THE GAHZETTE Spreading News Since 2007 Editor December ‘07 sapi Special Thanks: Art woad&fangs Tamur Crazed Rabbit Opinion/Forum Reports Kukrikhan The Backroom Sigurd Fafnesbane page 2 Reporters Gameroom GeneralHankerchief page 17 CountArach King Jan III Sobieski The Comfy Chair TinCow page 19 darkrangar KingWarman888 The Throne Room Warmaster Horus page 22 edyzmedieval Martok The Mead Hall Warmaster Horus page 23 Frederick I Barbarossa Omanes GBB TinCow GeneralHankerchief Warluster IanofSmeg16 Warmaster Horus TW ModChat - Technical makanyane page 8 Multiplayer AntiWarmanCake page 13 All images and graphics have been used with love and respect for their original owners. All articles are the property of the author. Misc History King Jan III Sobieski page 15 (C) 2007 totalwar.org Editor’s note The big news this month is, of course, the inclusion of plenty to read there, with on the forums and in the our very first Gahzette host- the highlights of the debate backroom article. ed debate. For the next six between woad&fangs and pages, you can read the high- Crazed Rabbit followed by Of course, in addition to this lights of a debate between some insightful commen- new feature, the Gahzette two Backroom regulars tary assembled by a panel also includes the usual col- moderated by our very own of three judges (Backroom lection of forum reports, Backroom reporter, Sigurd reporter and regular Sigurd modding tips, and general Fafnesbane. Fafnesbane, Backroom mod- TW news. erator Kukrikhan, and Gah- Whether you’re at all inter- zette editor sapi). Get reading! ested in the topic - which, in this case, happened to You can also have a read of sapi be the contentious issue of the complete debate, if you handgun control in the Unit- wish, by following the link in- ed States - or not, there’s cluded in the release thread 1 The first debate has been completed and we self defense effectively, that its practice may thank both woad&fangs and Crazed Rabbit be useful to them. For self defense that is for their participation. It was a learning not effectual is of no worth. And the best experience for all of us and I think we all way to increase the effectiveness of self enjoyed playing our parts. defense is by using tools, specifically On the panel of Judges sat: sapi, Sigurd firearms. Indeed, research has shown that Fafnesbane and KukriKhan. We thank them resisting crimes with a weapon leads to less for their contributions. injury than not resisting at all. And of all firearms, handguns are uniquely Crazed Rabbit vs. woad&fangs on Legality suited for self defense. They are not big or of Handguns. cumbersome, come in a variety of sizes and models, and can be easier to use for some people. Perhaps most importantly, they are Opening statement by Crazed Rabbit easier to carry around. Handguns: a Tool for Self Defense For criminals strive to strike their victims “The right of self defense,” said St George when they are at their weakest. And if Tucker, Revolutionary War veteran and legal people are forbidden from carrying arms scholar, “is the first law of nature.” with them criminals will know no-one can resist them with great force in the streets of This idea was not new even in the time of a city. So handguns are necessary that Mr. Tucker. This basic concept has been people may practice this natural right in all around for thousands of years, and set forth places. Logic tells us that good people will in documents such as the English Bill of not misuse weapons, and that people who Rights and the American Constitution. This will misuse them will pay no heed to laws. right is universal, supported by leaders of Research tells us that neither the great religions; the Dalai Lama said it would proliferation of handguns in a society nor the be reasonable to shoot back at someone ability of people to carry handguns increases who is shooting at you. Pope John Paul II the crime rate. spoke of “the right to self defense” and how “‘legitimate defense can be not only a right Opening statement by woad&fangs but a grave duty for someone responsible for The best away to lower the crime rate in the another’s life, the common good of the United States is to make the possession or family or of the State’.” Restrictions on self sale of all handguns illegal. defense run against this natural right, this basic freedom. The United States has more murders per person than any country in Western Europe It is reasonable for people to desire to use or Canada. Ineffective legislation against 2 handguns is a major component of why the the United States should be made illegal United States has such a high crime rate. In with strict punishment for people who break 2007 90 guns were owned for every 100 U.S. this law. Citizens. Canadians posses 31.5 guns for every 100 citizens. The United States has 5.9 Note: Source is Wikipedia and the sources murders every year for every 100,000 provided by Wikipedia. citizens. Canada has a murder rate of 2.01 murders for every 100,000 citizens. The Highlights from woad&fangs’ first rebuttal Canadians own one third as many guns per “This basic concept has been around for person as the U.S. and their murder rate is thousands of years […]” also one third of the U.S. Slavery has also been around for thousands While those figures show a correlation of years. Age is not always proof of wisdom. between number of guns per person and number of murders per person they fail to “Pope John Paul II spoke of ’the right to self show the disproportionate affect that defense’ and how ‘legitimate defense can be handguns have on crime. The Homicide rate not only a right but a grave duty for in the United States was in a state of rapid someone responsible for another’s life, the increase during the 1980s and into the early common good of the family or of the State’.” 1990s. While homicides involving handguns resulted almost entirely in this increase most homicides involving other murder weapons While we’re quoting famous people, Jesus actually experienced a decline in prevalence. preached non-violence. The words of Jesus With homicides involving firearms handguns should carry more weight than the words of were by far the most prevalent. In fact, 75% the Pope who is merely representing Jesus. of firearm related homicides involved a Gandhi also preached non-violence. So did handgun. This compares to 4% with rifles Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and 5% with shotguns. The rest of the percent was where the type of firearm was “And of all firearms, handguns are uniquely unknown. suited for CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. They are not big or cumbersome, come in a variety of Like the U.S., the Swiss have a high rate of sizes and models, and can be easier to use gun ownership. In fact, all male Swiss citizens for some people. Perhaps most importantly, between the ages of 21 and 50 are issued they are easier to carry around.” fully automatic weapons and ammunition so that they may perform there annual military Fixed that paragraph for you. obligations. However, unlike the United States, the Swiss have strict laws against the Highlights from Crazed Rabbit’s first possession of handguns. Also unlike the U.S., rebuttal the Swiss have a fairly low crime rate. “[…] Ineffective legislation against handguns Handguns are used almost entirely for self is a major component of why the United defense. Unfortunately they fail miserably at States has such a high crime rate.” their one task and in fact significantly contribute to the problem which they try to This is an interesting assertion by Mr. prevent. For the betterment of the peoples woad&fangs. He seems to imply that gun the possession and/or sale of handguns in availability causes crime. However, he only 3 exaggeration; the effects of handgun ownership by the population are real and beneficial. Using a gun in self defense is very effective, according to studies. quotes a few select statistics to show this. ( http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_ Showing the whole picture, of course, would gcdguse.html ) paint quite a different picture. The USA has ( http://www.guncite.com/gun_control_ traditionally had a higher murder rate than gcdgeff.html ) countries like Canada and Britain. But, more importantly, it has a violent crime rate that is “While we’re quoting famous people, Jesus near the lowest it’s been since the Justice preached non-violence. The words of Jesus Department first reported rates in 1973. This should carry more weight than the words of is while handgun and firearm ownership in the Pope who is merely representing Jesus the US was increasing. Homicides are around […]” the lowest rate since the 1960s USA, again with increasing handgun ownership. If anything, this suggests the very opposite; Yes, let us quote Jesus [Luke 22:36]: “Then crime decreases with more firearms. said he unto them, But now, he that hath a ( http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/13/ purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: na...=1&oref=slogin ) and he that hath no sword, let him sell his The US Center for Disease Control recently garment, and buy one.” That certainly did a study on various gun laws and found sounds like a suggestion to arm one’s self. that there was insufficient evidence to conclude a single law or combination of gun Highlights from woad&fangs’ second control laws worked to lower crime.