Life in Marseille (or Chicago)

For John, BLUF:  To have real gun control (e.g., kill the Second Amendment) the Government will have to kill the Fourth.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

As we all know, Europe sets a sort of standard with regard to Gun Control and especially automatic weapons.  So, I was a bit surprised to find this item while scrolling through ¡No Pararánt! this afternoon.  Apparently, about half a year ago, on 19 September 2012, The International Herald Tribune published this article, by Reporter Maïa de la Baume.  Here is the lede:

Walid Marzouki and his girlfriend stopped their black Renault Twingo at a red light on the deserted Boulevard Casanova late one night in August.  Another car pulled alongside.  The driver opened his window, pulled out an automatic rifle and killed Mr. Marzouki, using more than 20 rounds.

Then, lower down in the story we have this paragraph.

Today, experts and police officers say that the number of crimes, mostly related to marijuana trafficking, has not increased significantly.  But the crimes have become much more violent in the past year.  Police officers and residents are particularly worried about the increasing use of automatic and semiautomatic rifles, especially the Kalashnikov.  Knockoff versions are made in many eastern European countries and China, and cost about $1,300.

Isn't the Kalashnikov, the AK-47, the first of the second generation "Assault Rifles"?

Two points:

First, when the threat is only feet away, the police are only minutes away.

Second, no matter how hard the Government tries to control legally owned weapons, illegal weapons will exist and be used.  Just ask Walid Marzouki's girlfriend.

Think of how Chicago would be with gun control legislation.

Then there is this view.

Regards  —  Cliff