Swiss GBCNies please come in....

[clogged]

A friend has huge OTT debates / political rants going on on FB right now. I am ignoring 99% of it but a pic was posted and the text caught my eye. In light of the heated debates, I really do NOT want to google this for accuracy because I am sure the first 1 million hits will be more rants from either side and not actual info.

So, please, oh informed ones, help a girl out.....

The pic says: "Switzerland's government issues every adult a gun. And teaches them to use it. blah blah blah gun control rant." The implication is every Swiss resident 18 and over is packing heat. Like the Wild West or something.

So, really? I thought Swiss people were all happy sunshiney hippies who love peace, are always neutral, eat fondue, and are without weapons. They make ricola not war. (Damn you Hollywood/tv machine!)

What's the truth behind this? Save me from my clear and obvious ignorance!

[clogged]

Thanks!

Are all citizens enlisted then, not just men?

And are concealed weapons/carrying guns allowed? Or is it just guns in homes? And are these hand-guns (like service revolvers) or are we talking war guns (like machine guns)?

You are rockin' my hippie-swiss world ya know.

[aMrsin09]

Isn't it also true that they have the largest percentage of armed households and the lowest rate of gun violence?

Clogged, where did you get the hippie image from? I never think Swiss and hippie.

[allibally]

Warning: So all of what I know is what I know via seeing and or word of mouth. Very few news articles read.

All of the male population has to serve in the Army. They therefore obviously have to go learn to shoot a gun. Although, you can choose to do a different civil service. Every year they have to put in their training. Ktkl knows way more about that then I do.

So I would see plenty of US soldiers in uniform when out and about. But when I would see Swiss soldiers on their way to where every they were going they were always carrying their rifle slinged along their back. Apparently cases are too much to deal with. Anyways... what I am getting at is that I've see more guns carried by the Swiss Army in real life then the US Army.

Switzerland is actually having a really hard time nowadays with gun control. Lots of accidents from them. Also, a rise in crimes. I didn't really talk with many Swiss people but in the mountains having rifles seemed to be the thing.

As far as Swiss people being sunshiney hippies who love peace. HAHA More like we must protect out Swiss heritage shun the immigrants and asylum seekers. They basically stay out of wars and conflicts to protect their own assets. If someone were to actually attack and invade the country they would be able to attack. They have the resources and the brain power.

I'm sure you have a conservative right-wing party in the Netherlands. Switzerland has the SVP they are know for putting some pretty um.. racist or not politically correct signs up. Warning: So all of what I know is what I know via seeing and or word of mouth. Very few news articles read.

So I would see plenty of US soldiers in uniform when out and about. But when I would see Swiss soldiers on their way to where every they were going they were always carrying their rifle slinged along their back. Apparently cases are too much to deal with. Anyways... what I am getting at is that I've see more guns carried by the Swiss Army in real life then the US Army.

Switzerland is actually having a really hard time nowadays with gun control. Lots of accidents from them. Also, a rise in crimes. I didn't really talk with many Swiss people but in the mountains having rifles seemed to be the thing.

As far as Swiss people being sunshiney hippies who love peace. HAHA More like we must protect out Swiss heritage shun the immigrants and asylum seekers. They basically stay out of wars and conflicts to protect their own assets. If someone were to actually attack and invade the country they would be able to attack. They have the resources and the brain power.

I'm sure you have a conservative right-wing party in the Netherlands. Switzerland has the SVP they are know for putting some pretty um.. racist or not politically correct signs up. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/60/Spp-poster.jpg They basically use scare tactics to get votes.

So basically guns are popular in Switzerland. They kind of have the same gun motto of the US. They are having issue with gun control and crimes.

Oh and I saw a lot of rifle ranges when I was there.

[allibally]

www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-december-3-2009/oliver-s-travels---switzerland <--- I've got conflicting reports on if this video works outside of the US. But it is so hilarious. Towards the end Jon Stewart's sidekick sits down with the UN Ambassador for Switzerland. I thought the guy was going to blow his top off he was getting so read. If the video doesn't work they talk about it in this article. www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/04/john-oliver-confronts-swi_n_380305.html

[clogged]

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Jul 21, 2012 22:04:03 GMT -5 aMrsin09 said:

Clogged, where did you get the hippie image from? I never think Swiss and hippie.

Part my mom, part Sound of Music, part the commercialized "authentic Swiss village" with girls in flower crowns and ribbon dancing around Maypoles and bringing you soup and sandwiches. And no, I am not being sarcastic. And yes, I am clearly one of THOSE ignorant Americans.

[swissmama]

My DH is Swiss, and this is what he had to say about it:

Pubilus' information is fairly accurate. All Swiss men serve mandatory military service, although, these days alternative forms of service can be rendered. In most functions you carry a weapon that you will take home after basic training. For another few years (depending on rank...) we have to go back for repetitive courses, approximately 3 weeks a year. Until completion of all military duties, the weapon (guns or rifles depending on rank/function) is kept at home. Until a few years back we also kept ammunition at home, but these days that's not the case any more. Also we are now allowed to store a weapon at one of the army store houses if we want to.

Everyone holding a weapon is required to shoot an obligatory program once a year. Most of our communities have one or more ranges that organize these events. This explains partially why you will see a lot of people about with weapons at certain times of the year.

Concealed weapons are not allowed unless you have special permission that you will have to carry with you as well.

The debate regarding gun control is related to a few thousand rifles that are not being accounted for. These weapons basically have not been returned after completion of military duty, and authorities failed to act upon or missed the omission.

I wouldn't say that we experience issues with increasing crime rates related to army weapons. The fact that some incidents with army issued weapons happened in the past few years fueled the debate about home held army weapons.

[clogged]

Thanks everyone!