"Switzerland: Peaceful, with guns" AOL article

[hso]

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/11/05/switzerland-peaceful-with-guns/21259821/

Antis move to put laws in place like other European countries in upcoming vote in Switzerland in spite of the low crime rate.

Switzerland has earned its reputation as a safe, neutral nation. Yet it's hardly pacifist or gun-averse. In fact, the small and stable country has the highest firearm ownership rate in Europe:

That's the the third-highest ownership rate in the world, outdone only by the U.S. (89) and Yemen (55).

The precise number of privately owned guns is unclear because many are undeclared.

 

[Robbins290]

Nice!

 

[yokel]

Switzerland seemingly lacks a nihilistic and amoral urban counterculture that revels in lawless and violent behavior and adopts a very perverse rejection of conventional social norms.

 

[taliv]

either that or they're too tired to do drugs and shoot each other after walking up and down those mountains all the time

 

[Sunray]

Crime rates mean nothing to those people. Isn't about crime rates to them.

 

[CoalTrain49]

Crime rates mean nothing to those people. Isn't about crime rates to them.

If you lived where they do you would have a very healthy respect for your neighbors wanting to take over your country and run it as they see fit. They have full auto weapons stored in their homes if I'm not mistaken.

 

[medalguy]

FULL AUTO WEAPONS? We have to ban those for the children!!

I've been to Switzerland several times, and the populace there seem to me to be very responsible people. We can't let that kind of people have guns after all.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

It will be interesting to see if the rest of the European stooges can bully Switzerland to foul their country with the "refugees" from the Mideast. Watch their crime rates spiral if that happens. The real story behind crime rates is related to the percentage of those who are not a part of their home country's culture. If you have pride in yourself and your culture you usually don't have the urge to steal from or kill another member of your culture. The Swiss have been very protective of their borders, which is why they never joined the EU. There is much to be learned from them; unfortunately our leaders will ignore that lesson.

 

[guyfromohio]

If I recall, and please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe an applicant's neighbors essentially vote as to weather or not an immigrant is awarded citizenship.

 

[gbran]

It is never about lowering crime. It is always about incremental steps to complete banning of firearms.

 

[entropy]

Switzerland seemingly lacks a nihilistic and amoral urban counterculture that revels in lawless and violent behavior and adopts a very perverse rejection of conventional social norms.

Bingo! That and they have learned from the rest of Europe's saga and opted for a strong defensive posture. They seem to have taken this quote to heart:

"Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum." -Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus

"Therefore, those who wish for peace, prepare for war. "

 

[old lady new shooter]

It will be interesting to see if the rest of the European stooges can bully Switzerland to foul their country with the "refugees" from the Mideast. Watch their crime rates spiral if that happens. The real story behind crime rates is related to the percentage of those who are not a part of their home country's culture. If you have pride in yourself and your culture you usually don't have the urge to steal from or kill another member of your culture. The Swiss have been very protective of their borders, which is why they never joined the EU. There is much to be learned from them; unfortunately our leaders will ignore that lesson.

Not likely. The Swiss voted in a prohibition on minarets.

 

[Walkalong]

Just more evidence that the antis are not trying to decrease crime, only disarm us.

 

[Bigdog57]

High crime is GOOD for "progressive" nations! It allows them to put many more police troopers on the streets, and to increase control over people's lives. But..... it doesn't work so well when the populace can defend itself. Gotta get rid of all those private owned guns!!

 

[yugorpk]

Thw Swiss don't look at guns the way we do. Spent a lot of time there when I was stationed in Germany and had a Swiss girlfriend from Lucerne. We tend to look at guns for self defense purposes, hunting and for protection from our own government. The Swiss see firearms as important for defense from other belligerent nations and take the whole "well regulated militia" bit to be extremely important. There are shooting clubs to be sure but they are set up similar to what you'll find in Germany where ammo is much more regulate and self defense isnt something you would do without going to jail for it .

BTW, That is one boring country.

 

[HoosierQ]

If you lived where they do you would have a very healthy respect for your neighbors wanting to take over your country and run it as they see fit. They have full auto weapons stored in their homes if I'm not mistaken.

FWIW, when one leaves the Swiss military one gets to take one's service rifle with them but they do convert it to semi-auto. They aren't worried about people spraying and preying on their neighbors (see what I did there!). They are simply concerned about ammo usage because the Swiss government also provides everybody with ammo to practice with! In addition, the various arms are allowed to be left to survivors and descendants. FWIW also, Switzerland has what we would consider very strict gun control laws in that all those guns are registered, when transferred the transfer is recorded, and (here's the fun part) one is more or less required to go to government shooting ranges to shoot with ammo provided by the government to stay proficient. It is very different than it is here but it is pretty darn good. The Swiss are very happy gun owners.

 

[22-rimfire]

The AOL article uses the word "staggering" when comparing the estimated 3.4 million guns in civilian hands to the overall population of 8 million. One should not forget that the Japanese were concerned about invading the continental US due to private gun ownership. These are lessons from history and people need to pay attention to history as history repeats itself.

The anti-gun people simply want to ban the private ownership of firearms in the US. It is very simple and any step toward that goal is considered progressive toward the ultimate objective. Even in Australia, gun ownership increases today after their draconian law was implemented after the "massacre".

The crime issue is a social one and one that a new gun control measure will NOT solve in any meaningful way. But again, it is not about actually doing something meaningful; it's about the progressive agenda.

 

[JSH1]

People always seem to leave out that though military members are allowed to take their weapons home they are not allowed to take ammunition. The ammo is supplied when they arrive on base for their exercises.

Ammunition can be purchased privately but it requires a license to purchase. The rules are here: https://www.admin.ch/opc/de/classified-compilation/20081148/index.html Ammunition purchased at a private range must be consumed at the range.

 

[hso]

One should not forget that the Japanese were concerned about invading the continental US due to private gun ownership.

Common gun myth that has been oft repeated here and pointed out as error.