G is for Guns

Ten of the 25 deadliest shootings in the world, have occurred in the United States.

On December 2, 2013, USA Today posted an astonishing story that a mass shooting occurred in the US once every two weeks!

So, where is the issue?

The Washington Post in December of 2012 concluded there was little to no link between violent video games and shootings. Eight countries, including Canada, Australia, the UK, Japan and Germany all ranked higher on violent video games per capita. Approximately 30% more than the United States. The United States however, has a gun violence rate of nearly 3.25 deaths per 100,000. That's almost a full 3 people than the US' nearest gun violence rival. The amazing part of the violent video games story though, is that both South Korea and the Netherlands have nearly twice the amount of violent video games, but both are extremely low on gun violence. Especially South Korea. Last year they had no shootings at all.

In terms of violence in what some would call civilized countries, the US is among the worst. They rank higher in gun violence than many Middle Eastern countries. Why is that?

Well, first let's look at gun ownership in the North Americas.

Canada had about 31 firearms per 100 people. Most of those are long guns as Canada has heavy restriction on handguns. The United States has a whopping 89 firearms per 100 people. 10,000 people every year in the US are murdered with a gun while 175 people in Canada meet the same fate. Canada has a much smaller population than the US. They are approximately the size of California. If the numbers are crunched, Canada's gun homicide accounts for far less than 1% of the population. Quite literally 0.000005%. The United States however faces a massive 3.1% homicide rate for its population. Part of it might be that Canada has a gun deaths of only account for 30% of all homicides, while the US is 60%.

Both Canada and the United States has easy access to firearms. In Canada, you take a gun safety and knowledge course to get your Possession and Acquisition License (PAL). You have to take a second course known as the Canadian Restricted Firearms Safety Course (CRFSC) if you want to get your  Restricted Possession and Acquisition License (RPAL). You are also required to have no criminal record to even be allowed to take these courses. The difference between PAL and RPAL is simple. PAL allows you to buy and keep any non-restricted rifles or shotguns, semi-auto or single action. It doesn't even need registration anymore. RPAL allows you to buy and keep center-fire handguns with a barrel length no smaller than 4.2 inches but no greater than 18.5 inches and certain carbine rifles that identify with the M-16. There is also a prohibited list of certain guns. Anything automatic or can switch to automatic is highly illegal. Any rifle, carbine or shotgun listed on the Prohibited Firearms List. Also, handguns smaller and 4.1 inches are prohibited citing that they would be easy to conceal. Canadians are not allowed carry of firearms into public places, open or concealed, unless a profession requires it (ie; Police work). Also, in Canada, a gun can never be used in self defense unless there is absolutely no other option. Even inside the confines of your own home you can be charged for discharging a firearm at an intruder. You have to go to court to prove that you needed to use it, or you would have died otherwise.

So how did Canada get away with putting in these gun laws? Some might call it a breach of human rights. Others might say Canadian gun laws are still way to liberal. I, myself think that Canada's gun laws need reviewing and some loosening. I think handgun carry should be legal on Crown hunting lands or private property, but never in public. I also think the Prohibited List needs review as there are some firearms listed with an equivalent in the Non-Restricted or Restricted Class.

As a country who's southerly neighbour believes in complete firearm access, how did Canada get so restricted. Well, in all honest, Canada, compared to most countries isn't really restricted at all. Countries like China, Japan, the UK, Australia and Germany have strict gun control. Either you need to prove that you need one or you aren't allowed one. Period.

In 1967, a up and coming politician introduced Bill C-150 to the Canadian Parliament. Officially called the Criminal Law Amendment Act, it addressed (for it's time especially) five controversial topics. This bill called for the decriminalization of homosexuality, the legalization of therapeutic abortion and contraception, legalization and regulation of lotteries that fund worthwhile activities such as charities, made drunk driving an offense and introduced gun control. It also address laws regarding harassing phone calls, misleading advertising and cruelty to animals.

Now, one might think that this politician committed political suicide by introducing this bill. The 126 page bill passed with 149 for and 55 against on May 14th, 1969. Votes in favour came from all three of the major parties. It wasn't put in by just one of the parties. At the time, Prime Minister Lester B. Pearson was in office. The proposer was his Minister of Justice.

Canada was going through a very large revolution in the 1960s. Pearson would raise Canada's first official flag, make french Canada's official second language, introduce universal health care, bring in the Canada Pension Plan and the Canada Student Loans program. He would also institute a 40 hour work week with two weeks vacation time and a new minimum wage. Pearson's finishing touch was to put in the world's first race discrimination free immigration policy and extend greater rights to women.

Yes, the maple leaf nation was in full swing for change. So in 1969, it was no surprise that the politician who committed political suicide, was elected Prime Minister of Canada. He was Pierre Elliot Trudeau. Trudeau would go on to draft the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. This document, signed by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, officially declared Canada a separate country. It also became Canada's constitution. It literally declares the rights and freedoms of all Canadians regardless of any topic that could be discriminatory. He lead Canada for over 15 years, resigning in 1984.

So back to guns. How did Trudeau get away with this? Was it just Trudeau fever sweeping the nation, or was it Canada's time to evolve past the guns?

The 1960s was a decade of revolution in many parts of the world. In United States, however, there was revolution in a different way. The US discovered science through NASA and found competition against the Soviet Union. While Canada looked towards making like for enjoyable for its citizens in everyday life, the US looked to better themselves on a global, perhaps universal scale. The US was also in retreat mode. They were actively in a cold war with "Godless Communism". These distractions, while some good and beneficial, also robbed the US of a time where the people could have influenced some change. The 1960s is when Canada and the US started developing completely different identities. Not just by flag, but by perspective as well.

American gun laws before 1934 just didn't exist at all. The Second Amendment; the right to keep and bear arms, was the only law actually concerning firearms. When the Second Amendment was written, America was still technically at war, thus the citizens needed to protect themselves. The founding fathers of American could never have envisioned multiple round clips, nor automatic weaponry (let alone semi-auto). At the time, all guns were muzzle loading, one shot wonders. It took time to load one round to shoot. Self-defense was a lot more difficult with a gun then. It was actually easier to draw a sword than fiddle with a ball, a cap and powder. It wasn't until 1835 that the revolver made its debut. It was a huge revolution in firearms. How did the American government miss this evolution in weaponry?

It's quite simple actually.

Here is my theory;

In the 1800s, America was still a very young country with a very novice government. Tensions were beginning to rise in the country over more controversial subjects than firearms. Slavery was one of the biggest ones. Thus, technological advancements in weaponry were overlooked and in 1861, the Confederate States declared war and fired on Fort Sumter in South Carolina.

After, the civil war, firearms again remained overlooked as America went into the 1900s. The Great Depression, World War One and World War Two took a lot of America's attention. Then came the Korean War and the Vietnam War which again thrust attention elsewhere. Even so, America's hardships were not over. The later 1900s brought the Gulf War, the Cold War and the Yugoslav Wars. All these wars stole attention to problems at home in America.

In the 1900s, while Canada was involved in only a handful of conflicts, America was extremely busy overseas. The only time they had a moment to themselves, where they weren't involved in any conflicts and were actually at peace was in between World War One and World War Two. Since then, America has been at war overseas almost every year.

Then, America was attacked.

September 11th, 2001 changed the face of America forever. No longer did many Americans trust anyone but their friends and family. Afghanistan was invaded, then Iraq. Tensions grew over America's ties with Israel. North Korea and Iran both grew in nuclear threat. China and Russia both grew to be both economic and geopolitical rivals. Libya, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt all fell into chaos. Palestine grew more uneasy with it's neighbours. Jordan called for aid. Islamaphobia grew tenfold. Fear and misunderstanding started spread through the people like a plague. People didn't just take it out on those responsible for burning a New York City block to the ground. Somehow, they began, more and more, taking it out on each other, both politically and literally.

Murder by firearms is nothing new, but the absolute mistrust and unwillingness to cooperate with your opposition is not something America has seen since the Civil War. In fact, perhaps America is more polarized now than they ever were during the times of slavery. With America's eye so focused on the Middle East, tensions back home got worse. One of those tensions was surrounding gun control. While America was so focused on other problems, guns had become way to powerful and healthcare had grown way too expensive for the average citizen to afford. The economy crashed resulting in millions of families struggling to make ends meet.Where struggle thrives, so does crime.

Like I said in my original post, each topic of GRAPES affects the others. Mental health care is not recognized by most insurance companies. Underpaid and disgruntled workers get angry that there are the select few who have all the money. Drugs and gangs become more and more popular trying to make ends meet. While America was so focused on other countries, it was falling apart at home.

America has never really focused on it's own social problems. It seems that the country (or at least the "By the People, For the People" government) has always been more concerned and paranoid about outside threats, that they end up destroying themselves from within.

Today, many conservative Americans are wondering why the government is wanting to deal with social issues, like gun control, at all. America never had a social revolution. As a matter of fact, America never had a social definition. Many Americans are too concerned with being star spangled free that their freedom is undefined. This allows for all sorts of problems. With freedom comes responsibility and accountability. Neither of those things are going on in the US.

In the end, freedom ends when someone else's freedom is threatened. In Canada, a right is not only protection from the government, but from your fellow citizen as well. Canada made this social definition in the 60s and again in the 80s. While our definition still needs work, at least we have one in place. It doesn't make us any less free than the US. As a matter of fact, I'd argue it makes us more free.

I am not an anti-gun kind of person. I think guns are an extremely useful tool that help many people live their day to day lives. I think Canada's gun laws (and extremely undefined knife laws) need a review and evolution. I don't believe either concealed or open carry will ever be legal in an urban setting because we have already seen than Canadians just don't need them. While Canada does have its problems areas, they are isolated and most people know to avoid them.

As for our Prohibited and Restricted List, I personally think all fully automatic guns should illegal. The restricted list however should be based more on muzzle velocity then brand name. If the firearm shoots at a rate of speed unnecessary for bagging a deer or a larger animal in self-defense, I think it should be illegal. I think the restriction on handgun should remain in place. It allows for greater control over them as they are easier to conceal. Changes should also be made regarding storage and ammo laws as well. Other than that, as long as people take the safety courses, pass and keep within the law, I think guns that are non-restricted should be as easy to buy as they are in the States.

My major point is that the United States gun laws greatly affect Canada. The vast majority of illegal firearms in Canada, make their start in the US. Many of them are registered legally, but come into Canada to be used illegally. It doesn't matter if they were stolen or illegally smuggled buy a legal holder. They still make their way up here. America doesn't realize what effect they have on other countries around them and overseas. This is primarily because they have never truly taken the time to look at themselves.

Guns may be at the point of no return in the US. There may be no way to cap it due to the long term belief of a God given right to carry a gun and the serious amount of illegal guns floating around. The best America can do is to install more awareness and education on guns instead of just letting someone carry a gun if they pay a fee.

Many Americans will say I'm totally wrong. That is fine. That is their opinion. North America is a free continent. But I think it's time for America to take a deep look inside and forget about their wars with others. Time for America to define itself as a whole, rather than just for certain groups of people.

Back to my perch I go.

This is Peacewind signing off.

Perch 2.0

In the past on this blog, I wrote about my every day life. Basically things that the average reader wouldn't take much interest too.

Those days are over.

Welcome to the Perch 2.0.

With the current climate in the world in regards to respecting our fellow human being, I realized it high time I step up to the plate and use my freedom of speech. Not everyone has the ability to do what I can do. Not everyone can post their stance on various topics on controversy without fear of losing their homes, their friends or even possibly their lives. It is a right and freedom than many of us here in North America take for granted. A number of us don't use it properly at all. Some people abuse it or twist it to their advantage. I want to use mine to make a difference. I want to do some good.

In my blog, which I will attempt to write bi-weekly, I will discuss current situations in North America and around the world. I will discuss all kinds of topics of controversy. I will be discussing what I refer to as GRAPES. That would be; Guns, Religion, Abortion, Politics, Economics and Sexuality. GRAPES is something you should never discuss with many Americans and a number of Canadians.

To kick off my Perch 2.0 blog, I will be first discussing each topic of GRAPES in full. After than, the following posts will be on various topics that pop up.

Let me be clear that I will NOT be posting topics specific persons. I will not talk about things like Justin Bieber's arrest or how George Zimmerman made a painting about his prosecutor. While I may mention certain individuals of interest in topics, I will not be apart of a witch hunt against certain people. In other words; no Sarah Palin slams. Sorry.

What inspired me to do something like this? Easy. Currently North America in general is polarized when it comes to these six topics. No one seems to respects each others opinions, let alone the actual facts. Each of those topics affects the others in some way. They also, most importantly, affect you. You need to know this stuff. You need to be aware.

I will be giving my own opinions in many topics, but I will do my best to remain neutral. Even if neutral today does look liberal to many conservative when it comes to Uncle Sam's circus.

I am not a qualified gun expert or a theologian with a degree nor am I an expert on banks or stock exchanges. I'm just a concerned Earthling like the rest of you.

So please, join me as I peel back topics and open them up for discussion. Please keep your comments as respectful as possible to the others around you. No one will really listen to your opinion anyhow if you're going to be a bum about it.

With that, welcome to the Perch!