Conrats to the Swiss people

[tonydahose]

they voted down a referendum to take guns out of their homes.

link

[SQSAR]

That's great news. I was surprised at the narrow margin of the vote though. Thanks for posting the story.

[ChrisR]

That's great news. I was surprised at the narrow margin of the vote though. Thanks for posting the story.

I think the problem is always that the people in cities (the largest population centers) often see no need for firearms. Luckily though there were enough people who had the back-bone to vote down the motion.

Switzerland's laws are tailored to allow a fast civil defense response from a distributed civilian militia. They have a small standing army but all those that have done their national service and have been stood down are required to keep their weapons at home and spend some years in a reserve. Seems very logical to me so I am happy that they haven't gone down the route of neutering their army and needlessly inconveniencing farmers & hunters.

[Donut]

Power to the Swiss Army. :D

This is a good thing, Guns first, what would be next?

[2cha]

Interesting that the press around the issue, at list in that article, focused on weapon ownership and suicide prevention--just a quick look at Wikipedia and there seems to be no relationship whatsoever between weapon availablility and suicide

Suicide rates per 100,000 as per wikipedia:
Japan: 24.4 No guns
France: 17.0 Very Few guns
Belgium: 17.0 Unk
Switz.: 15.1 Lots of guns
US: 11.0 Easy access to guns/lots of guns
UK: 11.0 No guns

For interesting reading, pick up Emile Durkheim's Suicide where Durheim basically invented contemporary sociology by looking at European suicide rates as 1) stable/predictable 2) based on factors such as religion, type of economy, depth and breadth of family relationships.

[D1omedes]

Good for Switzerland. It looks like their education system hasn't killed off their common sense. Taking guns away will not solve the rate of suicides. The problems run deeper than gun control. Sadly, most liberals fail to see that.

[angusW]

Really glad to hear the Swiss are not lulled into thinking guns are not necessary. After a long day at work this has lifted my spirits.

The suicide argument is a ploy used by gun grabbers which has absolutely no grounds in reality.

[2cha]

Sadly, most liberals fail to see that.

I think it's probably fair to say that some liberals fail to see that. Interestingly, most of my friends are liberal. Most of my friends own guns. Granted, I am from Virginia, but I live in PA now.

I really get sick and tired of people lumping liberals together as if it's a dirty word. Guess what, I know only a small handful of libels who'd like to significantly tighten gun regulation, and can't think of one I know who wants to take your guns away--that's after attending arguably the most "liberal" college and then one of the most "liberal" Law Schools in the whole country. :mad:

[Pneumothorax]

Seems like that would be tough since they all have to serve and have guns! But, if they do give them up, I want one. For a long time, the standard issue sidearm was the Sig P210 9mm. One of the finest and most accurate mass produced guns around. If you can find them here, they run a pretty penny.

[buglerbilly]

I agree with 2cha..........I count myself as a Liberal person with Liberal outlook BUT I support gun ownership just not certain type of gun.

What does pertrub me is that some people associate gun ownership with criminal behaviour which includes most so-called liberal politicians.

Legal Ownership of a weapon is NOT a criminal link.

Using a weapon to cause harm is.

The fact that, globally, weak Justice systems and the weak, inadequate criminal sentences they impose are the MAIN problem seems to bypass whatever abysmal cranial ability the run-of-the-mill Politician lives with. The fact we often have morons serving as Judges until senility or some other age-related disease overcomes them, also provides dis-service to us the ordinary Joe/Joe-ette.......

The Swiss gun vote also had a lot to do with various sections of the population that are on the borderline loony, Left Wing fringe, the same fringe that would like to see ALL of the Swiss Armed Forces dismantled in perpetuity............

Regards,

BRIAN

[Dr. Snubnose]

Now let the English vote to put them back in the houses....Doc :D

[Jordan]

Now let the English vote to put them back in the houses....Doc :D

"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."

[Dr. Snubnose]

"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."

Sad But so True....Doc

[ChrisR]

Now let the English vote to put them back in the houses....Doc :D

(cough, splutter) ... ahem ... did you hear that **** was freezing over yet? :P

But seriously, the UK's population is mainly urban and so not really comfortable with gun ownership, which is a pity (I personally would like the freedom to own handguns, under license) but that's the way things have gone here. People from the countryside have fought back over the last few years though, against laws for townies that go against rural traditions, and the current government is usually pro-countryside and pro-freedoms so you never know, the gun laws might be relaxed a little.

There was a shooting spree last year when a bitter guy with a load of grudges went around his area shooting people with his legally-owned rifles and shotguns. After that everyone was on tenter hooks waiting for the knee-jerk reaction but it didn't happen ... people in his (rural) town stuck up for gun owners and said they didn't think that more restrictions would be a fair reaction to this one-off tragedy. As a result though I think the police were told to do better/deeper checks on people who want to own weapons because it emerged that the chap had been on a downward psychological slope for quite a while and the police should have stepped in and withdrawn his license way before he flipped.

[Senate]

and while they argue about keeping or not an automatic rifle at home, any one-handed-opening knife is forbidden... go figure :rolleyes:

[The Mastiff]

I really get sick and tired of people lumping liberals together as if it's a dirty word. Guess what, I know only a small handful of libels who'd like to significantly tighten gun regulation, and can't think of one I know who wants to take your guns away--that's after attending arguably the most "liberal" college and then one of the most "liberal" Law Schools in the whole country

It's too complicated to call it a liberal or conservative thing. It can't really be a pure democrat vs. republican thing either as there are representatives and voters in both parties that go either way.

There does seem to be a higher percentage of urban reps and voters that are for gun control, and a larger percentage of rural types are pro gun. Still it's nothing concrete, just trends.

[Monkeywrangler]

Well, after getting to spend half of Valentine's day at the gun range, I applaud the Swiss vote result! :D A day at the range was the BEST Valentine's Day gift!

[tonydahose]

A day at the range was the BEST Valentine's Day gift!

while that is fun, i think i have you beat. my wife wished me a Happy Valentines and told me to go get my new Cobra :D

[Peter1960]

and while they argue about keeping or not an automatic rifle at home, any one-handed-opening knife is forbidden... go figure :rolleyes:

Alex, For about two years the Swiss law has changed and now the are allowed to carry Spydies

[Mr Blonde]

and while they argue about keeping or not an automatic rifle at home, any one-handed-opening knife is forbidden... go figure :rolleyes:

IIRC not so anymore. After the Swiss got some strict knifelaws a few years ago, I believe many of these laws have been replaced by a much more relaxed knifelaw a year or two ago. I believe it's perfectly legal now to carry and use a manual one-hand opening folder. I'll try to find a link to the article I read a few months ago