How do the libs answer this?
Posted on 07/28/2012 7:28:07 AM PDT by grundle
Guns are deeply rooted within Swiss culture - but the gun crime rate is so low that statistics are not even kept.
The country has a population of six million, but there are estimated to be at least two million publicly-owned firearms, including about 600,000 automatic rifles and 500,000 pistols.
This is in a very large part due to Switzerland's unique system of national defence, developed over the centuries.
Instead of a standing, full-time army, the country requires every man to undergo some form of military training for a few days or weeks a year throughout most of their lives.
Between the ages of 21 and 32 men serve as frontline troops. They are given an M-57 assault rifle and 24 rounds of ammunition which they are required to keep at home.
Once discharged, men serve in the Swiss equivalent of the US National Guard, but still have to train occasionally and are given bolt rifles. Women do not have to own firearms, but are encouraged to.
In addition to the government-provided arms, there are few restrictions on buying weapons. Some cantons restrict the carrying of firearms - others do not.
The government even sells off surplus weaponry to the general public when new equipment is introduced.
Guns and shooting are popular national pastimes. More than 200,000 Swiss attend national annual marksmanship competitions.
But despite the wide ownership and availability of guns, violent crime is extremely rare. There are only minimal controls at public buildings and politicians rarely have police protection.
Mark Eisenecker, a sociologist from the University of Zurich told BBC that guns are "anchored" in Swiss society and that gun control is simply not an issue.
Some pro-gun groups argue that Switzerland proves their contention that there is not necessarily a link between the availability of guns and violent crime in society.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.bbc.co.uk ...
Sounds a lot like New Hampshire. Or Vermont without the refugees from Brooklyn.
I think it would be pretty cool if Schützenfests became wildly popular in the U.S.
From the article
“Switzerland is one of the world’s richest countries, but has remained relatively isolated.
It has none of the social problems associated with gun crime seen in other industrialised countries like drugs or urban deprivation. “
US Statistics: 31,000 gun deaths in a year. 18,000 of that is suicides. 80 % of all other gun deaths are gang related.
The real problem with guns in America is gun possessors who are also gang members/drug users/sellers. Rather than disarm ALL Americans, we should consider disarming all gang members. But since this is tantamount to disarming minorities, it will never even be vocalized.
How do the libs answer this?
Who infiltrated the BBC, and how long can they hold out?
ping
That they will fight to abolish firearms completely as long as even 1 person is injured with a firearm.
This article is 11 years old.
Interesting is that Switzerland has a growing immigrant population, one of the largest in Europe...and from the same countries other Euro nations get immigrants from...and the criminal immigrants. Yet crime rates still have not spiked...not like in other Euro nations
“I think it would be pretty cool if Schützenfests became wildly popular in the U.S.”
____
At one time in the 1800 they were.
“This article is 11 years old”.
The subject matter is very current and loaded with valuable info. Thanks to the poster
“This article is 11 years old”.
The subject matter is very current and loaded with valuable info. Thanks to the poster
Electric fence liberals aren’t capable of critical thinking. They’ll never learn that adopting “Play nice!” as a strategy to get through life has some potentially catastrophic consequences when they seek to disarm law abiding individuals.
The theater chain in Aurora should know that by now. Their policy forbid firearms in the theater yet they failed to ensure the security of their disarmed law abiding patrons.
I was responding to marktwain's post:
Who infiltrated the BBC, and how long can they hold out?
There is a WWII story. Germany was considering invading Switzerland. The German general said to the Swiss general, “ What would you do if I invade you with 300,000 troops?” The Swiss general replied, “ I would issue my troops 300,000 bullets.” The German general said, “ What if I invaded with 600,000 troops?” The Swiss general said, “ I would issue each of my troops another bullet.” The Germans did not invade Switzerland in WWII.
An armed man is a free man.
Gothcha...thanks
Switzerland is one of the countries profiled. The incidence of gun possession to violent death is very low but if suicide is factored in, and I don't mean by gun, the homicides exceed the U.S. He makes a good case that violent death is not related to the prevalence of guns but is more an expression of culture. Japan has similar statistics. The U.S. will never have European style gun control because the U.S. does not have a history of subordination to centralized authority at least not yet, God willing. The author will make the Brady bunches’ heads explode.
"Boss, ze plane! Ze plane!"
“I think it would be pretty cool if Schützenfests became wildly popular in the U.S.”
IDPA matches would be more fun.
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