What the statistics tell us, quite clearly, is that when it comes to rates of violent crimes and crimes against property, demographics matters, while the legal availability of firearms does not. Where there are large numbers of persons predisposed to ignore the laws, the laws – including laws about firearms acquisition – are more frequently ignored. This correlation is not overlooked by private citizen Americans. They demonstrate their awareness of it by their behavior.
Leftist politicians are aware of it, too…but they dare not speak of it. To do so would alienate violence-prone minorities, whose votes they depend on, and would undercut their anti-gun positions. They can’t afford politically to speak of the facts, so they must continue to promulgate the thoroughly disproven lie that more guns mean more crime and violence.
Has anyone ever succeeded in getting a Leftist politician into a public debate on the subject? Someone like John Lott or Don Kates would tie any of them in knots. But I suppose they’re already aware of that.