PA Bill Number: HB335
Title: In inchoate crimes, further providing for prohibited offensive weapons.
Description: In inchoate crimes, further providing for prohibited offensive weapons. ...
Last Action: Removed from table
Last Action Date: May 1, 2024
Panama: More Guns, Less Crime :: 08/10/2015
All too often we see governments implementing more and more restrictive gun control laws in an effort to “reduce gun violence.” As we’ve been saying here at TTAG for years, that strategy has the opposite result — allowing criminals to run rampant and unchecked, preying on now defenseless citizens, all while the government demands further restrictions on civil liberties to solve a problem that citizens can solve themselves given enough firepower.
Panama has finally gotten the message. In an effort to combat their astronomically high murder rate the South American country’s decided to start relaxing their restrictive gun laws and enabling their citizens’ natural right to armed self-defense . . .
From the Pan Am Post:
Public Safety Minister Rodolfo Aguilera said the country will follow in the footsteps of the United States and Switzerland, where the right to bear arms is believed to lead to fewer homicides.
“Everything seems to indicate that there is no direct correlation in the aphorism that says more guns mean more crime,” said Aguilera, who explained that relaxed gun laws have allowed the United States to reduce the homicide rate over the last 20 years.
Aguilera added that new regulations will include criminal and psychological background checks for future gun owners.
Under the current law, in effect since 2012, only state security forces can import firearms. Meanwhile, the Central American Integration System (SICA) has called for a comprehensive review of Panama’s firearm-import ban before any action is taken by the National Assembly.
“It’s a decision for each sovereign government to make, but we should take into account that for criminals, anything that is prohibited becomes more attractive,” said Hefer Morataya, director of SICA’s Central American Programme of Small Arms Control.
They get it! They understand! Hallelujah!
Naturally the rest of Central America is up in arms (metaphorically speaking) about Panama breaking ranks with the region’s gun rights blackout (e.g., Venezuela’s move to a total firearms ban). Even within Panama the decision is controversial, with the usual siren song of gun control blaring loud and clear in the ears of some politicians.
“The issue of security will not be solved because every citizen has a weapon to defend themselves,” Arias said. She believes Aguilera’s comments on US homicide rates differ from reality, adding that the North American country itself struggles with the issue of gun control.
In other words, “nuh huh, I think the Americans are lying about their numbers.” Because obviously more guns equals more murders, so how could reality possibly be different than her preconceived notions about the effectiveness of gun control?
