If You Break Into Our Houses You Can Steal Our Guns

Cherry Tree gun plan a message to criminals

The Tribune-Democrat

We appreciate the spirit of Henry Statkowski?s proposal, and we hope his
message is heard ? whether his ordinance is passed or not.

Statkowski is a councilman in Cherry Tree Borough in Indiana County. He is
proposing ? and borough council is considering ? an ordinance recommending
that households in Cherry Tree have at least one firearm with ammunition
for self-defense purposes.

But, Statkowski said, this is not only a message for residents urging them
to take precautions.

This is as much a message to would-be criminals who think Cherry Tree might
be a good place to break into someone?s home.

?I just wanted to put the word out that, hey, this is rural America,?
Statkowski said. ?If you try to break into someone?s house here, you might
not like the result.?

The Cherry Tree Borough Council will meet on Wednesday and Statkowski?s
proposal will likely be on the agenda.

He doubts the plan would get immediate approval ? a vote in January is more
likely ? but Statkowski hopes his fellow council members will take a
serious look at the meaning behind the proposal.

He also hopes residents understand that his plan would not require people
who don?t like guns to have them.

?It recommends that every homeowner have a firearm and know how to use it,?
Statkowski said. ?If you don?t want to do it ? if you have the moral
scruples that firearms are evil ? you wouldn?t have to do it.?

Does Cherry Tree need this gun ordinance?

Not really.

The Tribune-Democrat has long supported every citizen?s right ?to bear
arms,? and that right already exists under the U.S. Constitution.

And it has been noted that Cherry Tree has not seen a recent jump in crime.

Beyond that, there could be safety issues that arise from this proposal,
and we doubt the town plans to start providing gun training.

But we do appreciate a public official who wants to do something to help
keep people safe.

http://www.tribune-democrat.com/editorials/local_story_338070522.html?
keyword=secondarystory

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Examining data from the National Crime Victimization Survey
and the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports, Cook and Ludwig found
that gun ownership actually increases the likelihood that a
home will be burglarized. A 10-percent increase in a
county's gun-ownership rate results in a 3-to-7-percent
increase in the likelihood that a home in that county will
be burglarized, the authors found.

"One possible reason why the risk of burglary increases with
gun prevalence is that guns are valuable loot," they wrote.
"Providing some support for this theory is the fact that in
14 percent of the burglaries ... in which a gun was stolen,
it was the only item stolen."

New Research 'Shoots Down' Concealed-Carry Claims by Dick
Dahl, 11/1/2002


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Yours truly,

The Lone Weasel


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