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Title: Swiss Vote to Keep Guns at Home (Militia defeats gun grabing socialists)
Source:
The Wall Street Journal
URL Source: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100 ... 3515504576142190857662716.html
Published: Feb 13, 2011
Author: DEBORAH BALL
Post Date: 2011-02-13 14:48:44 by Hondo68
Keywords: men between 18 and 30, three months military training, Swiss militiamen
Views: 48155
Comments: 55
ZURICH—Following an emotional debate over gun control, Swiss voters firmly rejected a referendum that would have forced soldiers to end the longstanding practice of keeping army-issue firearms at home and tightened restrictions over civilian gun ownership. According to exit polls, 57% of voters rejected the initiative. The referendum sparked a heated debate over the right to bear arms in a country that has one of the highest rates of gun ownership in the world. Between 1.2 million and 4.5 million firearms are estimated to be in circulation in Switzerland, putting the Alpine country behind only the U.S. and Yemen in guns per capita. The number is particularly high because members of the Swiss militia have traditionally keep their army-issued rifles or pistols at home, to be ready to defend the nation at a moment's notice. Switzerland has virtually no standing army, relying instead on conscripted militia for national defense. All Swiss men between 18 and 30 years old are called up to do three months' military training, followed by regular refresher courses. The notion of the citizen-soldier is a cornerstone of Switzerland's armed neutrality policy. For decades, Swiss militiamen kept their army-issued firearms stashed in closets or under beds at home. But support for keeping so many guns at home has eroded, with opposition led by women, doctors and police, who claim that the easy availability of arms facilitates domestic violence, suicides and homicides. They contested the need to keep guns at home given that Switzerland hasn't come under threat since World War II. Opponents of the referendum argued that the initiative was tantamount to a vote of no confidence in the Swiss army. Each side used stark images to sway voters. The referendum's supporters used a teddy bear with blood dripping from a hole in its chest, brandishing the motto, "Protect your family." A right-wing group's posters featured a man with dark glasses pointing a gun at the viewer, a play on anti-immigrant sentiment. The Swiss government opposed the referendum, arguing that soldiers are now allowed to store their weapons on base and that civilian gun possession laws—once very liberal—are now tight enough. The "no" vote exceeded 70% in some rural cantons, which are more conservative and are the home to many shooting clubs. The Swiss people won't let themselves "be disarmed," said Jakob Buchler, a leader of the conservative Democratic People's Party.
Poster Comment: 
Swiss Militiaman Shopping
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 18.
#12. To: hondo68, lucysmom, Mad Dog, John Hancock, Murron, A K A Stone, Fred Mertz (#0)
Why do stupid right wingers assume socialists want to de-arm the population? Socialists are pro gun ownership. George Orwell the author of '1984' and a committed Socialist wrote: "THAT RIFLE HANGING ON THE WALL OF THE WORKING-CLASS FLAT OR LABOURER'S COTTAGE IS THE SYMBOL OF DEMOCRACY. IT IS OUR JOB TO SEE THAT IT STAYS THERE." The issue in Switzerland has nothing to do with Socialists since the govt is the one that issues the guns in question - in other words - Socialism is what armed the Swiss militia.
I know a few socialist right here at home and tho our political beliefs clash, they no more wish to be un-armed than me. I believe it is the socialists who trust the UN that don't care if our weapons are confiscated, they honestly (ignorantly) believe it is the right thing to do to save lives. They don't stop to think that an 'unarmed' people are easier to manipulate and control.... And I also believe that if we have a leader who trusts and sides with UN mandates, then we are screwed, they will attempt to unarm us. jmho~
Only people living in America and Somalia fear a UN invasion of peace keepers it seems. I don't know why Americans are so paranoid...my guess is years of Cold War mind fucking from the American govt to keep the people afraid and in favor of ever increasing military budgets as well as the mixing in of Protestant end time kooks like Hal Lindsey who used the UN as a stand in for the Antichrist. All I know is when Black Panthers showed up to a town hall meeting, armed, Ronald Reagan and right wingers could not ban fire arms fast enough (Mulford Act in 1967).
During the unrest on California Campuses, then Governor Reagan shocked his staff by calling for the killing of protesters. He quickly reversed himself, and the news stories are seldom quoted and referred to, but they are still in the archives and I won a bet on this once. We need guns because the government should fear it's people, not the people their government. And tyranny and oppression can come from a right wing or left wing government out of control. Either part of the spectrum have shown they can go insane if given power. Gun ownership is not a right or left wing issue if one understands it, it is a check and balance element the Founding Fathers wisely wrote the Second Amendment to empower.
#19. To: Ferret Mike (#18)
(Edited)
I don't disagree that the govt needs to be in fear of its people but Gandhi and the Egyptian and Tunisian people - as well as the people of the Eastern Soviet Block did not need arms to bring down their govt. And I prefer that non violent model when the people who are doing the oppressing are your own countrymen who are misguided (not wanting to kill your own countrymen that is). And the Swiss arms in this article were never meant to be used on their own people's govt but on foreign invaders.
Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/LatestFor decades, Swiss militiamen kept their army-issued firearms stashed in closets or under beds at home.
#13. To: Godwinson (#12)
#17. To: Murron (#13)
(Edited)
I believe it is the socialists who trust the UN that don't care if our weapons are confiscated, they honestly (ignorantly) believe it is the right thing to do to save lives.
#18. To: Godwinson (#17)
Replies to Comment # 18. We need guns because the government should fear it's people, not the people their government.
End Trace Mode for Comment # 18.
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