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Sen. @Bob_Ballinger may not believe there is a correlation between SYG laws & gun violence, but he would be wrong. Don't take my word for it. It's been studied and analyzed extensively. Let's dive in, shall we? Warning... I’m bringing receipts. https://twitter.com/KARK4News/status/1344124737086173184
In my interview w/ KARK4 I quoted stats from a 2017 study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. It found that implementation of FL’s SYG law was associated with a 32% increase in firearm homicide rates & a 24% increase in overall homicide rates. http://ow.ly/6btB50CX2Bm
The same study determined that FL’s SYG increased both justifiable and unlawful homicide rates in the state. http://ow.ly/6btB50CX2Bm
Other researchers uncovered in 2018 that regional differences impact the outcome of SYG laws and that neighborhoods that initially had the lowest homicide rates prior to the law being enacted ended up being the most negatively affected areas. http://ow.ly/R0PW50CX2HV
Reporters diving into actual cases in FL where SYG was used as a defense determined in 79% of those cases, the assailant could have retreated to avoid the confrontation altogether & in 68% of the cases, the person who was killed was unarmed. http://ow.ly/7Wpy50CX2IP
If you think a SYG law is going to primarily benefit the “good guy” with the gun, you’d be wrong. A @TB_Times analysis determined that nearly 60% of those claiming self-defense had been arrested at lease once prior to the day they killed someone. http://ow.ly/sjf250CX2L0
And roughly a third of those defendants – yeah, the one claiming SYG protections – had been previously been accused of violent crimes, including assault, battery, or robbery. So you know, more of the “bad guys” than the “good ones”. http://ow.ly/sjf250CX2L0
But let’s look beyond FL for a moment? Have other states had been results? Nope. Researchers publishing in the Journal of Human Resources showed that SYG laws are a clear threat to public safety & there is no evidence that they deter crime. http://ow.ly/NhS550CX2PB
In fact, overall, they are associated with an 8% increase in firearm homicides. I didn’t make that up. Promise. Read here: http://ow.ly/NhS550CX2PB
SYG laws have also been tied to significant increases in firearm injuries resulting in increased ER visits and inpatient hospitalizations. http://ow.ly/meJs50CX2Rr
Arkansas hospitals are hurting as is and we’ve already asked so much of our front-line workers. A SYG bill is proven to increase their burden. Why would we do that to them? Haven’t they’ve dealt with enough already? http://ow.ly/meJs50CX2Rr
But let’s talk race: When controlling for other factors, SYG laws “justify” white-on-black homicide 281% higher than white-on-white homicides. That should be a conscious-shocking figure for everyone! http://ow.ly/3lrM50CX2U2
According to the 2010 Census, roughly 15% of AR residents are Black. In an era where more people than ever are finally concerned about inequities in the Black community, why would we pass a law that negatively impacts them at such a disporpionate rate? http://ow.ly/LUFh50CX3bz
LITERAL experts on self-defense laws & prosecution from the American Bar Association produced a 66-page report on SYG laws proving 70% of individuals asserting SYG receive no punishment & that factually similar cases often yield inconsistent results. http://ow.ly/Mx3550CX3kG
The ABA task force members who compiled that report found that testimony – including from LEO and Prosecutors – “focused consistently on the lack of evidence of a problem that [SYG] laws need[] to solve.” http://ow.ly/Mx3550CX3kG
So is anyone surprised that the American Bar Association subsequently adopted a formal resolution urging states to refrain from enacting SYG laws that eliminate the duty to retreat. http://ow.ly/lUZr50CX3py
I’m tired y’all. I’ve done gun violence prevention work since 2016 & in the last #arleg session, we defeated not 1 but 2 SYG bills. I was there - testifying against it. Urging some of these same law makers to please just read the research. http://ow.ly/hB5f50CX3rA
In fact, the glorious Sen. Flowers went viral for her impassioned plea to these many of these same lawmakers that day. As the only black member of that committee, she begged that they put themselves in the shoes of Black people in AR. http://ow.ly/FaIp50CX3wL
I’m not anti-gun y’all. I’ve owned them before and probably will again. I’m anti-gun violence. And I’m anti-senseless death. I would think that law makers like Sen. @Bob_Ballinger who are pro-life would also be on that team. http://ow.ly/3Hg750CX3xR
So no, AR does not need a SYG law. And yes, there is actual evidence proving correlation between SYG laws & gun violence regardless of what Sen. @Bob_Ballinger believes. I’m not trying to be disrespectful. This isn’t my opinion. This isn’t my belief. This is proven.
The American Bar Association says that SYG laws are unnecessary and quoted prosecutors as saying SYG “cause[es] more problems than they are solv[e]”. A former District Attorney literally called them “a solution looking for problem.” http://ow.ly/Mx3550CX3kG
Arkansas is a great state. I love it. But we have ACTUAL problems in this state that we need our lawmakers to focus on in the upcoming session. http://ow.ly/giMV50CX3Bn
But we rank 49 in Health Care, 42 in Education, 43 in Economy, 47 in Infrastructure & 47 in Crime & Corrections. We are also well above the national average in violent crime (555/100K v. 394/100K). http://ow.ly/giMV50CX3Bn
This bill will likely increase those numbers & you don’t have to take my word for it. Even a 2020 report from RAND Corp. (a nonprofit research organization characterized for objectivity) found that SYG laws may increase violence crime. http://ow.ly/HkAa50CX41w
I am praying AR lawmakers step back & read the actual facts on SYG. If they don’t, their constituents will literally pay the price. Maybe even with their lives. Gov. @AsaHutchinson announced yesterday than a total of 3,603 Arkansans have died due to COVID.
Isn’t that enough mourning families? Isn’t that enough bodies in the ground? Can we please prioritize healthcare, the economy & education in the new #arleg session instead of focusing on bad solutions to problems that literally do not exist? End. Rant.
