Urban Vancouver

I've noticed the same thing - media saturation on Vancouver's gun problem - and your links to some examples confirmed my own observations.

It could be warranted. We don't have the same problem with guns as, let's say, Detroit. We had 68 shooting incidents, with just seven gun homicides this year. (Vancouver police statistics available at http://www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/police/media/summaries/2005dec05.htm)But why would we wait until the problem gets a lot worse before putting it on the front page? We already lead the country in a lot of crime indices - it wouldn't be a stretch for gun crime to suddenly surge here.

I don't know that such coverage will necessarily make "gangster wannabes" give up their gats (for the worst cases, the opposite may be true). Still, I feel reassured that reporters feel that even a relatively small number of gun deaths, like the senseless killing of Lee Matasi this week, is beyond the pale.

As for your comment on my own post, I agree that TransLink cops with guns do heighten the impression of living in a security state. But we're not quite there yet. It will be a long, long time before Vancouver starts to resemble Panmunjon. Hopefully, "a little more tense" will be as bad as it gets.

I think that YOU guys are the ones who are victims of media saturation. Since when is it normal that Canadians pack heat? Maybe you've spent too many long hours watching Hawaii Five-0 and American cop shows. Personally I support a total ban on handguns. So there.

I have to agree. For me this is far too close to home. My daughter's life is forever altered by one gunshot which snuffed out the love of her life. All of us who knew Lee Matasi are much the poorer by his absence.

As far as I'm concerned the media attention to the handgun issue is most welcome albeit belated. Handguns serve no useful purpose. Their only use is killing people, which is not a useful purpose by any stretch...

As for those who are unhappy about the prospect of a handgun ban, the sport shooters and the collectors, get over it. Find a more productive hobby... maybe something that preserves life instead of...

Yes there's a gun problem. You're out to lunch if you can't see it.

What a tragedy that cynical politicians are manipulating people's hot buttons on this gun issue. When the last handgun has been seized from those collectors and those sports shooters, guess what. It won't make a difference, because today's urban gunman isn't coming over from the pistol range with a .22's tucked in his pants, searching for live targets.

What you should be concerned about is the crackhead with 50 Cent gun-glory lyrics pumping from iPod buds into his fried brain. And he bought his gun in the bar from some guy who stole it off a transit cop who fell asleep on the last run to Surrey.

Or worry about the grinning guy who spends endless hours in front of his computer, blasting blasting body parts off all those foreign-looking people running across his screen. He's going to a gun show in Washinton State next week, and the gun he's going to bring back under his spare tire won't be registered anywhere.

Or worry about the East (_fill in any region you want_) gang who are busy right now unwrapping and cleaning up their shipment of not-too-bad-copies of Glocks that were shipped over, sealed in those cans of fermented fish heads. As soon as they grease their guns, they'll be rushing right down to register those weapons, we can be sure.

But not to worry. Your local MP is going to shield you from a 80-year-old war vet and his souvenir Luger he picked up while he was undertaking the trivial task of defending your country. What a brave politician! You must reward him with your vote.

If any of u ever shoot someone ur under arrest

guns dont kill people
people kill people
if they let vancouver cops carry guns offduty
if they let ppl w/firearms license carry guns
then those gangster wannabes will think twice about
jacking up an old guy in a mercedes, cuz he might shoot him up
guns are wonderful and genious creatures that protect people
and those who use guns to kill people, especially in vancouver
are criminals who carry their guns 24/7, but our police officers
are not even allowed to carry guns offduty, time to change the rules !!!
and its time for gunhaters to change your brains... hahah j/k,
but u have to remember even if u ban hand gun
its not goin to make a difference, criminals will always get their gun
thank you