In 1920, the eighteenth amendment came into effect, which prohibited the use and transportation of all forms of alcohol in the United States. What followed was one of the worst outbreaks of rampant and organized crime this country has ever seen. In a scene similar to that in the 1920's, there is now talk of placing a ban on almost all firearms owned in the United States. This ban was already put into effect over a year and a half ago in Australia, and the results are unsettling, to say the least. Already armed robberies in Australia have risen by a dramatic forty four percent. Another unsettling similarity is how both countries have very loyal supporters who were willing to break the law to keep their rights. These violators of the law could have been punished and jailed by the law, but in neither instance were those laws enforced to th ...view middle of the document...
The same thing is happening in Australia with the new gun control laws. Figures over a 25-year period show a steady decrease in the number of armed robberies in Australia. However, exactly one year after the start of gun control laws in Australia, armed robberies are up 44% and show no sign of declining. Both of these laws just showed to the world how once something becomes against the law, the more desirable it becomes for people to try to break that law.Another common theme of these two laws was the severity in which the illegal products were destroyed. During the Prohibition years there were many well-documented raids of warehouses that were storing large kegs and barrels of alcohol. Those that actually had the illegal items in their possession didn't receive a lot of punishment for their actions, as long as the officials were able to confiscate and destroy the alcohol. In Australia there are many cases of people holding on to their guns and refusing to turn them in for one reason or another. They are then tracked down by federal officials and asked to hand over their guns. If they comply, then no charges are brought against them, and the guns are then destroyed. Since both laws were abolishing things that were common everyday events for most of the country, more effort was put into punishing the actual product instead of the person responsible for owning the product.Both of these laws present the same problem to the general populace of their nations. These laws were created because of a few non-related incidents that spooked their respective governments into creating over-bearing laws on to their nations. The result for America was the 21st amendment that negated the 18th amendment and restored the legality of alcohol in the United States. The way things are looking right now in Australia, it could be a bumpy road ahead. That doesn't mean things won't change in the future but I think all of America should keep a close eye on what unfolds in Australia.
