Gun Control, Chicago Style

Chicago has some of the most draconian gun laws in the country. Coincidentally, they are also #2 in the country for murder. The Washington Times has noticed this, along with the pols in Chicago whining to the Governor for the National Guard.

So far this year, fewer U.S. citizens were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan combined, than in Chicago. In all fairness, U.S. citizens in the middle east wear body armor and carry a rifle when they go out, which helps. One could also note that Baghdad or Kabul probably constitute a rougher neighborhood than even the South side of Chicago. Still...

That means it is up to the Supreme Court to restore to Chicagoans their fundamental right to self-defense. In the pending case of McDonald v. Chicago, a number of residents are asking the high court to apply the reasoning it used to strike down Washington's gun ban. It is worth noting that a year after the landmark District of Columbia v. Heller ruling, Washington's murder rate dropped 25 percent - without resorting to using the National Guard.

Encouraging personal ownership of guns is the only proven solution to Chicago's crime problem.

Last time I looked, D.C. has edged out Chicago and Detroit for the title of "Murder Capitol of the U.S.", so the situation in D.C. is markedly improved, and this with the D.C. council dragging its feet on allowing new gun registrations. Criminals may be making some poor career choices, but they're better at math then the Chicago city council. A 5% chance of doing time in the county lockup may not be much of a deterrent, but a 5% chance of doing time in the county morgue gets their attention.

BTW: If you click to the article, the fellow in the picture is doing what gunnies call a New York Reload, in which an empty weapon is discarded in favor of another one.