Gun Control and Venezuela

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Seamus Coughlin

[jonkR]

“We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.”
― George Orwell, 1984

[MarcelCasella]

Venezuelan here....

This isn´t even the whole story. A few years after Chávez won, they started making it really hard to have guns. I remember they unified the gun licensing organism, and then licenses became extremely rare. Everyone there knew you had to be a friend of a police officer, a high rank member of the military, or a red (chavista) politician in order to get a gun.

Then they started banning "violent" videogames, toys that resembled guns, and even cartoons and movies. There was an outrage when the movie "Secuestro Express" came out. It was a really well done venezuelan movie, that had the potential of becoming an international hit, but it showed how violent Caracas was. The government banned it from international shows.

They also implemented gun free zones. before it was a thing in the US. They put stickers everywhere, even in buses and metro. Of course, riding the public transportation became a high risk activity overnight. It was extremely common to have a couple of thugs get on the bus and rid everyone of their phones and purses, that even as early as 2005 it was EXTREMELY rare to see any electronic device on the streets. I had to get out of that country to see that normal people could use a phone while walking on the street or mall any time. Yes, it is still a risk in some places, but Venezuela has no safe spaces except for homes and cars (and even then).

Then, after 2002, the government started a crusade against local LEOs. he started defunding those that were in states with an opposition governor or mayor. Ordered random "weapon checkups" where they tok the weapons away, and never gave them back. In 2009 Chávez said that the old police system was outdated and it was corrupt, so he created the Policía Nacional Bolivariana. It was a federal police that would work with the other LEO´s in the country. In practice, they were armed and had absolute power. Local enforcers were rendered redundant, mayors and governors suddenly stopped having any real power to enforce laws.

In my state, Zulia, it was horrible because the FARC (colombian guerrilla funded and armed by Chávez himself) roamed free, and took hold of entire towns and the whole border with colombia. Everyone knew the Policía Nacional Bolivariana had an understanding with them. Anyone definding their land or house with weapons, would be arrested and weapons taken away (before the ban), then the family slaughtered, land taken, and if it was a farm, all the animals would be killed and consumed in days.

Meanwhile, the Círculos Bolivarianos (something analogous to antifa but without the need to hide their allegiances to the party in power), worked in tandem with the PNB and the military. Everytime we marched, they had a counterprotest, but they were armed, and the police was ordered to stand down. The Circulos Bolivarianos would attack us with sticks, stones and GUNS). If we responded everything was our fault. The media (independent media had been shut down years ago), would focus on us throwing stones back, then the military would arrive and tear gas us, and suddenly we were labeled terrorists and what not.

You would see soldiers in motorcycles riding along with member of the círculos bolivarianos. Imagine your police force giving rides to antifa members and you might have an idea of the outrage.

Then the gun ban was put in place, and the "opposition" parties were all in favor. In a matter of months the círculos bolivarianos started going into apartment buildings and gated communities. People would not have guns normally, but would also not dare using them. The exodus started.

So, it is not like the venezuelan people was holding up up until the gun ban. The gun ban was just the final nail on the coffin.

[justaguybehindacomputer]

Here’s a funny joke:
*Venezuela’s economy.*

[keithe]

Great point when you said “Honestly, it doesn’t matter”. That is such a vital point. Every time I debate a leftist—who doesn’t lose their mind—they bring up the nobility of their intentions rather than outcome.

[kalebbruwer]

People seem to have had this naive idea that the bad things we learn about in history couldn't happen anymore because we're just past that as a society. I think 2020 is a pretty good counter example

[chris.]

Gun Control: If there is a gun, I want to be the one in control of it.

[vorbo]

"Was it because they were secretly planning on oppressing their people? Honestly? It doesn't matter. Because it still allowed them to do it."

But the answer is yes

[enigmaodell]

The two most important rights are speech and bearing arms because they protect all other rights.

[doublea]

Britain: *Takes away guns*
**Homicide rate rises**
Also Britain: *surprised Pikachu image*

[legodude]

“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” - Robert A. Heinlein

[Boristien]

We should observe changes in homicides in general too! Gun control not only doesn't work, but it restricts our freedom. Even if gun control was effective I'd still oppose it because I'd rather have dangerous freedom than peaceful slavery.

[Stanzas]

An armed person is a citizen. An unarmed person is a subject.

[evilblackcat]

Marxists: "What do you need an AR-15 for!?"
Me: "You."

[SirHenryMaximo]

My country, Brazil, has strict gun control laws and an homicide rate of 60 thousand per year; the rate was considerably lower *before* gun control. Gangs are armed with military-grade weaponry and we the people can't buy even a .380 chambered pistol. Hopefully we'll repeal those laws soon.

[danmslacker]

Chairman Mao:
1. "Power to the people!"
2. "Power comes out of the barrel of a gun."
3. Takes all the guns from the people.

[whtwolfgames]

"Whoever relinquishes their freedoms for security, deserves neither."

[leonardodavinci]

Also, Japan has major mass murders, try looking up subway mass stabbings. Even with an extremely low overall crime rate, every one in a while, people will suddenly stab 10 people or so. Murder happens with or without guns anyway

[nchldmn]

Guns don't care about your feelings, folks...
...and the idea, and the idea...!

[Hypercube]

If you think banning guns will eliminate gun crime, you should also try:
-- Making poverty illegal to combat homelessness!
-- Making sickness illegal to solve healthcare!
-- Making stupidity illegal to fix the Democratic party!
-- Making debt illegal to balance the budget AND fix the student loan crisis!
They would ALL be just as effective!

[doomslayta]

"I prefer dangerous freedom over peaceful slavery" -Thomas Jefferson, 1787