Les Jones

"Yes, Virginia is safer than Maryland and Maryland is safer than DC. Why is it Safer than DC? Because DC doesn’t allow any guns at all. It’s like a “Criminal Wildlife Preserve” where they are free to roam and act like beasts with no fear of hunters."

Uh, Richmond allows guns.

http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:rDvaiRlyKpMJ:www.morganquitno.com/cit02r.pdf+%22murder+rate%22+richmond&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8

(*sigh*)

Richmond is a city. Virginia is a state. Maryland is a state. DC is a unique district.

Violent crime is concentrated in cities, and the level of crime skews the rate of crime for the entire state. Maryland has strict gun control. Virginia does not. The states share a border. Which is "safer" for the general population?

Richmond is a city. Virginia is a state. Maryland is a state. DC is a unique district.

Wow. Thanks for the info. Seeing as how I live three stops away from DC on the Metro, you think someone might have told me about this by now.

Anyway, Arlington and Alexandria (VA) and Montgomery County (MD) are safer than DC. Big whoop. North Arlington is much safer than south Arlington. North Alexandria is much more dangerous than the rest of Alexandria. Same holds with outer Prince George's County (MD) compared with parts adjacent to DC. Upper northwest DC is worlds safer than Anacostia. And ya know what? Georgetown (DC) is tons safer than, say Suitland MD or south Arlington.

I regularly walk around my neighborhood in Arlington by myself after midnight, carrying a $2000 laptop and $50 bucks or so in my wallet. The chance of me getting mugged is roughly zero. But that's not because anyone in my neighborhood is armed -- I guarantee you that there are 10 times as many armed, non-criminal citizens in southeast DC as there are in north Arlington.
I'm not going to be attacked because:

a) there's no one selling crack
b) there aren't any gangs
c) there aren't any poor people at all (I'm what passes for poor in my neighborhood)

Gun control doesn't have the slightest thing to do with it.

Les,
The Washington quote is bogus I'm afraid. No one can find any attribution to it & certain parts of the language used are wrong for the time. It makes the rounds on pro-gun sites but Washington didn't say it.

Thanks, Publicola. I try to Google these things, but sometimes you just find more of the same. I'll take it down. For anyone who comes along later who is interested in what we're talking about, here's the bogus quote:

"Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. To secure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and the pistol are equally indispensable. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference - they deserve a place of honor with all that is good.
- George Washington"

Steve: what makes you think people in Arlington aren't armed, or at least not as much as the people in some parts of DC? Virginia's laws are pretty gun-friendly, and concealed carry is allowed.

I agree that crime is mostly an inner-city problem, but gun control is also mostly an inner-city problem.

"Yes, Virginia is safer than Maryland and Maryland is safer than DC. Why is it Safer than DC? Because DC doesn’t allow any guns at all. It’s like a “Criminal Wildlife Preserve” where they are free to roam and act like beasts with no fear of hunters."

Yes, I know Virginia has guns - I used to live there. My meaning is that VA has guns... MD has some guns... and DC has no guns. I don't recall calling DC a state. Did I? I don't think I did. Did I say Virginia is safe because it has no guns? I would never say such thing. What's the confusion here? It's simple... DC, as a unique district, is a bloody cesspool because citizens there are not allowed to carry or even own a gun and they live at the mercy of the goblins.
Are we clear?
(Crystal)

Richmond by the way - I have a love hate relationship. I love the city... but after dark, I hate it. I don't roll through Richmond with out a sidearm and a longarm.
Used to patrol that freaking place. Mossberg 590A1 with a folding stock, loaded with 00-Buck and a side saddle full of sabot slugs was racked and ready right beside the radio, and I carried an HK USP .40 with 4 spare high capacity mags...
That's the only way to roll in Richmond.

Interesting NOT quote by Washington. I've seen that somewhere before as well. Have spent a bit of time looking for it with no luck. I agree that the vocabulary, syntax, and other aspects don't sound like they're 18th century.

Interesting.