November 20, 2002
Guest article: "Do Not Always Believe What You Read", by Dr. Ken Lunde
A surprise delight just came across my virtual desk: a note from Ken Lunde of Adobe Systems Incorporated. By trade, I'm a software engineer, and one of the bibles of my branch of the trade is Dr. Lunde's modern classic CJKV Information Processing. He sent me some kind words about the launch of this new site, and offered me the following article for publication, for the first time anywhere. I should mention also that Dr. Lunde is head of the company-sponsored Adobe Shooters Club. - Editor
Do Not Always Believe What You Read
"The focus of this document is to teach you to not always believe what you read, and to find out the facts for yourself when in doubt, and to draw your own conclusions. I am going to take this opportunity to express some of my thoughts about the issue of firearm use and ownership. This is indeed a sensitive issue for some, particularly for those whose beliefs are at the extremes. Nevertheless, this subject will serve as an excellent example of when not to believe what you read, in the media in this case.
Many in the localization and internationalization industry are no doubt familiar with my work, such as managing CJKV Type Development at Adobe Systems, and my two books, Understanding Japanese Information Processing (O’Reilly, 1993) and CJKV Information Processing (O’Reilly, 1999). These same people are probably not aware that I have been an avid firearms enthusiast since about the age of 15, at which time my father instilled in me a very strong respect for firearms. I am doing the same for my own children now.
As a responsible firearm owner, father, and contributing member to society, my number one concern is that of education and safety. And as an asset to society, this is paramount for me, as I feel that firearm ownership, as discussed by my country’s founding fathers, is as important today as it was during their period. With the ever increasing number of firearm laws in the US, it is interesting to note that crime rates do not go down as a result of their enactment. Why? Because only lawabiding citizens follow such laws—the criminals who commit crimes ignore such laws. Put simply, most firearm legislation does nothing to prevent crime. In fact, evidence suggests that crime actually goes up as a result of anti-gun legislation, especially in urban areas. In my opinion, antigun legislation is enacted due to ignorance. It is easier to blame an inanimate object (firearm) for a tragedy than to accept the painful reality (“How can human beings do this?”) of certain substandard individuals in our society, as evidenced by the lack of enforcement of current laws. Furthermore, firearm ownership is an inalienable human right, acknowledged for all US citizens by our founding fathers, through the Second Amendment of the Constitution (“A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.”). It is not a privilege granted to us by our federal or state government, such as a license to drive, but a right pure and simple.
In order to bring an international twist to this, consider recent events in England and Australia. Registration of firearms led to confiscation. Did firearm confiscation in these countries lead to a decrease in crime rates? Violent crime rates actually increased. One year after 640,381 firearms were confiscated in Australia, armed robberies went up 44 percent. In the state of Victoria, homicides with a firearm went up 300 percent! There are similar statistics for England.
I recently read a book entitled More Guns, Less Crime (University of Chicago Press, 1998), written by John R. Lott, Jr. This book provides conclusive evidence that by allowing law-abiding citizens to carry concealed handguns, especially in urban areas that are much more prone to violent crime, the violent crime rates decrease. When criminals are confident that their victims will be unarmed—thanks to the firearm laws that they choose to ignore—they are much more likely to commit a crime against them. 31 of the 50 states have policies in place for law-abiding citizens to obtain a permit for carrying a concealed weapon (CCW) on a “shall issue” basis. Contrary to what the government and media may want you to believe (as a writer, I can assure you that it is extremely dangerous to believe everything that one reads), these people with a CCW license do not commit crimes, and are also not likely to commit crimes. In fact, there are countless documented cases of ordinary citizens, with a CCW license, who prevented crimes. If you read Atlantic Reporter, Second Series, Volume 444, pp 1–12, you will be astonished to know that police officers are not obligated to save your life if it is being threatened.
Are firearms dangerous? Yes, but so are sporting equipment, stairs, and automobiles. Interestingly, sporting equipment, stairs, and automobiles cause far more accidental deaths to children under the age of 15 than firearms. 200 children died from firearm accidents in 1995, but 2,900 died from automobile crashes, 950 from drowning, and another 1,000 by fire. Also, the rate of fatal firearm accidents has been on the decline since 1933 from 2.4 per 100,000 to 0.47 per 100,000 in 1995, while the number of firearms in the population has increased. So, why are firearms being singled out? Firearms do not commit crimes or cause accidents—they are not inherently evil. People commit crimes, and ignorance or lack of safety education causes accidents. I do not expect everyone to own or even like firearms, because everyone is entitled to their opinion. But, restricting constitutional rights, or blaming inanimate objects for crimes or accidents is not the way to solve problems. Enforcement of current laws and safety education are ways to solve problems.
Will people who read this document now consider me as a potential criminal or danger to society? Hopefully not, because law-abiding people such as myself deplore crime, and are in fact contributing members of society. I also believe that readers of my books, papers, and articles are rational people who can think for themselves. Lastly, if you are at all interested in pursuing this issue, I strongly encourage you to study the facts, and come to your own conclusions, not those drawn for you by the media.
Dr. Ken Lunde
Manager, CJKV Type Development, Adobe Systems Incorporated
PhD, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1994
Author, CJKV Information Processing (O’Reilly, 1999)
NRA Life Member"
