Loony gun lovers
I want to thank J. Michael Cole for his shocking expose of the Taiwan Defensive Firearms Association (TDFA), the anarchist, pro-violence fringe group that has now infiltrated the peaceful shores of Taiwan with its pro-gun message (“Taiwan gun group joins global fight to bear arms,” Oct. 25, page 2). As the singer and songwriter of the dynamic pro-community rock band Ballots Not Bullets, I promise I will do everything in my power to diminish the influence of these insane morons.
I was both alarmed and appalled when I read that the TDFA is promoting a referendum that would allow them to supply 8 million semi--automatic weapons to “qualified citizens” in Taiwan, wherein 5 million Taiwanese would be allowed to carry concealed handguns. This is a recipe for lawlessness and anarchy. If this becomes reality, I will leave Taiwan faster than you can say “one way ticket to New Zealand, please.”
In response to the TDFA’s claim about “semi-automatic defensive weapons,” I would respond that this is sheer lunacy. There’s nothing defensive about a semi-automatic weapon. Guns are made for one reason only: to kill.
Cole didn’t mention any statistics about how much gun violence there is in Taiwan, but I think the old adage is true: “If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.”
While pro-gun people use this quote to support their case, it’s actually quite true in Taiwan. Most of the guns in the possession of Taiwanese, outside the military, police force and Aboriginal hunters, are in fact owned by gangsters in criminal organizations and used for violent crimes.
In my view, the TDFA is a group that has a hammer and sees every problem as a nail. Simply put, it’s a solution that’s looking for a problem.
In the decade I’ve lived here in Taiwan, I’ve never once seen a violent crime. Traffic accidents, yes, but it seems like the only time people resort to gun violence to “solve” problems is during elections, like when former vice president Lien Chan’s (連戰) son, Sean (連勝文), was shot through the cheek with a bullet that killed an innocent bystander at a political rally last year. This is exactly the kind of crime we don’t need more of, and more guns in the hands of “qualified citizens” will surely exacerbate this problem.
Taiwan’s police need to get on this case like flies on ... honey and deport these trigger-happy idiots to a country where they might feel more at home, say Mexico or Somalia. And Mr Cole, please use your amazing investigative talents to follow up on this compelling story.
Torch Pratt
New Taipei City
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