The terrible Tucson shootings yesterday may well serve as a prime opportunity to put forth anti-gun legislation. While handing over weapons willingly is unthinkable for most 2nd Amendment advocates, it only takes a tragedy like this to convert gun control fence-sitters and spur on those who would leave citizens without personal protection. Perhaps it's not so much that fellow citizens want us defenceless, but is more in line with wrong thinking that if no one has a gun, no one gets hurt.

When the Aussie gun buyback program began I told Stan, "This isn't going to solve anything. If people don't have guns, they'll use knives. If they don't have knives they'll use a baseball bat or a lead pipe. Anyone who really wants a gun will find a way to get it, ban or not, but law-abiding citizens will have no means of protection."

This is exactly what happened in Port Arthur, Tasmania. Stan and I were still living in Australia at both the time of the Port Arthur Massacre, as it's aptly named, as well as the ensuing gun seizure. It was sold as a good idea for seemingly right reasons that went terribly wrong.

In that massacre, 28-year-old Martin Bryant shot 35 people and injured another 21 at an outdoor cafe. Why Bryant did this was highly debated, but it's not really the point. The outcome is. This killing spree took place on April 28, 1996 and by Sept. 30 1997, the mandatory gun recall commenced.

Most Aussies willing handed over their weapons. A few balked, but the socialist mentality had them fall in line quickly. Americans are too independent, or so we think. In one month, more than 643,000 guns were handed in during the buyback. Buyback you say? Yes, the people paid for their own disarmament. "The Government raised $490 million through a one-off rise in the Medicare levy. The buyback cost almost $459 million, including compensation to dealers and firearms owners and administration payments to the States." 1

What the Labour Party (liberals) hoped to achieve – less crime – boomeranged with a vengeance. According to statistics kept by Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia, crime shot up. Way up.

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