To all NON AMERICANS, would you feel safer if your country allowed its citizens to carry/own guns?

I'm from Switzerland. Pretty much everyone has a gun at home. It works very well for us.

Even tough some people will always want to kill others, I feel that guns are very dangerous compared to other types of weapons. Removing them from the general public will also remove guns from most criminal or killers because, other than organized criminals, guns would be expensive, can't just steal one from a house if no one has em. So getting a gun would require many steps to think trough, steps in which maybe the madness as gone from the killer's mind. Imagine if every psycho had to first, find money to get a gun, find it and then, plan. I bet many would realize during those steps that it is a wrong thing to do.

Personally, I don't get into problems with organized crime and junkies can't really afford a gun other than stealing it, especially if it's banned from the general population. Most shootings happen when someone without a gun permit, steals a gun from an individual's house that they know.

I love shooting range although, but you can bet if guns are taken away, virtual shooting ranges will be perfected in less than 6-7 years considering how popular it is.

Originally posted by Swizzy
I'm from Switzerland. Pretty much everyone has a gun at home. It works very well for us.

From what I know, the poor population in Switzerland is pretty low, most people are really friendly and violent crimes are low. So it's hard to say if guns are helping peace in this situation.

reply to post by User8911


Poor population? We're not poor at all !

Yes I know it's hard to use Switzerland as an example as it has a smaller population all around than many large cities. I always look at Switzerland as my little garden of eden in this mad world as things there ( I don't live there anymore) seem to be pretty normal still and I strongly believe that is partly due to the fact that if the politicians ever got a bit too cheeky they'd have to deal with a population thats armed.

The only major evil thing we have in our country I can think of are banks however they seem to treat US rather nicely but I know most of them are wound up in very very immoral business practices. A bit offtopic but there ya go!

reply to post by Swizzy

I'm from Switzerland. Pretty much everyone has a gun at home. It works very well for us.

Yes.

But correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this for slightly different reasons?

Every young male has to undergo military training and remain in the militia until they turn 30.
When going to work etc militia are entitled to carry their officially issued arms but not their private guns.
Security / Police etc can carry arms but private citizens may not.

Every household has to have a gun which must be registered etc.

None of this is to do with a 'God' given Right, or fear of a tyrannical government, protection from criminals or most other reasons given in support of the US Second Amendment but as a defensive military precaution.

Switzerland is situated in the middle of Europe which for centuries was beset by warfare.
Switzerland has long been neutral but they also feel the need to be able to defend themselves in the event of invasion from a foreign military force.
This has been conditioned into the Swiss people over centuries.

Switzerland is quite a unique place and is hardly comparable to anywhere else.

Personally I envy their Direct Democracy form of government.

I live in the UK, though have been living for years throughout the EU and am also EU citizen my reply is NO, why would I feel safer with more unpredictable armed people running about? Our neighborhood is so quiet, we could possibly sleep with an open front porch, if the law to who can buy and carry guns were to change this little sentiment of freedom would be gone forever. Why do I need a gun for self-defense if martial-arts, baseball bats, kitchen knives and pepper spray do just fine for the purpose?

Originally posted by IkNOwSTuff
Hey all,

I recently got involved in one of the numerous gun threads that have popped up lately, I really have a problem understanding Americans desire to have everyone armed.
To me it just seems self defeating.

Im personally glad that my home country (Australia) and the country I currently call home (Malaysia) have very strict gun laws and firearms are very rare.

So my questions are these

1) Would you want your country to change its gun laws so that the average citizen could arm themselves?
2) Do you think everyone having a gun would make your country less or more safe?
Could you also let us know what country your from

EDIT: PLEASE INCLUDE WHAT COUNTRY YOU ARE FROM

I appreciate Americans more than anyone else will most likely want to post on this thread but I ask as a courtesy that you let at least a few non Americans get there say in first.
I really dont want this thread to turn into another one of the numerous verbal slinging matches that are floating about.

Look forward to seeing what people have to say.

Cheers

edit on 9-4-2012 by IkNOwSTuff because: (no reason given)

edit on 9-4-2012 by IkNOwSTuff because: (no reason given)

What would we use the guns for?

My answer: don't allow it (even though you can obtain a gun license and carry a gun in NZ).

reply to post by IkNOwSTuff


Uk.. No guns needed here.... We are better off without them..

Alot of my family and friends here in canada are big on hunting, fishing & hitting the shooting ranges. Growing up around guns only makes me feel that with the right teachings there shouldn't be any restrictions on guns. Just use them properly for their intended purposes. Nothing takes the edge off like unloading a clip, over and over and over.

reply to post by IkNOwSTuff


From USA,Vermont,VT has no gun laws. well cant own full auto but blah single shots better hehehe

stopping people from having guns will not stop people that commit crimes from getting guns. good chance there doing it under the table. i think everyone should have the right to buy and own guns, background checks sure why not. guns don't kill people.... people kill people. you can buy a handgun and lay it in a safe loaded and it will never kill anyone. it usually shows, when more people own guns, crime tends to go down. no robber is going to wanna rob someone if they know there is a 99% chance they have a gun. no robbers are going to try if they know ppl have guns, the more guns ppl had less likely someone is going to do something. if all stores had guns or a watchmen near by with a gun, no one would robber up a store. people now a day don't really wanna die or they would all the time it be on the news. so thinking ooo more guns more gun fights. well i don't think it would work that way for most people again don't really desire to die lol least most people anyhow lol

Originally posted by Swizzy
Poor population? We're not poor at all

!

I know, I said that the poor population was low in %.

I'm English and fairly happy with our gun law's,43 gun related death's in the u.k last year compared to 8,775 murder's [not counting suicide's or accidental shootings] in the good old U.S of A.it all say's really,

Originally posted by Germanicus
If the State has guns then the People should have guns.

People have guns for sport and farming here in the uk, but guns obviously get into the hands of criminals.

So the government needs guns to combat these criminals. Most people who have guns for sport and farming are not a problem, but I dont see why people should have guns just because the government have them for a few rogue criminals? Obviously soldiers have guns.

The government dont generally go round shooting people here! So I cannot see why the public also need to be armed? The more guns in circulation the higher the risk.

Originally posted by BenReclused
reply to post by Trolloks

 

If they were legal many more people would have them, and the ammo, and with this, a huge increase in gang violence that result in death, robberies at gun point, shop hold ups, etc etc.

We have lots of firearms here in the United States, and considering your comment, I'd be interested in hearing why the United Kingdom has a higher rate of violent crime than the United States. Hell, it's even worse than South Africa according to this article. If you feel that article isn't accurate, please explain why.

See ya,
Milt

Im curious why if guns are such a great deterrent to violent crime the US still has such a high rate?
You would be one of the most heavily armed civilian populations yet you are all more fearful about crime and home invasions than the rest of the world (civilised Western world)

And as the article you linked stated different things count as crimes in different places, Im guessing if everyone who went to the emergency room in the US as a result of violence was listed in the figures and not just reported crimes it would tell a different story.

Wouldnt a can of mace be just as good as a gun? surely for a gun to be a deterrent the perp would need to know you have it, but then how often would you actually get the chance to pull it out prior to knowing you needed to?
Unless you walk around with it in your hand ready to fire the gun as safety/deterrent argument is BS

Despite all evidence and common sense Americans still delude themselves into thinking guns make them safer.
Just admit you like guns and would want one even if you knew no criminals had them

I'm a UK citizen. No to gun ownership.

You will never stop criminal and a-holes from owning guns nor from doing or owning anything that civilised people consider dumb. The US still has its heart and soul in John Wayne westerns and needs to grow up but that does not mean we in Europe should take a step backwards.

The US constitution was written 250 years ago when the world was considerably different and let's face it, it was drawn up with an eye to ensuring the US does not become a British colony again. The US gun laws are outdated and a sad reflection of narrow minded thinking and testerone fuelled defensiveness. No different from muslims wanting to control their women with veils!!! Same arrogant male dominance with the odd supportive female thrown in for good measure.

I know I will draw pelters for that comparison but the truth hurts.......

reply to post by thebabyseagull

.......43 gun related death's in the u.k last year compared to 8,775 murder's [not counting suicide's or accidental shootings] in the good old U.S of A.it all say's really,

Exactly.

As the USA has a population of approximately 5 times that of the UK then if all things were equal one would expect to see round about 215 gun related deaths in the USA - instead it is over 40 times higher.

Hmmm....wonder why?

But as I've said repeatedly, that's their concern and nothing to do with anyone else.

It's just when they start rattling on about how all our wrongs etc in our countries wouldn't be half as bad if we had the Right To Bear Arms.
Shut up!
It's got nothing to do with you what we do here in the UK or anywhere else outside of the USA.

reply to post by IkNOwSTuff

I do currently hold illegal firearms( I am in the UK),however,I find it ridiculous that gun ownership is illegal here.

The legislation designed to outlaw firearms is completely worthless IMO,as the criminal element will always manage to procure guns as needed,responsible gun ownership should be actively encouraged as in the US where regardless of the scare stories involving criminal use of firearms,the vast majority of gun owners in the US do use them responsibly thus giving them the option of defending themselves in a last resort situation.

Illegal or not if I find my family or myself in a life or death situation where a gun could tip the balance I would fire first and worry about the legal "niceties" later.

Originally posted by PartyBROS
Alot of my family and friends here in canada are big on hunting, fishing & hitting the shooting ranges. Growing up around guns only makes me feel that with the right teachings there shouldn't be any restrictions on guns. Just use them properly for their intended purposes. Nothing takes the edge off like unloading a clip, over and over and over.

And this is why I'm thankful Canada has strict gun laws..I don't need any more 'good old boy' neighbours who like to get loaded on Friday night, and then load up and decide to see if they can shoot past their buddy's mooning behind because 'it's funny'.

I'm from the UK and my answers no, for obvious reasons all ready posted.

America are just super paranoid of their own police and army. Not surprising given the clear lack of morals and respect the majority have, they breed the kind of people that shoot entire unarmed families in the middle east, piss on them and get their kicks from sexually embarrasing the rest.

War heros my arse. Sick beasts more like, I wouldn't trust em lookin afta me either.

But that's an American problem, not a gun problem, like any shrink would tell you, get to the route cause of your insecurities, which would be your disfunctional system, instead of playing into the elites hands, and killing yourselves with lethal weopens.

Settle ur issues with fisty cuffs like the civilised world.

Canadian Here,

I think that gun controls work to a degree, I have little issue with Hand guns being controlled the way they are, and I say that as someone who is taking their "restricted weapons" course. If you have no criminal record and meet the requirement, you CAN own a handgun or other restricted firearm in Canada, though I must admit, there are a few "conditions" I don't exactly agree with, but that is something I can lobby or protest against, because I doubt they make an ultimate difference.

I think long Guns should be less controlled, but I do not agree with unfettered access to them. I was against the gun registry, not because I have any great problem with anyone knowing (within reason) who has them, but because of the abuse of the laws by those who were charged with enforcing them. I have heard too many stories of gun owners having their guns removed after calling the police over a neighbor dispute, because they "might" use them for retribution, only to find out when the time came to get them back that the authorities "accidentally" destroyed them.

What I would like to see is a more reasonable law concerning the use of firearms to protect yourself. My elderly disabled father lives with me, we have lived together ever since the passing of my mother, if someone comes into my home intent on causing me or him harm, there is little to no option to retreat. If that person comes in and threatens or attempts to use deadly force, It would be difficult to use "reasonable force" against them in the form of a firearm, this is evidenced by a case currently going on in Welland, Ontario.

National Post - Man faces jail after protecting home from masked attackers

A short synopsis of the story:

Ian Thompson has been the target of an ongoing "land" dispute, a couple masked men entered his property and lobbed some Molotov cocktails at his home, Ian being a former firearms instructor, had access to firearms, and went to his safe and grabbed a handgun, loaded it, and fired warning shots, not actually aiming for the attackers. The police were called and found him with a loaded restricted firearm, and proceeded to charged him with a few gun storage offenses, pointing a firearm, and careless use of a firearm. The case is currently in front of the courts and the Crown (prosecutors) are demanding jail time. Ian Thompson did not even fire with the intent to kill, only scare off those fire bombing his property (including the dog house, they injured one of his dogs).

I Canada, we supposedly have the right to defend ourselves with reasonable force. In this case, I absolutely agree that the use of a firearm was not excessive, it WAS reasonable force. If the men were only rummaging through his garbage, and he shot them, that would, in my opinion be excessive force, but this case was reasonable force.

Even politicians are calling for a "Castle Doctrine Law" which I think might be a bit excessive, to many horror stories of parents killing their kids when the posed no danger, and were "sneaking in" after curfew. I do think however self defense and firearms laws should be changed to allow for use of firearms to protect your home in cases where deadly force is threatened (with a reasonable fear of it being carried out) or used. On the street, it might be a different story, but your home, the last bastion of comfort and safety, that is a different story.

Lorne Gunter: Why hang Ian Thomson for the ‘crime’ of protecting himself?

Matt Gurney: Ian Thomson case shows how the Crown feels about self-defence

I am not for the unfettered, wholesale possession of firearms, I am not for the unrestricted ability to "open carry", and I am definitely not for the right to "conceal carry" by just anyone, unless there is a demonstrated need for a valid reason, not just because "i have a permit". Most off duty police officers do not even carry here, they only carry while on duty (undercover, plain clothes, and uniform)

That is my two cents worth.