From: Chris W.Stark [Director@goa-texas.org]
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 1999 9:41 PM
To: email-subscribers@goa-texas.org
Subject: Where Kids and Guns DO Mix
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POST & CROSSPOST FAR & WIDE!
GUN OWNERS ALLIANCE
!!ALERT!!
Chris W. Stark - Director
915 Yacht Ct., P.O. Box 1924
Crosby, Texas 77532-1924
Ph. (281) 787-4111 Fax (281) 328-7505
http://www.GOA-Texas.org
email: Director@GOA-Texas.org
06/10/1999
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Where Kids and Guns DO Mix
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Copyright By
STEPHEN P. HALBROOK
For an in-depth look at Switzerland, it guns and it's
low crime rate, go to http://www.goa-texas.org/swiss-1.htm
It's a commonplace that the U.S. is far more violent than
Western Europe because Americans have easy access to guns.
It's also false. To see why, visit Switzerland. Traveling
around by car or train, you see shooting ranges everywhere.
If there's a Schuetzenfest (shooting festival) in town,
you'll find rifles slung on hat racks in restaurants, and
you'll see men and women of all ages walking, biking and
taking the tram with rifles over their shoulders, to and
from the range. They stroll right past the police station
and no one bats an eye.
Switzerland has more firepower per person than any other
country in the world, yet it is one of the safest places
to be. The Swiss Federal Police Office reports that in
1997 there were 87 intentional homicides and 102 attempted
homicides in the entire country. Of these 189 murders and
attempts, 91 involved firearms. With its population of seven
million (including 1.2 million foreigners), Switzerland had
a homicide rate of 1.2 per 100,000. There were 2,498 robberies
and attempted robberies, of which 546 involved firearms,
resulting in a robbery rate of 36 per 100,000. Almost half
of these crimes -were committed by non resident foreigners,
whom locals call "criminal tourists." In 1993, not a single
armed robbery was reported in Geneva. By contrast, Britain,
which has strict gun control laws, had a homicide rate in
1994 of 1.4 per 100,000 population, and a robbery rate of
116 per 100,000.
In the wake of the Littleton, Colo., school massacre,
Congress is rushing to pass new gun-control measures; the
House next week will take up proposed legislation that has
already passed the Senate. But there have been no school
massacres in Switzerland, where guns and kids mix freely.
At shooting matches, bicycles aplenty are parked outside.
Inside the firing shelter, competitors pay 12 year-olds to
keep score. Sixteen - year - olds shoot rifles with men and
women of all ages. A tourist brochure in Zurich recommends
September's Knabenschiessen (boy's shooting contest): "The
oldest Zurich tradition ... consists of a shooting contest
at the Albisguetli (range) for 12 to 16 year-old boys and
girls and a colorful three-day fun-fair."
While many shoot for sport, all males age 20 to 42 are
required to keep rifles or pistols at home. Gun shops
abound. Yet firearms are rarely used in crime. In America,
firearms take on a sinister reputation from the nightly
news and violent movies. But in Switzerland, firearms
symbolize a wholesome, community activity. And since its
founding in 1291, Switzerland has depended on an armed
populace for its defense. William Tell used a crossbow
not only to shoot the apple from his son's head, but also
to kill the tyrant Gessler. For centuries, the cantonal
republic defeated the powerful armies of the European
monarchs. "The Swiss are well armed and enjoy great
freedom, " Machiavelli wrote in 1532.
The Swiss militia model inspired the rebellious American
colonists. John Adams praised the democratic Swiss cantons,
where every man was entitled to vote on laws and to bear
arms. Patrick Henry lauded the Swiss for maintaining their
independence without "a mighty and splendid President" or
a standing army. The Swiss influence is clear in the Second
Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which provides: "A well
regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free
state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall
not be infringed."
There may have been various reasons why the Nazis did not
invade Switzerland, but one of those reasons is that every
Swiss man had a rifle at home. For this we have no better
record than the Nazi invasion plans, which stated that,
because of Swiss shooting skills, Switzerland would be
difficult to conquer and pacify. European countries occupied
by the Nazis had strict gun controls before the war, and
the registration lists facilitated confiscation of firearms.
Traditionally, the Swiss cantons have had few firearm
regulations, and the first federal firearms law was
recently enacted. Certain firearm purchases require a
permit, but others do not. On retirement, every soldier
may keep his rifle or pistol. And any Swiss citizen can
purchase surplus military assault rifles.
Why is well-armed Switzerland so free from crime? The
bottom line is one of attitude. Populations with a
strong sense of civic virtue do not experience
sensational massacres or high crime rates. To the
contrary, armedcitizens deter crime. America's lawful
"gun culture" is as peaceful as the Swiss. Sadly, some
of America's subcultures are not.
Mr. Halbrook, an attorney in Fairfax, Va., is author of
"Target Switzerland" (Sarpedon, 1998).
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Copyright 1999 by Gun Owners Alliance (GOA-Texas). Republication
permitted provided this article is left intact in its original
state. The views contained herein do not necessarily reflect the
views of any other individual or organization, than Gun Owners
Alliance. We do not officially represent Gun Owners of America.
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