Re: [OM] OT - Firearms, was Batteries, batteries, batteries

[Jan Steinman]

> When it comes to looking for somewhere safer in the world to live, I suppose
> that you have to decide where you want to set the slider between 'Personal
> Freedoms' and 'Repressive Regime.'
Then there's Switzerland, where handguns are illegal, and every adult 
male is REQUIRED to have an assault rifle on hand. On the weekend, 
you can't go anywhere in the countryside and be out of earshot of a 
firing range. But there were only six murders in 1992, when I moved 
there -- one murder per million inhabitants. (I understand the rate 
has increased since then.)
Swiss joke: "You know why there's so little crime in Switzerland? We 
have six million policemen." (Switzerland's population is six 
million.)
After a trip to Geneva, Alexander Solzenitzen (sp?) remarked that he 
couldn't wait to get back to Russia, where he felt he had some 
freedom.
One of the most self-repressive democracies in the world, yet I've 
never felt safer than when I lived there. There's something to be 
cherished in being shouted at when you walk against the "walk" light 
at an intersection... :-)
What does all this prove? That you can prove anything you like with 
statistics and anecdotes! :-)
--
: Jan Steinman <mailto:Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
: Bytesmiths <http://www.bytesmiths.com>

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