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Day needs to do better fact-checking letters

Peter Hines Mystic

Publication: The Day

Published 08/04/2012 12:00 AM
Updated 08/03/2012 04:23 PM

I wanted to write regarding the recent letter "Drop in crime rate tied to more gun sales," (July 30). The writer claimed that Swedish men are required to own assault rifles, a claim which is simply not true; Swedish gun laws are quite strict, and private ownership of assault weapons is forbidden. There are only two classes of weapons permitted in Sweden; hunting rifles and non-automatic pistols. Permit applicants must state the intended purpose for ownership, either of two: hunting or target shooting. Permits are not issued for "personal protection."
Such claims can be fairly easy to verify or dismiss. I did it in about five minutes. It would seem reasonable that The Day's editorial staff vet this sort of content before publication.

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