Here's something for you gunloving red staters

I found it in my mailbox, and don't know how true it is. I know that y'all will be glad to let me know.

Anyway:


> GUNS
>
> Here's a thought to warm some of your hearts...,
>
> From: Ed Chenel, A police officer in Australia
>
> Hi Yanks,
>
> I thought you all would like to see the real figures from "Down Under".
> It has now been 12 months since gun owners in Australia were forced
> by a new law to surrender 640,381 personal firearms to be destroyed by
>our own government, a program costing Australia taxpayers more than $500
>million dollars.
>
> The first year results are now in: Australia-wide, homicides are up
> 3.2 %, Australia-wide, assaults are up 8.6 %,; Australia-wide, armed
> robberies are up 44 % (yes, 44 %!). In the state of Victoria alone,
> homicides with firearms are now up 300 %. (Note that while the
> law-abiding citizens turned them in, the criminals did not! and
> criminals still possess their guns!).
>
> While figures over the previous 25 years showed a steady decrease in
> armed robbery with firearms, this has changed drastically upward in
> the past 12 months, since the criminals now are guaranteed that their
> prey is unarmed.
>
> There has also been a dramatic increase in break-ins and assaults of
> the elderly.
>
> Australian politicians are at a loss to explain how public safety has
> decreased, after such monumental effort and expense was expended in
>"successfully ridding Australian society of guns." You won't see this
> on the American evening news or hear your governor or members of
> the State Assembly disseminating this information.
>
> The Australian experience proves it. Guns in the hands of honest
> citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws affect
> only the law-abiding citizens.
>
> Take note Americans, before it's too late!