In my July 22 article on gun control, Matt left me a comment that raised suspicions of the typical NRA-trained, gun toting fact providers. Aside from inferring that I am a fool, he said Switzerland has one of the highest per capita ratios of gun ownership—due to a militia based national security—which is right. Matt also said the country’s gun violence rate is near zero which is dead wrong..jpg)
As an example, around 300 people are killed in Switzerland every year involving militia-related, army guns, says Swiss criminologist, Martin Killias.
Spiegel Online reports that 66% of the Swiss want a ban on guns being stored at home (due to the militia connection), and 76% felt there was no need for these guns or accompanying ammunition at home to defend the country. Considering an active army roster of only 134,886, the Swiss apparently still feel that their government will sufficiently come to their aid. And there are many Americans who feel that same security with their local police force, making an arsenal in the home, or the carrying of a concealed weapon, unnecessary to many.
Here’s a video to remind all of us just how easily guns get into the system.
How can these “unfortunate occurrences” be blamed on poor parenting, unrelated to gun ownership, Matt, when a Swiss soldier from Zurich just two hours after completing his recruitment training, randomly shoots a 16-year old girl at a bus stop? By the way, the Swiss did tightened their gun laws in late 2008. Now who’s the fool?
Please leave your comments or E-mail me: jack.dundiv@cox.net
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Comments
After reading this there is no longer any need to infer you are a fool. You just proved it.
I certainly don't know if you are a fool, Jack, but you sure seem to think your readers are. Using phrases like 'according to so and so' rather than actual cited facts leads me to believe you aren't interested in actual facts. According to Nationmaster.com, Switzerland sees only about 68 firearms murders a year, roughly a 4th of their overall murder rate. The Czech Republic, which has laws arguably more permissive than those in the US, enjoys a similiarly low crime environment. Meanwhile, Japan, Germany, France and the UK, all poster nations for the Gun Control movement, all have significantly higher gun murder rates...France does in fact rate 12th overall despite a near ban on firearms. Russia, a true zenith of the gun ban community, does in fact ban firearms on an all out basis for their citizens...they're number 1 by the way. India follows in the second spot with similiar legislation.
Facts are a drag, huh Jack?
Firearm-related violence generally speaking is far lower in Switzerland than in the US, yet possession of military firearms is far more widespread.
The official Polizeiliche Kriminalstatistik records show a similar rate of armed robbery to England & Wales. IIRC, I seem to recall the Republic of Ireland actually had a slightly higher rate during part of the 90s although I haven't got the stats to hand. Ireland has the toughest gun laws in Europe, and the UK has the second toughest.
Comparing the US and Switzerland (or any two countries) is very hard to do, because you can prove anything with sample size of two.
Having looked at it for years, I came to the conclusion awhile back that the main factor is poverty and lack of social cohesion in some countries. South Africa, Jamaica and Brazil for example have higher rates of armed crime than the US. Switzerland is a rich country with little poverty and arguably the best social services in the world.
You should be writing to the Swiss. P.S. Do you guys go to a school or something that teaches you how to avoid reality?
Jack, could you explain in more detail what the 'typical, NRA-trained , gun toting fact provider' is. Or, for that matter, what a typical Liberal, anti-gun, name-calling non fact provider(such as yourself) is.
I am tired of reading articles that fail at the most basic analysis. For starters:
"around 300 people are killed in Switzerland every year involving militia-related, army guns"
What an irrelevant statistic. The vast majority of gun deaths in America and Switzerland and suicides, not homicides. Suicidal people have plenty of options to kill themselves; banning guns won't save a single life. Violent crime is near zero in Switzerland.
"66% of the Swiss want a ban on guns being stored at home"
No they don't. Read the original article by Blick. 66% of Swiss want to end the requirement that they store government owned guns at home. Because every male 18 to 60 is drafted into the military they are required by law to keep a government issued firearm at home. This poll amounts to nothing more than the desire to end the Swiss draft.
Really? This is pathetic. Use critical thinking before you write.
Well, Jack, several of your readers like Patrick, Steve, and Colin, did better research than you and totally debunked your incorrect article. Does being wrong bother you terribly? I guess not. Is this your idea of "news we can use"? Most people, it seems aren't like you. They want to know the real facts and truth before they make up their minds. Why don't you do like Brett Farve suggested: "Take three weeks off, then quit." P.S. "In your photo your head looks a little skewed, like you can't hold it up properly. Could that be a window into your skewed mind?
Jack says: "And there are many Americans who feel that same security with their local police force, making an arsenal in the home, or the carrying of a concealed weapon, unnecessary to many." ---Actually the fact that certain people "feel" a certain way or who "think" something is true, doesn't in fact make it true. If you ever actually checked up (read that: "did any research") on things you spout off about, you'd know that even law enforcement scources themselves often comment that they cannot prevent crime or protect citizens from home attacks. But what the hell, liberals are more interested in how they "feel" and what they think, than any kind of reality. You're the poster boy for that, aren't you "News That You Make Up" guy ??
You even got Matt wrong. He didn't infer you're a fool. He SAID you're a fool. Jimmy and I agree. Because you so often misrepresent the facts to support your warped viewpoint, I have to add to that charge. By definition you're also a liar. I know that's an ugly charge, but I don't see any way around it.
Gun Control 101. This must mean you fancy yourself a teacher on this subject.I"m conbloggulated at folks like you, who actually think they know something about something, when what they say or write proves that they actually have NO real knowledge or understanding of said subject. I'm aware of the many many things I know very little or nothing about.That's why I can't understand how you imagine that you think you know anything at all about guns, civil rights, human nature, criminal behavior, and on and on, when you clearly don't. Yet you write article after article about these things in your gun control blither, as if you do --sort of like a man walking around with his pants down around his ankles thinking he's dressed for the prom. Why, I wonder?
You are, Jack. You are the fool, you and all of your mindless gun ban buddies. You just don't "get" it --- and you never will.
-- Jack's article looked even more stupid, as the Swiss, as of Feb, 2011, have passed several laws confirming the will of the people to be able to keep and bear arms in their homes.
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