Swiss TV Forecasts Defeat for Tighter Gun Law
- Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:03pm by
Scott Baker
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GENEVA (AP) — Swiss television forecasts defeat for a referendum to tighten the Alpine nation’s liberal firearms laws.
National TV station SF predicts 57 percent of voters have rejected the plan in a national ballot Sunday.
It forecasts that 43 percent of voters backed the proposal to ban army rifles from homes and impose new requirements for buying other guns.
Proponents including churches and women‘s groups had favored the plan as a way to reduce domestic violence and Switzerland’s high rate of firearms suicide.
The government says existing laws are sufficient to ensure some 2.3 million mostly military weapons in a country of less than 8 million people aren’t misused.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.
GENEVA (AP) — Swiss citizens went to the polls Sunday to decide whether to tighten the Alpine nation’s liberal firearms laws, a move that would abruptly end the long tradition of men keeping army rifles at home even after completing their military service.
Gun clubs and supporters of the country’s distinctive citizen soldier militia fiercely oppose the plan to army rifles in secure storage and impose new requirements for buying other guns.
Proponents see it as a way to reduce domestic violence and Switzerland’s comparatively high rate of firearms suicide.
The government says existing laws are sufficient to ensure some 2.3 million mostly military weapons in a country of less than 8 million people aren’t misused.
The outcome of the nationwide referendum is expected to hinge on the votes of women and young people. In a survey published last month by the respected polling group gfs.bern, a narrow majority of 47 percent expressed support for the proposal, with 45 percent opposed. About 8 percent of voters were undecided, according to a telephone poll of 1,209 voters.
Voters leaving a polling station in Geneva largely supported the proposal.
“I think it’s a good thing to limit the circulation of weapons,” said Hugo Zbinden, a physicist and member of the Green Party.
But he conceded that even if a majority of Swiss vote in favor of the plan, the measure could fail to win the backing of a majority the country’s 26 cantons, or states.
“Many of the smaller conservative cantons will probably vote against it,” said Zbinden.
Doctors, churches and women’s groups launched the campaign to force ex-soldiers to store their military-issued firearms in secure army depots. They also want the Swiss government to establish a national gun registry and ban the sale of fully automatic weapons and pump action rifles.
Gun enthusiasts say limiting the right to bear arms in a country that cherishes the national myth of William Tell and citizen preparedness against possible invasion by hostile neighbors
Dora Andres, president of the Swiss Sport Shooting Association, told The Associated Press this week that the measure could kill off many of Switzerland’s 3,000 gun clubs, which she said were a pillar of community life in many villages.
Both sides have used graphic images to make their point, with proponents producing posters showing teddy bears oozing blood below the slogan “Protect families.” Opponents‘ posters have featured muscular cartoon criminals threatening the nation’s law-abiding citizens.
About a quarter of Switzerland’s 1,300 suicides each year involved a gun, according to federal statistics. The exact number of military-issued weapons involved is disputed, but those calling for tighter rules claim they account for between 100 and 200 suicides a year, mostly among men.
Advocates for the new law also note that since Switzerland cut the size of its army in 2004, the number of firearms suicides among men aged 30-40 has been cut in half.
It is not known how many military-issued guns are involved in homicides each year, though Switzerland’s gun murder rate is relatively low — just 24 in 2009, or about 0.3 firearms homicides per 100,000 inhabitants. By comparison, the U.S. rate in 2007 was 4.2 per 100,000 inhabitants.
First results were expected shortly after polls closed at noon (1100 GMT).
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Comments (80)
hyndsyte2020
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 1:40amThe fact that there was even a vote on gun control like this in that country has to show you the amount of organization on the Anti-Gun side. Suicides are obviously not only achievable by guns, and the statistics stated for them show they are only used in 1 in four even then. With a gun murder per capita rate 1\14 that of the USA, it makes one wonder where the backing for this whole effort came from. I for one doubt that “Doctors, churches and women’s groups” could come up with the money needed, but then again, I guess that is who gave us Prohabition, and as a bonus, The Mob.
Report Post »Eyeball
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 1:23amNow that the plan has been defeated, the Swiss voter should vote to rid these people from government who brought forth the gun control initiative. They have the lowest crime rate in the world and they have those gun control moron trying to change things. How stupid is that?
Report Post »hyndsyte2020
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 1:18amI wish there was a way to ensure that what the 17th amendment was passed for could be dealt with in another way, but I don’t know of one. “Nine bribery cases were brought before the Senate between 1866 and 1906, and 45 deadlocks occurred in 20 states between 1891 and 1905, resulting in numerous delays in seating Senators. In the worst case, Delaware failed to elect from March 1899 to March 1903; by the end of this period both of Delaware’s seats were vacant for two years.” Taken from WIKIPEDIA which referenced the information as being from the Congressional Quarterly’s Guide to U.S. elections – 1985.
Report Post »Would love to see a better way, but my faith in in the moral fiber of most currently elected officials to see to it that someone is seated in a timely fashion and without any graft involved is extremely small.
The state legislature where I live is so partisan that getting a Senator seated before they had missed all the votes would take the grace of God.
Legal Immigrant
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 12:51amDoctor’s, women’s and police groups. Same type of groups that messed around in Canada.
IANSA…International gun grabbers.
Funded by Open Society Institute http://www.iansa.org/about.htm
http://cgnnightmare.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/switzerland-referendum-rejecting-gun-control-liberty-stands/ Poke around at that link. Some enlightening stuff concerning gun control, people and groups behind it.
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:55pmSwitzerland goes back 800 years. The U.S. exists for only a little over 200 years now. Last century two world wars engulfed Europe swirling all around Switzerland. The mightiest warring powers in all history for some reason dared not invade or attempt to occupy Switzerland. Why? (And why does the Vatican hire the Swiss Guard for its defense?) Answer: The men are all armed with, trained on, and possess machine guns and ammunition in their homes. Apparently this works. The ninnies are idiots.
Report Post »lketchum
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:26pmCorrect. and their constitutional reform, passed before our own Bill of Rights was ratified in 1791 (Dec., 15th), mirrored our own Constitution and Bill of Rights and their observers anxiously sailed back to Europe with the news that our Constitution had been drafted and quickly ratified (1787 – 1788). Swiss reforms then included very specific language protecting the right to keep an bear arms and then they went further – they insisted that every town have the same power of weapons as the government – so in addition to rifles, towns got rifled howitzers and exploding shot, mortars and stores of powder. These were updated through the decades and only ended when the cold war did. Many towns today have hidden gun firing positions that are tourist attractions.
Report Post »Politicus
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 12:54amThe reason the “mightiest” warring power in all history dared not invade or attempt to occupy Switzerland, is because Hitler and his cronies kept his bank account there. DUH! How else do you finance a war?
RICOLA!
Report Post »Endstatism
Posted on February 15, 2011 at 6:01amThe Germans in WW2 had plans to invade Switzerland allegedly called Operation Tannenbaum. The reason they didnt was the fact that the Swiss would have tied up from anywhere from 11 to as many as 20 divisions. the Wehrmacht planners warned that casualties would be at least 200,000. The Swiss terrain was not suited for German blitzkrieg tactics.Unlike many of the European nations, there were no significant bases to bomb since much of the Swiss military supplies were kept inside mountains.
Report Post »Scarab Sport
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:45pmAnother lame excuse to confiscate firearms. If people want to do themselves in there are plenty of other ways: gas pipe, pills, slit their wrists, throw themselves in front of a freight train ( that one always amazes me ), plastic bag over the head, etc. How about banning all of those other things too? If people really want to do themselves in they will find a creative way. Banning guns won’t do a damn thing to stop suicide other than to infringe on other peoples rights.
Report Post »Norma Perez
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:41pmSwitzerland, KEEP your GUNS and NEVER, NEVER, let ANYONE take them away.
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:31pmBoy this whole Swiss theory is stupid and i will put the first holes in it with a few words ” Remember the Brown Shirt’s “and how they collected all the gun‘s for good reason’s of course .
Report Post »scout n ambush
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:49pm+ sarcasm.
Report Post »OneFunR6
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:22pmAnd lets not forget the PILLOWS,….
can’t be havin-ing any more pillow fights, now can we……
Report Post »Whostolemypig
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:21pmI attended an Obama nightmare Saturday. A very large gun show and swap meet. I expected a big crowd but nothing like the thousands that showed up. People were stocking up heavy with ammo.
Report Post »OneFunR6
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:18pmOh, goodie, goodie! I just love gun shows!
My favorite thing about going to them?
Buying privately owned firearms for/WITH CASH and
WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE!
Report Post »scguitar
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:45pmThey have on of the lowest homicide by gun rates because they have less gun restriction. Anybody notice a pattern?
Report Post »OneFunR6
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:20pmPattern? What pattern?
Oh, wait, now I see it!
A little high and to the right,…..
making the adjustment, now sir……
[locks & loads]
Report Post »Lone Ranger
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:38pmAssisted suicide is legal in Switzerland. In fact, they face the problem of suicide tourism — people flying in from all over the world to end their life. Second, Switzerland has one of the lowest crime rates in the world. I think there are about 35 gun deaths per year. Match that, New York, Chicago, L.A. and DC. So, as usual, this whole gun grabbing controversy is bogus.
Report Post »barrycooper
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:31pmI think it’s worth pointing out that, unless things have changed, military service is compulsory for one year for all Swiss males, and they KEEP the weapons they are issued, which are normally assault rifles. You have at least hundreds of thousands of the equivalent of M-16′s in peoples basements, and if my calculation is correct they have 1/14 the gun related crime, and most of that probably domestic violence that could wind up the same way just as easily with a knife.
What is happening here is that SOCIALISTS HATE GUNS. There are two types of socialists: the post-moral, and the vicious. The post-moral don’t want to be reminded that the world can be violent even if they are nice, and the vicious don’t want competition.
I will point out, too, that their system is one of confederation: the nation is technically called the Confederation of Helvetia. What we are seeing in this election result is a balance between majority/minority will, in terms both of population and of STATE (Canton). I could be wrong, but I think the balance they have between centralization of authority, and local autonomy is a bit closer to how our own Republic was supposed to work than what we have currently.
Report Post »dcwu
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:03pmYou’e damn right Scarab.
Repeal the 17th amendment. The Senate is supposed to represent the States.
Put back the balance of power framed by the founders.
Report Post »CreepingDeath
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:29pm“I think it’s a good thing to limit the circulation of weapons,” said Hugo Zbinden, a physicist and member of the Green Party.
What an ignorant ass of a man! In a country with conscription your concerned about the circulation of weapons. What a fool!
Report Post »michaeljay
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:26pmEr,should I turn in my Swiss Army knife?
Report Post »michaeljay
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:25pmAdd your comments
Report Post »ladyda
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:11pmOK Switzerland’s liberals and mush brained youth; when the bad guys come to enslave you, to take away all your freedom and liberties, just lock yourself in your parents basement, lets see how that works out for ya.
Report Post »B-Neil
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:46pmIf an idividual wants to commit suicide. Thats personal. What we should do is provide a location for them to do it. We can even help them draft suicide notes. We don’t need those type of people. We have over 300,000,000 people now. Think of the revenue we could bring in. Hint Hint…….Carry on McDuff
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:16pmI understand fully the humane impulse to not see another take his or her life in vain. On the other hand, I have a very strong regard for ensuring people who wish to do what they wish to do, can do it, assuming it harms no others.
Suicidal people need help most of the time. Sometimes no, in the cases of people who just simply are done for whatever reason, such as his or her entire family wiped out in an airplane crash (or whatever). But generally, it’s a self regulating mechanism. Not many people want to honestly commit suicide, it’s against our wiring as an organism on this planet. Those that do, try to help by addressing their depression, or frankly, get out of the way.
Banning “objects” is the domain of the weak minded and people who are easily led into animistic belief systems.
Report Post »OneFunR6
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:21pmAND peeps like ME could/would volunteer to do ‘suicide counseling’,….
for all the libs that just can’t stand to go on living in a world w/o a ‘true’
socialist utopia…..
[yes, you ARE right, it’s terrible and YOU should not wait another minute longer,…..]
lol!
Report Post »Max jones
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:26pmTax the hell out of suicide.
Report Post »ConservativeBeauty
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:46pmYes you ARE a dinosaur Jefferson!! haha. I know exactly what happened there in 1971. Swiss people should be allowed to have personal guns at home bc a lot of lowlifes that they let in under the guise of “political asylum” seekers break into their homes. Also picture that yout country is surrounded by several lands, and beyond those lands criminals are just driving through the borders there. If a person wants to do themselves in, they‘ll find a way whether it’s guns or not. I never heard of a lot of suicide gun-related deaths when I was there. Drinking themselves to death..yes perhaps.
Report Post »Smokey_Bojangles
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:39pmWho ever said communism spreads back in the 50′s was right.Dang Joe say It aint so!
Report Post »CaptGregg
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:36pmDuring the Civil War, the city of Lawrence, Kansas required that its military arms be kept in a central locked arsenal. At dawn on Friday, August 21, 1863, the town of 2,000 – 3,000 was attacked by a Confederate cavalry force of 425 – 450 men under the command of Captain William C. Quantrill. When that force left some three hours later, they left 183 dead and nearly 200 buildings destroyed. Their loss was one man.
Report Post »Dale
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:50pmWas their single loss do to friendly fire?
Report Post »CaptGregg
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:15pmDale,
Report Post »One of Capt. Quantrill’s men, Larkin Skaggs, had apparently gotten drunk and stayed behind to do some looting. The townspeople COULD handle one drunk.
ozz
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:34pmI remember that story. How very appropriate :)
Report Post »One more example of why the people must study history.
One more example of why the progressive right and left do not want us to.
” An unarmed man is a slave to the armed government.”
Doctor Who
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 10:41amNo, he committed suicide.
Report Post »Dannytheman
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:28pmThe Swiss woman don’t have to do the compulsory military service and yet they get a full vote in this farce. I think the men folk need to make the woman serve also, and it will solid up their base.
Report Post »Elev8n
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:19pmThink if these people had no gun they could not use gravity and the nearest building.
Report Post »Elev8n
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:17pmThose Swiss sure are cowboys. Sure don’t hear anyone speak of their gun laws when telling me how great their society and healthcare system is.
Report Post »B4B
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:12pmSo, all this because 100-200 suicides per 8 million people?
Report Post »I guess they ran out of really important things to vote on.
Dale
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:47pmNext they will outlaw ropes, cars (exhaust), buildings and bridges, the list is endless.
Report Post »drphil69
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:53pmAnd the Alps!
Report Post »tower7femacamp
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:18amDoping Kids with Ritalin for ADHD
Though shocked by bizarre shootings in schools”, default”, few Americans have noticed how many shooters were among the 8 million kids now on psychotropic drugs.
http://www.ritalindeath.com/Doping-Kids.htm
Report Post »jjoy
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 8:58amAt least they get to vote rather than have it rammed down their throats like the dims do to us here in the US..
Report Post »carolinalockie
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 4:11pmNo guns, knives, rope, exhaust pipes, etc. etc. sigh…..I guess I’ll just keep eating this chocolate, it has to kill me sometime.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:06pmSo the swiss have a far lower amount of suicides by gun per 100k of population than the US. And the idiot progressives there wish to do away with them via tightening many gun laws?
Sounds like the good old USA in which liberal idiots want to do away with the second amendment.
Report Post »NickDeringer
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:09pmHmmmmmmm….can’t seem to remember a multiple death public shooting there either.
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:19pmShall not be infringed! Pretty simple stuff.
Report Post »http://guerillatics.com
cnsrvtvj
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:22pmTightening gun laws changes nothing when it comes to crime. 2 of the top 5 worst school shootings in the world were in Germany. They have some of the strictist laws in the world. Columbine ranked number 4.
http://www.donsmithshow.com – updated political humor page
Report Post »GhostOfJefferson
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:30pmSwitzerland probably regrets the year 1971 a lot, I’ll wager.
Tried and true pattern. But I’m a dinosaur, ignore me.
Report Post »bullcrapbuster
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:34pmGuns can protect the people from progressive elitist dictators. That is why it is a big part of the progressive agenda to get firearms out of the hands of those that might resist them.
Report Post »Dale
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:45pmIronmaan;
You’re not a lawyer, are you.
Report Post »drphil69
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:51pmI love that! They want to reduce suicide, and those army guys certainly won’t be able to figure another way to themselves in! I would also love to know how many instances of domestic violence utilized an army rifle… I mean wouldn’t it be murder at that point?
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:53pm@GhostofJefferson
I remember one thing about dinosaurs, old they may have been, yet they lasted long in the era of the earths history. Besides, the T Rex in Jurassic Park eating the attorney was priceless; point is, I was smart enough at a young age to learn from my grandfather many of the old skills before he passed and he is the one I credit for the best education I could get: hard work, hard studies, and plenty of hand on explenations in which he also showed me much mistakes to avoid, and how to improve upon the successes I had.
Except for the game of checkers, the last game we ever played was a set up on his part to jump three of my kings and I wiped out four of his in return, winning the game.
Report Post »1TrueOne55
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 8:57pmAnd their Progressive Green Party wants to be more like the US by storing Army weapons in depots. The main reason that the Swiss are still a neutral country is that one they are land locked have no resources other than chocolate and cheese and surrounded by tall peaks just like Tibet/Nepal are in China.
Just look at how China walks all over those two tiny little Pacifist Loving Countries. They have no real army since they believe in Pacifism as taught by the Buddhist Religion. Compare that with Switzerland that has its Army keep their weapons at home and basically deployed in place in the case of the Italians or Austrians invading the country like they tried in WWII.
Report Post »Ruler4You
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:00pmWhen the Swiss give up their commitment to freedom you can guarantee the rest of the world will topple into tyranny, eventually.
Report Post »booger71
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:21pm“Doctors, churches and women’s groups launched the campaign to force ex-soldiers to store their military-issued firearms in secure army depot”
Good grief.
Report Post »Ironmaan
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:37pmIf there goal is to prevent suicides there is a long list of things they’ll need to ban, high buildings, bridges, rope, sleeping pills, exhaust fumes, etc.
Report Post »http://guerillatics.com
Dustyluv
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:41pmSo they think suicide will go down if they lock up the guns? That’s a good one. Take away their pills, belts and shoelaces while you are at it. Idoit progressives…
Report Post »Thatsitivehadenough
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:41pmI finally understand the absolute necessity of citizens to have the right to keep and own guns. An unarmed citizenry is a dangerous thing. Being powerless is a bad position to be in when faced with those who would take away your liberty.
Report Post »broker0101
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:54pmSNOW, it is truly amazing to me that you seem to believe that you have something of value to add on EVERY SINGLE TOPIC on which the Blaze chooses to report. Reality check: YOU DO NOT. What you do have is the complete absence of any real interpersonal relationships. Sad, pitiful and hilarious. Oh, and on behalf of every productive member of American society, you’re welcome for all those disability checks (not really, I’m being sarcastic).
Report Post »Mister President
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 9:54pm“Switzerland’s high rate of firearms suicide.”
I thought European-style Socialism created a Utopia?!? Why would anyone commit suicide in a Socialist Utopia?!? Wait, it‘s the gun’s fault… That’s right. My bad.
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:12pmWill all the cheese there have to be halal after they succumb to the insurrection?
Report Post »jzs
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:18pmSorry SNOWLEOPARD {advertisement}, I have to respond to you on this. Switzerland is a socialist country. They have univeral health care, which you abhore, and an individual mandate to buy insurance. And, again, this is a country with far more “distribution of wealth” than ours.
Your point seems to be that the more people have guns, the lower the suicide rate. That’s counterintuitive, and more so when you realize that suicide and death from gun violence in the US is among the highest in the world, especially if you exclude countries like Somalia who are ruled by fuedal lords.
The lower rate of suicide in Switzerland is a result of their culture, not the number of guns.
You’re on to something important with your reference to Switzerland, but it’s not that more guns mean less violence and suicide. Having a gun doesn’t make a person less likely to kill themselves.
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:39pm@jzs
thank you for the extra info on Switzerland being that socialist. It does fill in some more facts about the culture factor upon the suicide rates.
I had considered responding to Broker 0101 then remembered that its not worth the effort to deal with one who cannot comprehend the value of true sardonic humor which they have attempted and failed with all the grace of a iron clad sieved full of holes upon the great waters of the gulf.
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:39pmI believe that the average swiss person speaks at least three languages.. so they should have no problem picking up Arabic.
Report Post »Xcori8r
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:52pm“Switzerland’s gun murder rate is relatively low — just 24 in 2009,”
Heck, that’s just a rowdy weekend in Chicago.
Report Post »ozz
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 10:56pm@broker0101
Report Post »You are such a donkey. Go back to the huffingpaintpost with the rest of the asses.
@snow Ignore the troll that likes to post from 7 different accounts in his 5 day old underwear from his mothers basement between internet gay porn searches. I do not always agree with you but your 2 cents is at least real. You belong here he/she/it does not.
mcfinch
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:02pmShould we take after them?
http://politicalbowl.com – Political Video Website
Report Post »jzs
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:21pmSNOWLEOPARD {advertisement}, your second paragraph lost me entirely. I don’t know broker101 is, but I take it you have a dispute with him or her. Please don’t expect me to keep up with your arguments or who you agree or disagree with. I read posts and respond.
I don’t understand your second paragraph. You used the verb “sieved” as an adjective, a redundant one at that, then used the vague noun “gulf” (Gulf of Mexico, of Oman?) when I think you meant “sea” or “ocean” assuming you were speaking metaphorically and not referencing a historical event. No matter, we all make ungrammatical statements..
But you’re going to have to provide some support to your idea that more guns means less suicide and violence. Have you considered that there could be other reasons the Swiss commit suicide less than Americans besides your idea that they have more guns? Or do you recommend that people who might consider suicide go out and buy a gun?
Report Post »ozz
Posted on February 13, 2011 at 11:25pm@jzs
Report Post »No one looks at a gun and thinks” Hey look there is a gun I would not want to miss this golden opportunity to kill my self with it.”
That’s just plain moronic progressive dribble.
People who desire to kill them selves first decide to do so then seek a means to their end. If not a gun then a cliff, tall building, pills, or lawn mower.
There is no correlation with guns and number of suicide per capita. Unless perhaps it is that those that are helpless by not having one are more likely to take their own life.
But you ******** always add in the large number of suicides by gun to the number of gun deaths, as well as criminals getting shot by would be victims in your statistics for gun control as generic “gun deaths”. Your pitiful attempts at deception are slowly being seen threw. You ******** think you are so smart because you can fool the 30% or so of the populace that are dumber than sheep with your lies. You fooled an idiot CONGRATULATIONS! you guys are smarter than 30% of the population. Unfortunately the other 40 to 50 don’t buy it and are smarter than you. Further I will add we are the 40% with the guns. Just how do you think it is going to end when the rest of us have been pushed to far. In the roshmbo of idiot, lawyer, gun, the ******* lawyer does not beat the gun.
ForeignWatcher
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 2:54amJust so you know:
Switzerland is know as the pinacle of order and security in europe. Everyone thinks that swiss people are about the most anal people worldwide. It may be the cleanest country in the world.
They have a sophisticated social securiy system, universial healthcare.
They seems to be kind afraid of muslims, though they nearly dont have any.
And, most important: After military service people get to take their guns back home BUT:
Report Post »They are not allowed any ammunititon for these guns! Ammo is stored in centralised bunkers, easy to distribute in emergency case, but nonetheless stored away from the guns. So there already is a kind of ver stric gun law is switzerland.
tower7femacamp
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 7:14amI don’t think they give their children ridalin or prozac for ADD ????
The Journal of the American Medical Association released a study that shows that there is a tremendous increase in prescribing anti-depressants to preschoolers aged 2 to 4 years old! The “Terrible Twos” are just that! If you start throwing these drugs at preschoolers, what are we going to do for them when they hit their teens? There has been a connection between school shootings and the shooters having been on these drugs!
Gun violence in schools has actually gone down since 1992, while violence in general has gone up in schools! If a majority of the school shooters were on (or had abruptly stopped taking) anti-depressants then it stands to reason that most of the other violence in schools may be related to these drugs as well! I have read a lot about the Oregon shootings and how Kip Kinkle had been on prozac. I had heard that, but now a Vermont Outdoors writer has said that “Just about every massacre that occurred anywhere in the U.S. and Canada over the last decade has involved an individual using a prescription drug called Prozac or one of its relatives.”
We went through this in the Eighties for crying out loud! I thought doctors had learned how to use this stuff and monitor patients since we know that problems occur when they stop taking it!
We are locking up guns, limiting ammo, doing background checks, and in some states mandatory waiting periods but these doctors (and Parents) are putting kids on these anti-depressants without keeping a close eye on them afterwards!
These anti-depressants known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) have been known to help, but the problem arises when a patient stops taking the drug. We have known this since Prozac got it’s reputation in the Eighties when “everyone” was depressed. That gave us the “Going Postal” and the “Prozac Moment” sayings and these sayings have truth to them.
When one of these events happen, people,like our President, point at the guns, gun owners, and gun companies for being responsible! Why do they point at the tool and not the PERSON using the tool!
Report Post »http://www.antidepressantsfacts.com/2000-05-16-School-Shootings-Psychotropic-Drugs.htm
jzs
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 10:49amActually OZZ, I didn’t claim that more gun ownership causes increased suicide rates. I simply disputed the claim that high gun ownership reduced suicide and violence, which is what snow claimed. But a quick Google found a study done by the Harvard School of Mental Health that found, “Among the 50 states in the United States, those with higher rates of household gun ownership had higher rates of suicide among children, women and men.”
http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=28649
The reason is that suicide attempts are often impulsive acts or cries for help. If you have a gun, the suicide is almost always successful. If you use pills or slit your wrists, the attempts are almost always unsuccessful.
I also found that Snow was being pretty selective in his/her comparisons. Switzerland has far and away the highest suicide rate in Europe:
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/specials/switzerland_for_the_record/european_records/Switzerland_s_troubling_record_of_suicide.html?cid=8301804
From reading these articles one thing seems clear: if you impulsively decide to kill yourself and you’ve got a gun, you generally succeed. If you don’t have a gun, you generally don’t.
I don’t have a gun but I support the right of individuals in the United States to own a gun. But what I did object to was a totally unsupported allegation that owning a gun makes you less likely to kill yourself. That doesn’t make sense.
Report Post »weeblewacker1
Posted on February 14, 2011 at 11:27amwow!!! do you not realize that gun rights have EXPANDED under Obama?? gun owners now have more freedom than ever under the democrates!!! its true! check for yourselves!!! don’t you hate it when the far-right loons lie to you all the time?? i mean,don’t you ever get sick of the lies they spout? man,talk about outta touch.
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