January 24, 2006, 16:15

Larry Pratt, the executive director of Gun Owners of America, says South Africa should not make it harder for good citizens to get firearms to defend themselves.

Pratt is in the country to research the effects of the Firearms Control Act. He is currently visiting Bloemfontein.

Pratt says there are not enough police to protect people. He says criminals just get guns and use them. "We have found actually in the United States that the easier we have made it for people to be carrying guns on the street, the lower our crime rate has gone, but just in those states that have adopted those kinds of laws.

Prat says South Africa's crime rate could go up because of the gun control laws.

The govt of South Africa is not overly concerned about the safety of its citizens.  It is concerned about staying in power "come hell or high water," whichever comes first.

It's good they stick up for gun owners in the rest of the world.  It'll be a harder fight when we're the last "civilized" country in the world where "someone can just go out and buy a gun."