | | | | rose 200%, yet the nation's murder rate rose only |
| self-defense. However, the city enacted another gun | | | | 9%. In July 2006, D.C. Police Chief declared a "crime |
| control law shortly after the high court's ruling. This | | | | emergency" in the district. It was the fourth such |
| new law allows gun ownership, but requires residents | | | | crime emergency declared since 1998. Washington, |
| to obtain a city-issued handgun permit. In order to | | | | D.C. has the most restrictive gun control laws in the |
| get a permit, the prospective gun owner must pass | | | | nation, and also enjoys the distinction of having the |
| a written test, a vision exam, submit the weapon for | | | | highest murder rate in the nation. |
| ballistic testing and provide proof of residency. If | | | | Gun control advocates say that the problem is due |
| these restrictions were put on any other | | | | to the more lax gun laws in Virginia and criminals |
| constitutional right, like say voting, they would be | | | | getting their guns there. If Virginia is the problem, |
| declared unconstitutional very quickly. After obtaining | | | | then Virginia should have relatively the same murder |
| a permit, the gun owner must keep the weapon | | | | and crime rates as the District. Once again, let's allow |
| unloaded, and disassembled or secured with a trigger | | | | the statistics to speak for themselves. After a 25 |
| lock, unless they face a "threat of immediate harm." | | | | year ban on guns in the District, the murder rate is |
| The new gun law, which is still one of the most | | | | 46.4 per 100,000 residents. In Arlington, VA, which is |
| restrictive in the nation, is an attempt by the District | | | | just across the river from D.C., the murder rate is 2.1 |
| to make gun ownership as "difficult and restrictive as | | | | per 100,000 residents. The murder rate for the entire |
| possible", according to Dane von Breichenruchart, | | | | VA metro area is 6.1 per 100,000 residents. |
| president of the Bill of Rights Foundation. | | | | Are guns the problem? No, its not guns at all. Instead |
| Breichenruchart went on to say, "We're going to be | | | | it is lax punishment of criminals and laws which |
| back in court. There is no doubt about that." | | | | restrict the ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens. |
| Does such restrictive gun control work? Let's take a | | | | This deadly combination only serves to provide |
| look at the statistics and let them speak for | | | | criminals with a safer working environment. |