Brazzil

I own several guns and I never killed anyone ! let alone hurt anyone!! Why because I 'am EDUCATED!! and non violent!! and because of this I can with my guns prevent violence against me!! without guns drug dealers will become church goers and wouldn't even think of stabbing you or sailing an arrow your way or strangling you or ganging up on you or molotov c**ktailing you or splitting your head open with a rock or slashing you with a bottle or spearing you!!
I guess your right guns are the problem and elitism and lack of morality is not!!there was no violence in biblical times !! or wait the pharisee did have Uzi's

The situation in Brazil this days is much more complex than it is explained by Fitzpatrick. People did not vot not to ban guns to protest against the president, but because they don't feel safe, knowing that drug traffickers, kidnappers, robbers would still have access to guns, especially because they don't buy them from authorized stores. Buying guns in Brazil is not easy, and it will not become Christma's gift. What is sad is that we still need guns to protect ourselves in Brazil.

The fact that such a large margin of voters voted against the arms ban in Brazil makes me wonder, once again, if one of the major problems with the political system in Brazilian isn't the mandatory vote. Perhaps if people weren't required to vote there would be less uninformed people voting on important issues. I'm not trying to say that voting isn't important or that it isn't something everyone should do, however, it does no one any good to have people, who are completely uninformed on the issues, voting.

I wonder how many of those voters graduated from high school and read the newspaper regularly? How many of them can read above an elementary school level and adequately comprehend and analyze complex texts that would clearly outline and define the issues for them? I lived in Fortaleza for a year and a half and during that time lived in poor neighborhoods where most people were illiterate or barely functioning literates and I was shocked to see the tactics of political candidates in those areas. People who are struggling to buy food each day and have little education are easy to manipulate. The candidates I saw in Fortaleza would go to the favela and hand out free gifts like blenders and other small appliances that would be expensive to the average resident. I remember one woman telling me she would vote for a candidate who had come to her favela and handed out blenders because she thought he must be a good guy...I often wondered if that woman had been well educated, would she have voted for that same guy? It's hard to say but I do think there's something to be said for allowing people to choose whether or not they want to vote.

Also, I wonder...don't the results of this referendum just reflect the rabid fear that the general population (and by general I mean, non-elite, poor, and lower-middle class) has of being assaulted, mugged, robbed, raped and/or murdered and so they just want to be able to protect themselves? They weren't choosing death and violence over love and peace because I doubt most voters saw it as a choice between those two things...more like a choice between self-preservation or victimization...sei la

What's next? voting on outlawing knifes and machetes. Get real!

Apperently good old John did not read that it will still be against the law to own a gun in Brazil
the vote changed nothing the common people can not buy a gun only 3.4% of people own guns of course that does count the crimnals

Apperently good old John did not read that it will still be against the law to own a gun in Brazil ....

I heard there were 17 million guns in Brazil somehere. That is 10% of the population.
What are the laws for possessing a gun?

Guns are the killers here. The criminals are. Also, do you honestly believe that by simply banning the sale of guns, that criminals will stop buying/using them. Quite the contrary.
Think about it. Someone cold enough to kill is certainly willing to purchase a gun illegaly, and own it illegaly. Doesn't that make sense?! Do you believe that a murderer will not murder because he is afraid of possessing an illegal firearm? Dont kid yourself.
Banning guns will simply create a black market, and raise gun prices on that market. Higher gun prices mean that criminals must have more money to purchase them. Where are these criminals getting their money....CRIME. One must then deduct that HIGHER GUN PRICES = HIGHER CRIME RATES so they may afford them.
Banning guns will not make crime go away, or even reduce. It is not in the guns of Brazil, but in the minds of the criminals and murderers. Focus on that and leave people the right to protect themselves in the meantime.
You should all be thankful for the NO vote.

Allow me to correct my typing in the first sentance.
GUNS ARE NOT THE KILLERS HERE, THE CRIMINALS ARE.

Just shows that John Fitzpatrick is really dumb and does not really know Brasil.

POINT ONE: the referendum was about BANNING GUN SALES. Not ractifying the Disarmament Laws from 2003. After that law, which was ALREADY APROVED AND IN EFFECT, gun sales DROPPED.

Does John knows how many guns were sold in Brasil in 2004? 64.000 guns. From those, only 500 guns were sold to civilians, the rest were sold to the army, police and private security companies.

Yes John. All your worries about Brasil staying the same are BULLs**t, since the referendum would stop the sale of MEAGER 500 guns per year!!!

POINT TWO: most guns are illegal and are in the hands of criminals one way or the other. This is not Scotland. A gun sales ban would make no f**king difference.

John, if this was in any other country in the world, the result would be the same! I know you are a loving peace guy, me too, I thought to vote yes, but I won't give up my right to defend my house and family. The law is already tough to own a gun. You know that. I know we Brazilians are a little more trigger happy than others, maybe because this f**king violence wave that is praging or country, and I don't really belive I'm safe at all to give the last right I have!, f**k no!. But we are not that bad, at least we did it first! and I'm sure we will try again soon, that's the beauty. Yes a lot people will die, still dying, but see and blame that we are not very responsable is bulls**t! Sometimes you lose focus man.

Mr. Fitzpatrick,
I'm sorry but you don't know much about Brazil. The arms thing was this dirty ,tricky way the Brazilian government tried to "distract" its people from the filth amongst the latest corruption scandals that came alive in Brazil recently. In countries like mine (Brazil), you can have whatever law you want banning arms , and still, the big time criminals will have them any time they want. It's called corruption! Not allowing the rugular people not to buy arms will not help anything. Violence in Brazil is a major problem and it needs to be tackled by the usuless actual Brazilian government , the right way, not by trowing the responsability entirely on the population.It's time to face truth and to stop dealing with the people as if they are all idiots.

Just to complete my humble ideas from above: CRIME IS IN THE MINDS OF PEOPLE, GOES HAND IN HAND WITH EDUCATION AND GOOD, DECENT JOBS.Those are the main issues the corrupt Brazilion government should be focusing on. And I say that as a Brazilian who loves her country.It just makes soooo mad when people don't know what they are talking about and don't fight for the RIGHT causes.

"People did not vot not to ban guns to protest against the president, but because they don't feel safe, knowing that drug traffickers, kidnappers, robbers would still have access to guns, especially because they don't buy them from authorized stores" Nonsense! The vast supply of guns in the hands of criminals comes from people who legally purchased guns. I'll say it another way: Legal gun owners are the suppliers of guns to criminals!

"Banning guns will simply create a black market, and raise gun prices on that market. Higher gun prices mean that criminals must have more money to purchase them. Where are these criminals getting their money....CRIME. One must then deduct that HIGHER GUN PRICES = HIGHER CRIME RATES so they may afford them." That is bizarre logic and wholly unsupported by any facts. So, maybe guns should be handed out for free to drug traffickers then the cirme rate would drop to nearly zero? You're a genius.

"the referendum would stop the sale of MEAGER 500 guns per year!!!" You are very emphatic, but I believe you must be completely out of your mind. I cannot believe that the gun industry spent the money it did to defeat this referendum to save a 500 gun per year sales figure. You're full of it.

"most guns are illegal and are in the hands of criminals one way or the other" See above. Most were originally purchased legally. YOU supplied them to the criminals by buying them. YOU voted to keep supplying them to criminals if you voted no.

Criminals who use guns are killers. You buy the guns, they steal them, they kill. You are part of the problem if you want guns. YOU get real, fool.

"GUNS ARE NOT THE KILLERS HERE, THE CRIMINALS ARE."

Guns make killing easier. That's not a distraction. That's true. It's no small problem either. Yes, Brazil has many problems and the availability of guns is one of them. Political corruption is another one. Corporate crime is a problem. The disparity of income and wealth is aonther. They're all important.

The defeat of the gun referendum shows that Brazil is being overtaken by US influence. The fingerprints of the NRA were all over the campaign. RESIST US INFLUENCE IN BRASIL!

Of the very few actual occasions that the masses get to vote for change. Brasil decides that change is not a good thing.You have told the government to do nothing about Guns and violence. You have justified to them you cannot accept change and you have given away the opportunity to take the lead and set the pace for political change of society in Brasil.

Not only are you uneducated ....your stupid as well.

Just to complete my humble ideas from above: CRIME IS IN THE MINDS OF PEOPLE, GOES HAND IN HAND WITH EDUCATION AND GOOD, DECENT JOBS.Those are the main issues the corrupt Brazilion government should be focusing on. And I say that as a Brazilian who loves her country.It just makes soooo mad when people don't know what they are talking about and don't fight for the RIGHT causes.

Mr. Fitzpatrick,
I'm sorry but you don't know much about Brazil. The arms thing was this dirty ,tricky way the Brazilian government tried to "distract" its people from the filth amongst the latest corruption scandals that came alive in Brazil recently. In countries like mine (Brazil), you can have whatever law you want banning arms , and still, the big time criminals will have them any time they want. It's called corruption! Not allowing the rugular people not to buy arms will not help anything. Violence in Brazil is a major problem and it needs to be tackled by the usuless actual Brazilian government , the right way, not by trowing the responsability entirely on the population.It's time to face truth and to stop dealing with the people as if they are all idiots.

So you own a gun....you think that you can defend yourself. But...

You are asleep in your bed...you hear a noise...you pick up your gun and walk towards the noise.....you cant see anyone....you walking throughout the house....then you feel a cold metallic object in your back....

So you think about....Do i try and defend myself with my weapon....Its facing the other way but if i am lucky...or do i let the man have what he wants....or do you think that your gonner turn the weapon in the right direction pull the trigger before he does..

Your choice

Criminals owning and obtaining weaponry is not corruption - irs organisation.

People in positions of authority and with skills to persuade against the public good are Corrupt and organised

Well, the word defence = to be in a better position. You wake a night, get your gun and go walk around! that's is poor training, or better people who watches a lot of Americans movies!. I have a gun, if I hear a noise in my house, ..( by the way, why have a gun if you don't have a alarm system?).. so, if I hear a noise in my house, I wake, get my wife and kids in the same room and lock myself, I mean barricade myself! and if the focker try to bring it down and I have my gun..hasta la vista baby! Sure he will not, because he's not dumb. Now like I said you wanna a gun, pay to be trained, good training involves a lot of no gun situation too.

Actually, the word is "defense," and it is not defined as "to be in better position." To defend yourself means to drive danger or attack away from you or in another sense to take action against attack or challenge. You describe a particular tactic in employing your defense, which is to cower in a room and await an attack. The result may be a preemptive attack against what you perceive to be an attack. The outcome of your scenario is uncertain at best. For example, you may incite gunplay in which you have inferior arms. Perhaps in defense of your impending attack or defense the other person shoots through the door and kills you and your whole family, when all the person wanted was trifling personal possessions. Maybe there's a shootout that kills and wounds you and other family members before the invader flees or is maybe killed.

Now, realize that the gun that the intruder may have was most likely stolen from someone just like you, i.e., a "law abiding" gun owner. Most of the guns in the hands of criminals came from the likes of you. Are you safer now? Or are you part of the danger? You make it easier for the criminal to commit crimes. That doesn't sound safe to me. And becuase you have "evened it up" by ensuring that both sides are armed, the fear and risk is at a high pitch. Look at yourself, cowering in a room waiting for an armed assailant to enter.

Good luck with your training. You're living in a dangerous world. And thanks to people like you, it's even more dangerous.

no problem Oliver North!

According to José Vicente da Silva, a former secretary of public security for the state of São Paulo, "The majority of those who kill are not criminals, but ordinary people with guns who get into arguments about banal things, like traffic disputes or arguments in a bar."

I wrote wrong, like you don't do it in portuguese? I do..Moron, after getting your definition about defense from a dictionary, read right that been locked in a room, means that! I'm not asking to get in a gun fight, and yes, there's a bunch of f**king situation that can happen. Now the defense I meant was the door and the things you will get behind it, even after, make sure you will get yourself and others behind something. The door, you saying that you are armed and called the police to the robber, will most drive any f**ker robber away, unless Brazil has no f**king more solution, that robbers are willing to die, like some terrorist! And by the way, if you read my first post, I did no meant to get your gun first, but to go and lock you and family, parrot, dog, sogra for last if you can....and I said, "now if I have my gun and the guy try to come inside...you would do the same, sure you would wish for one little gun...or maybe praying will help you, the guy kicking the door down, and you praying, help me, help me! There's f**ker a lot of situation! but I'm sure in that moment the f**ker will get ya, you will think first on a gun, and after god!

Chill out. Only a minor correction and it wasn't to be rude. I had to set up the definition and the fact that you are wrong about the definition. What are you going to do, shoot me? I don't have a problem with misspelling or typos. I do it all the time. No problem. But when you're going to define a word, you've got to try a little more. Misspelling it only shows you didn't even bother to look it up. You're talking out of your ass. It also makes you look foolish, like when George Bush said that people were “disassembling,” when he meant to say “dissembling.” The then went on to define disassembling: "That means not telling the truth." Actually, it means to take something apart.

You're sputtering, because you are wrong and you know it. You can fantasize about all sorts of scenarios that will happen when you get that chance to defend yourself with your gun, but you're just fooling yourself. “The door, you saying that you are armed and called the police to the robber, will most drive any f**ker robber away . . .” Are you saying you’re going to announce that you have a gun? Man is that stupid. Now you’ve lost the element of surprise. Or is surprise not a good thing? What does your “valuable” training tell you to do?

Face it. You’re just as likely to get killed in the ensuing shootout. You may also kill innocent people in the next apartment or on the street. Most likely your gun is going to be stolen when you're not there and be used in a crime. Most likely, you're going to shoot your wife ‘cause she put the horns on you or some other person because you got mad for some other reason.
You're sputtering, becuase you are wrong and you know it. You can fantasize about all sorts of scenarios that will happen when you get that chance to defend yourself with your gun, but you're just fooling yourself. Most likely your gun's going to be stolen when you're not there. Most likely, you're going to shoot your wife or some other person becuase you got mad.

yes it's me again. People, we Brazilians love peace. But at the same time is not only the gun. Is the pitbull, the faster driving car, is the drinking, is the jiujitsu, or I got better job, maid, and can piss anybody. is our whole f**king attitude..we lie at each other, trying to be the best f**ker..like my friend here who can spell english but don't get the meaning and respect of others opinion. I said, would vote yes, but right now, in Brazil would it make difference? s**t, voting yes for a country of the size a continent, where anything can come in, you think would stop any f**king criminal from buying guns? they already do. Only the law abbing citzens like any brazilian is when asked, maybe would start buying too! more f**king money for drug cartels! better keep the companies and jobs! or you prefer some 30,000 maybe more brazilians without jobs? f**k talk about that, now we need to buy guns from others countries, same companies would not care if the guns stating poping up on Brazil's streets, saying "oh is the f**king black market, we don't have control over"yeah right! let's vote yes, and check the made in china guns poping up later!

Is the issue in Brazil really guns, or is it deeper? I believe that Brazil, my beautiful, lovely Brazil, has problems far deeper than firarms. The gun debate is symptomatic and is distracting everyone from the real issues. Brazil is ready for change and has been for the longest time. But perhaps we lack real courage to institute that change and find it easier, instead, to blame the gun. Brazil is looked upon in a lesser light by the outside world for a lot of reasons. Instead of looking out and blaming outside influences, maybe we should be looking in. But it won't happen. tomorrow we will all find another excuse not to change things and go on our merry way blaming everyone else.

There can be no DEFENCE for Americans correcting Brazilians when they use perfectly good UK spelling of a word instead of bastardised US version. (That's bastardised not bastardized by the way)

According to José Vicente da Silva

I trust a seceret silver jew!!

It's me again...Ok if the result was yes, what would happen with rede globo soap opera, look the f**king title, "Bang-Bang". first day this s**t novela start, I was in some crazy family tv friend house, those people don't live without the f**k globo! On that day the "opening"was a blood cartoon, kill bill style! blood everywhere, I tought was a f**king bad taste, for a 8 pm novela, and the moment Brazil was to vote about it! f**king funny! is ironic! But did went on air the first day only...now it have a toys going to a gun fight but at the final moment they kiss, off course one toy is girl and other is boy! I told my friend. He replied how Tv Globo was good in creating a world fine cartoon. I look at him and say, yes good animation, poor creativity!
question
-how many die in traffic acidents in Brazil? I'm sure is over 45,000. we need to ban cars for that?

many of my brazilian friends voted "no" not because there are pro arms but because they believe 1) the referendum will just be one more "good law" that won't be enforced 2) this is just a distraction from the real issue, which is police and government corruption.

the idea that those who voted "no" are voting for guns and death is asinine. fala serio!

does not get it

Okay. I stand corrected. I am without DEFENSE (damn the British and thier non-standard spellings and funny accents). But, I'll stand by the statement that "disassemble" does not "mean not telling the truth." I'll also stand by my comments regarding the gentleman's "defence."

Fitzpatrick doen't get a lot of things. I think he's right here though. This was just another example of people being led by the nose by slick advertising. It wasn't a referendum on political corruption, confidence in the police, etc.

f**k all of you who are saying "brazilians were led by the media". You are the ones being STUPID, because Rede Globo, the largest and most watched brazilian tv was COMPLETELY PRO BAN!!!!!! The ones being led by the nose by the media were the ones that voted YES.

Most people here dont have a f**king clue about the situation. NO f**kING CLUE. They are as stupid as any brazilian that believes in magical solutions to the problems of the country. They are the people who fall in the net of lies of the populist politicians.

I will say it again: the gun industry sold only 500 guns to civilians in 2004. 500 guns! 500 guns!!! Its NOT EASY to be a LEGAL GUN OWNER IN BRASIL. The gun industry didnt spent that much money, they are very disorganized in Brasil comparing to NRA from US. But the money the gun industry put in this referendum was not to be able to still sell 500 guns, but because they think the defeating the ban is the first step to loose up the tight laws and be able to sell more guns again.

Not that this does matter. I believe there is no problems in having more guns. The brazilian problem is not in guns. Its in EDUCATION. Jamaica has banned guns. Did that help? No, they still have one of the highest murder rates in the world. PLENTY of murders in Brasil are commited with knifes.Banning ALL guns in the country would only raise the cases of knife murders, while the big criminal organizations would still have their UZIs, AK-47s, etc.

Rio Grande do Sul is the brazilian state with more guns in Brasil. But has a lower murder rate than other states. Why the hell that does happen? Education. You f**king see? The problem IS NOT GUNS. Swiss has many guns. Canada has more guns per capita than americans. But those countries have low crime rates.

So f**king stop your demagogy about Brasil. Thank god we kept our weapons. We should have even more. And having guns IS EFFECTIVE AGAINST CRIMINALS. At least here in RIO GRANDE DO SUL, I kow MUCH MORE CASES of people who were able to KILL the robbers and thieves than were killed by them. Usually, the ones killed by the bandits are the ones WEAPONLESS (they arent trained and usually make fast moves that the criminals think is a reaction then they shot them).


Most murders in Brasil are caused by street fights, bar fights, etc??? FUNNY. WHy NOBODY IS f**kING SCARED OF GOING TO THE STREET AND BEING KILLED BY THEIR NEIGHBORS??? PEOPLE ARE SCARED OF BEING KILLED BY CRIMINALS. NOT BY THE NEIGHBORS.

Brazilians are dark short and ugly and i am a perfect human.

"Its NOT EASY to be a LEGAL GUN OWNER IN BRASIL." Insofar as Brazil is the second in the world for gun deaths, that's a good thing.

Oh, and f**k YOU.

They are getting ready for a revolution in Brazil - so the first thing you need to do is disarm the good guys and make sure the bad guys have all the guns.

Do I smell a military governement returning?

So what's the deal with Government? Is Lula not a good President? Why is there so much poverty? And what reasons is Brasil not being funded?

Guns don't kill people! PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE!

I m wery shame about this referendum...Some people who vote like us, don t deserve to be a single dust on the world issues. We are the world we are the killers , we are the one who make a bleeding days for you and me.

Just for the americans here, the language is English, developed by the English and influenced by languages over the world. Anything you use is bastardised.

"Just for the americans here, the language is English, developed by the English and influenced by languages over the world. Anything you use is bastardised."

THAT'S A REALLY STUPID COMMENT. English was not standardized in England longer than it has been standardized. Moreover, the contributions of many, many non-English people is what has made English such a wonderful language. And, it continues to change by the influence of other cultures, just as it did on a small scale on the little British Isles. English is inherently a bastardized language. If you don't know that, you are a ninny. Now, gods, stand up for bastards!

Damn, sorry. I didn't read that correctly. I read your statement as "Anything ELSE you use is bastardised." You were making the same point. I'm the stupid one. Insorar as you directed the comment at Americans, jumped the gun. Why would you assume that Americans don't know that "anything you yous is bastardized"? Most English people are calling American English "bastardised" all the time. I guess we're a bit sensative. But don't you really think that your comment should have been directed to British people?

Again, sorry.

Thankfully in the US we have more guns than people

I've been to Brasil a number of times and made many friends. Prior to the vote I purposely did not mention it because I feel that as a foreigner I should have no input.
She voted NO for three reasons 1. She felt is was an assault on civil rights 2. She felt that the government should worry more about disarming criminals and less about disarming citizens and 3. She felt it would hurt the Brasilian arms industry. I’ve seen statistics that show while Canada has more guns per capita than the U.S. our crime rate is higher. I think it’s because of the mind set. In the U.S. we have a zero sum game….one of us wins and the other looses. Canadians strive for more of a win-win situation. I’ve been a life long democrat but have not voted for any of my parties candidates because of their stance on gun control. Strict Gun control has been voted down on many occasions so the democrats try and litigate away our rights. I’m sorry that Brasil has such a high rate of violence and hope that the find a solution quickly but I’m glad that the people had the good sense to reject a bad law.
.

The point was made initially in respect to the correction made earlier where the writer of Defense (with an "s") rather insultingly suggested that defense was the correct spelling. For most Commonwealth countries the Oxford dictionary was/is identified as the definitive source of english and indeed defence with a "c"would be the correct spelling. ( and lots of other words would be indentifed as well). In acceptance of the american ideology for the simplification of all things, and much influenced by the dominance of Microsoft products, there is acceptance that either british or American versions can be used. The silent many may underneath chuckle and sigh at the loss of beautful english as spoken by the english but will be accepting either way.

I am glad you reread the statement and corrected yourself! Most, i dare say have a habit of putting there keyboard into gear before engaging their brain.

In the beauty of English regardless of how its spelt and rejoice in the pleasure that whatever english words are used we can interpret their intended collective meaning.

Here, Here

..., it's violence and lawlessness. Sure, guns can kill more people more quickly, but it still takes a criminal, or psycotic person to use one. Put any weapon in the hands of someone intent on commiting harm, or controlling anothers actions, and they'll use it.Personally I have no use for guns at all, but I think this whole debate misses the point. A civil society is what's important, not whether or not guns are presesnt.

The “problem” is not guns, the “problem” is not poverty, and the “problem” is not education. The “problem” is a fundamental lack of moral commitment. Crime is the product of a society that lacks a moral basis. Being uneducated does not equate with criminality unless you are prepared to dismiss the billions stolen in corporate boardrooms as the result the courts’ and press’ misunderstanding of complex fiduciary responsibilities. Being poor does not equate with criminality any more than wealth equates with charity (remember the parable in the bible of the widow who was praised by God not because of the amount of money she gave (she gave very little comparatively) but because what she gave was all she had.

Education and employment, while important, are meaningless without an underlying foundation of corresponding moral principles. To attempt to obscure the real problem by demonizing an inanimate object is outright trickery. Until Brazil is able to come to terms with the moral bankruptcy that prevails at many levels, the rest of societies ills will remain unchecked.

A lot of what you have all said about the timing of the election and all other stuff about criminals being able to obtain guns in any case may be true.

What I don´t understand for one secound is why anyone would bother to own one. I have been mugged and I know of plenty of other people who have had the same experience. There is no chance in heck that even if I had a gun I would have had a chance to use it.

Yes you here of the odd story of some-one scaring off a robber but for every one of those count the obituries for those who were unsuccessful.

Owning a gun seems to be a futile exercise in mental pacification by a victom minded person who has built a high wall even more alienating other people towards feelings of anger and jealousy.

Yes I sweat to think that my partner could be raped etc. Yet I am left with the nagging feeling that a gun would only lead to her death and stop us from trying to use our street wise savvy in dangerouse situations.

And if you like to help to stop the drug war that fuels the gun trade - tell your damn kids or self to stop snorting coke.

I enjoyed the previous comments about Brazil's real problems. Such comments take courage, but I believe they are true. As a nation, we are looking for easy fixes for problems that are very complicated. It is rare for anyone to admit that what this country needs is a moral overhaul. Until that miracle happens, we will continue to take the easy way out when it comes to solving our problems, which means we will end up solving nothing.

The US has more guns per capita than any first world country. Britain problably has the lowet number per capita. I feel very safe in the vast majority of area of either country. Whatever the number of guns in Brazil, one would not consider personal safety to be something you take for granted. It's all about what a society will tolerate, and condsider normal. Brazilians tolerate a high level of violence and crime, and consider it to be the "normal" state of affairs. Whatever the excuses for it occuring are, the fact is toleration allows it to continue. Ask yourselves why there aren't mass demonstrations by law abiding Brazilians demanding an end to the acceptance of he unacceptable.

ur sick but claver what r u thanking of doing going to put the world in a ww3 brazil is crazy

ur sick but claver what r u thanking of doing going to put the world in a ww3 brazil is crazy

I am the great oak tree and if you try to eat my doritos you shall perish

are you guys talking about the ak-47s and the uzis and the desert eagles? because if that is so then you are you are crazy. i am a social worker and you should respect my authouuritiy

"Its NOT EASY to be a LEGAL GUN OWNER IN BRASIL." Insofar as Brazil is the second in the world for gun deaths, that's a good thing."


There is no relation between one thing and another. I said its not easy to be a LEGAL GUN OWNER IN BRASIL.

Gun deaths in Brasil are caused mainly by ILLEGAL GUNS.

Also, LEGAL GUNS, about 11 million, were mostly purchased when IT WAS EASY to get guns. But the laws in practice TODAY make it hard to get guns.




For people saying there is no point in having a gun cuz you cant react: thats a lie spread by the media. I KNOW people who killed the robbers. There is plenty of cases, at least in Rio Grande do Sul, or victims killing the robbers, bandits etc. Just last week a 50 yr old lady killed a bandit in Sapiranga.

Yes, there are other bigger problems in Brazil. The corruption for one thing! But, banning the guns WOULD help. Yes it would make a black market, yes criminals would still get guns, but gun deaths would go down, and in decades to come could reduce guns on the streets.

I would help if extra measures were taken to ban illegal guns, perhaps it will or will not, but banning the guns was a good idea.

Protection with a gun is an illusion. Is your own mother going to have a shoot out with a criminal? Will you whip out your pistol to take on a mugger with a gun? It is nonsense and stupid to think you can use a gun to protect yourself like in the wild west.

It is a crying shame the NAO vote won, by scaring the public into thinking they had to have guns for their own safty. ABSOLUTE NONSENSE.

YES!! THe problem is poverty, injustice, corruption and social immorality....BUT...when are we going to vote on them???????

They are NOT going to be fixed soon....SO while we are waiting for a miracle to fix these terrible problems. lets do something (us MUCH as we can), about the GUNS!!!

WE VOTED NO!! HOW STUPID!!

if we had in Brazil more sever laws, such as death penalty, maybe we would not be reading John Fitzpatrick 's article. Bandids have no respect at all to other's life. If it's necessary to kill the person in order to get his wallet, car or cell phone, these mean freaks will do so.

Impunity is our problem. Most of the criminals who kill 20, 25, 30 people scape from prison or just walk free on the streets. in Prison, most have benefits that a honest citizen does not have. An example is the access to cell phones, to control the drug traffic.

I think death penalty would be a solution because our prisons are so crowded and we, taxpayers, pay for their food, cloths, water, etc. And I also do not believe that someone who killed many people will be able to be part of the society again. This freak will be killing more incoent people.

And there is no need of a gun to do so. Could be a knife, rope, car, or whatever is handly.

If you give up you guns, who's going to stop the criminals or military from rounding you all up, and sending you to slave labor camps?

Never underestimate the inhumanity of man!!!!!!!

Keep your sword until god tells you to put it down!!!

By voting not to ban the sales of steak knives in the referendum held on October 23, Brazilians have condemned thousands of their fellow citizens to death in coming years. Angry husbands will stab their wives during domestic rows, irate middle-aged men will stab their teenage neighbors because they are fed up telling them to reduce the volume of their CD players, motorists will stab other motorists for denting their cars, while physically or mentally handicapped people will kill themselves in moments of despair

By voting not to ban the sales of steak knives in the referendum held on October 23, Brazilians have condemned thousands of their fellow citizens to death in coming years. Angry husbands will stab their wives during domestic rows, irate middle-aged men will stab their teenage neighbors because they are fed up telling them to reduce the volume of their CD players, motorists will stab other motorists for denting their cars, while physically or mentally handicapped people will kill themselves in moments of despair

That is the stupedest thing I have ever heard! By banning guns you would just increase the need for more police because of the need to stop smuggling of weapons and ammo! Good god you poeple are stupid

Hehe. I liked the "outlaw steak knives" argument.

I think Mr. Fitzpatrick is being too emotional about this issue. He does not even begin to discuss the several pro- and anti-gun arguments (neither in this piece nor in the previous article about the vote). I like the verve with which he presents his case, but the logic is faulty. I might add that:

1) not all media was biased towards a 'no' vote: über-governist Globo was there showing infantile guns-are-trash charges in prime time;

2) A huge proportion of guns, namely those the 'no' crowd says are exported, are actually smuggled back into Brazil, mostly from Paraguay. The gun supply wouldn't change all that much (unlike in a more advanced country);

3) even if the number of guns were reduced, the effects on the murder rates would be highly dubious. One article in this webzine, by Augusto Zimmermann, branded civil disarmament a "useless and demagogic" measure, which hasn't worked in any country so far, while citing some previous experience and the statistics to back his point;

4) I just loved to see the 'beautiful people' soap opera jet-set get clobbered in their own turf. I particularly remember the pathetic TV ad featuring Ingrid Guimarães saying that, "Oh guns kill I don't like guns. Guns kill and are bad. Vote sim"; and

5) the guns-for-Christmas pun is a wild exaggeration and Mr. Fitzpatrick knows it.

Thank you

Just ask any gun control person if they would ever put a yard sign on their lawn "This is a gun free home". They either get totally incensed or come to our point of view. guns should be taken from criminals and given to people who have been hurt by them. and yes, my mom sleeps very soundly with a 45 beside her bed, and would use it.

Just ask any gun control person if they would ever put a yard sign on their lawn "This is a gun free home". They either get totally incensed or come to our point of view. guns should be taken from criminals and given to people who have been hurt by them. and yes, my mom sleeps very soundly with a 45 beside her bed, and would use it.

It takes less than 10 seconds for someone to break in to your home and kill you or your loved ones with ANY weapon (be it gun, knife, big piece of wood, etc). Do you believe the police can respond and subdue the attacker in less than that? The Brazillian people chose to protect themselves because the police/state cannot. They chose very well indeed. Here in the peoples republic of canada, you are expected to lay down and die, content with the fact the police MIGHT catch the person who ended your life (and then let him go in a few months for "good behavior"). If you choose not to own a gun, that is your choice to make, but no one should have the right to make that choice for another who wishes to protect himself and his family.

Gun bans don't work. England banned handguns and tightened their gun laws to one of the most restrictive in the world. Yet their violence with guns has skyrocketed since the ban.
The super-security Maze prison in Northern Ireland had IRA inmates use smuggled in pistols to effect a shootout and escape. If you can't keep guns out of maximum security prisons then how do you keep them out of a nation?
Brasilians from all walks of life voted for their own safety and self-defense and they voted down the victim disarmament referendum. Elitists despair over the peoples' voice being heard.

"However, this vote has blighted the spontaneity and innocence which is one of the greatest attractions of this country."
The great attractions "pra inglês ver". Or, in that case, for Scottish to see. Foreingers like to think in Brasil as a peaceful country, becouse it has been like this since the beginning of this country. Brasil was the compilation of eurpeans dreams of paradise on Earth. Paradise Lost. We that are born here know in our flash that it's far away from reality. We can be innocent but we still humans, an as so, we can be very mean too.