Show your Support for a responsible event that promotes and educates: Firearms & Hunting

Many opponents to the Eurobodalla's HuntFest event continue to use false and misleading materials to promote their agenda against the Responsible, Law-Abiding, Ordinary Citizens who are trying to encourage, educate and promote the safety and community spirit of Firearms & Hunting.

The debate very quickly turns into a Guns vs No Guns discussion and in order to dispel some concerns, I have quickly brushed over some topics discussed below.

This petition is to show support for HuntFest and the opportunities it brings to further knowledge on safe and responsible handling of Firearms, and education on Hunting, Firearms and related topics.

These opponents use claims with regards to the 'Gun Culture' in the United States, skewing the information so that it presents an incorrect picture of the true nature behind these Crimes - That is they fail to acknowledge that :
- In almost every case where a death or injury from a firearm has occurred, it is a result of either:
+ Mental Health Issues that have not been identified, or treatment and assistance has been inadequate, eg. Psychiatric Impairment, Suicide, Depression, and so on.
+ Social & Demographic Issues with regards to Social Status, Ethnic Division & Gang or Criminal Related Crimes.
Along with a very minimal occurrence of Accidental Injury or Death from mishandling and unsafe use of a firearm from Law-Abiding Citizens.
+ In 95.8% of cases where spouses have been Killed, those involved have had a long history of Domestic Violence; the Perpetrator, a known history of violence.
+ These Criminals are generally known to Authorities with prior histories of Violence, Charges, and Involvement in Crime.
- That School Shootings and Shootings in general tend to occur in 'Gun Free Zones' (Eg. Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech.) and that locations where Concealed Carry is permitted, there have been no Mass Shootings since the laws had been implemented .
- That the United States’ Crime Rate would drop significantly if they were to invest into making vast improvements to Health & Social Services, especially with an emphasis on Mental Health Services.
- Responsible, Law-Abiding, Ordinary Citizens do not break the law .
- The over-whelming consensus from Criminology Studies shows that Responsible, Law-Abiding Citizens who are safely trained and legally qualified to obtain a firearm and Concealed Carry Permits actually act as a deterrent to Criminals, preventing crimes or minimizing the damage from a Criminal.
- States in the USA which have more liberal firearms laws (fewer restrictions) actually have a lower Violent Crime Rate than those who have strict laws banning guns.
+ For example : Utah has a Violent Crime Rate of 195 incidents per 100,000 people, 50% lower than the national average of 386.3 incidents per 100,000 people. Utah also allows concealed carry in its schools, and has not reported one single school shooting since the law came into effect; this is in contrast to the Sandy Hook and Virginia Tech where firearms were banned in school areas.
- Gun Restrictions do not actually work , much like Prohibition on Drugs, it encourages a Black Market in which Victims are unable to obtain the necessary means to defend themselves, and Criminals who don't care about the law anyway, have free access.
- Hinders the rights of individuals to take responsibility for their own self-defence.

They state that in Australia, since Howards Restrictions have come into effect that Gun Crime has dropped dramatically, however they fail to note that all Crimes in general were in a decline previous to the Howard Changes, and that after the laws came into effect, there was a sharp rise in Violent Crime - immediately attributable to Howards knee-jerk reaction to Port Arthur.

They rely on emotionally driven, false and misleading statements but fail to acknowledge reputable studies from Professors, Criminologists and Sociologists who are highly educated in their particular niches; throwing out facts because the facts do not line up with their opinions or agendas.

They wish to oppress the Liberty (Freedoms) of another group, as it doesn't line up with their personal beliefs. The rights to Freedom of Choice, rights that all citizens should be allowed to enjoy.

They believe that despite zero hunting related deaths since Recreational Hunters had been allowed in State Forests in the period between 2006 to July 2013 , suddenly the recommencement of Recreational Hunting will cause a surge in the General Public being injured or killed by a stray bullet; that Recreational Hunters are less experienced than Professional Hunters.

They relate this to HuntFest by saying it will create a 'Gun Culture' in the Eurobodalla that will cause a large increase in deaths to the General Public and an increase in the number of guns, something that, based on legitimate Studies & Statistics, will not happen. If there were to be an increase in legal gun ownership or licenced people in the Eurobodalla, it would be due to Responsible, Law-Abiding Citizens making the free choice to undergo the training and background checks required to obtain a licence.

Hunting is a humane method of controlling invasive species and preventing them from destroying our native flora and fauna; it is conservation work that looks after our 'natural world' by protecting the native flora & fauna that is harmed by the invasive species, and allowing the invasive species to be removed with their dignity and not suffering (as they and native species would with poison baiting).

In contrast to the arguments against HuntFest, and to keep it short : HuntFest offers a venue in which those who wish to make the choice to learn more about safe firearm use, hunting and all other relating topics, can. There is no obligation for everyone to attend; it simply comes down to personal choice. It offers a platform to further knowledge of what is statistically a very safe industry that places safety and responsibility at the forefront. There will be strict guidelines in place to ensure this event has no mishaps, it will be a very safe event for the General Public and the General Public will have the opportunity to speak to Legally Qualified, Responsible Hunters and obtain a further understanding of hunting and firearms in general. This sort of knowledge can only benefit the community.

References for more information can be found at the following links:
- A Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy Publication:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/164848605/Vol30-No2-KatesMauseronline

(Don B. Kates, Criminologist (LL.B., Yale, 1966) & Gary Mauser, Criminologist (Ph.D., University of California, Irvine, 1970.)

- http://www.thevrwc.org/JohnLott.pdf

(John R. Lott Jr. School of Law, Yale University & Professor William M. Landes, University of Chicago Law School, 1996.)

- http://aussieguns.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/recreational-hunting-in-nsw-national.html

FBI Crime Statistics (2011):
- Table 1 - National Average

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/tables/table-1

- Table 5 - State Average

http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/cjis/ucr/crime-in-the-u.s/2011/crime-in-the-u.s.-2011/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/standard-links/state-totals

(http://publicsafety.utah.gov/bci/FAQ.html#5 - Utah allow guns in Schools)
(http://www.cga.ct.gov/2013/rpt/2013-R-0192.htm - Connecticut (Sandy Hook) Schools are 'Gun Free Zones')
(http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+18.2-308.1 - Virginia Schools are 'Gun Free Zones')

http://www.ctrguns.com/armed-guard-stops-school-shooter-after-he-opened-fire-at-atlanta-middle-school/

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2013/12/11/sandy-hook-caused-many-to-realize-they-need-to-be-armed.html