7/30/2019 "Imma Shoot You in the Face, Switzerland!"

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ImmaShootYouintheFace,Switzerland!byDavidWade

Aboutthistimelastyear,IsawanewssegmentinCanadaaboutarecentuptickof

gundeathsinToronto.ThewholepiecewasmostlycomposedofworriedCanadians.

Inthisrespect,thenewssegmentwaslikeallotherCanadiannewsbroadcasts,but

attheendofittheycomparedthenumberofgundeathsinTorontotothenumberofgundeathsinthesimilarly-sizedcityofChicago.Torontohad50gundeaths;Chicagohad433.

50gundeathsisclosetotheaveragenumberofgundeathsinSwitzerland.InSwitzerland,becauseofmandatoryconscriptionlawsandafiercelyindependent

streakintheSwisscitizenry,peopletaketheirmilitary-issuedweaponshome.Thattranslatesto1.3to3milliongunsforacountryof8millionpeople.SoineverySwiss

chalet,nexttoeverySt.Bernard,undereverypotoffondue,thereverywellcouldbe

anassaultrifle,andyetyouremorethan30timesmorelikelytobeshotandkilled

inChicago.

Peoplecitethepoliticalcomplexityofthisissue,anditscertainlyapolitically

complexproblemthatwellover10,000Americansareannuallyshotandkilled,but

Imnoteveninterestedinwhosrightandwhoswrong,ifgunskillpeopleorpeople

doIjustwanttoknowwhatitisabouttheAmericanexperiencethatmakesits

citizenssomuchmoreinclinedtoshooteachotherintheface.

IsuspectitallgoesbacktotheSpidermanline,Withgreatpowercomesgreat

responsibility.Americansareverycomfortableaccessingpowerandmakingpower

accessible,butsomehowforsomereasonAmericansarenotquiteasresponsibleas

thepeopleofothercountries,andthisisnotaculturaldifferencethatshouldbe

allowedtocontinue.

IdontthinkweshouldorcanendtheguncultureintheUnitedStates;itwouldbe

theequivalentoftryingtoimplementprohibitioninIrelandonSt.PatricksDay.Im

allupforpersonalfreedoms,butgunsarecomplicatedbecausetheybynature

involvethefreedomsofotherpeople;theargumentfortherighttoowngunsisthe

samethingastheargumentfortherighttogetshotbythem.Mostgunowners

realizethis,andmanyhopetoavoidtheissueofgettingshotbysimplybuyingmore

guns.Manypoliticiansalsolooktomorefirearmsasthesolutiontotheincreasing

problemoffirearms,andtheyhopetospurAmericaintoanewColdWararmsrace

withitselfbecausewewillallbesaferwhenwearealllockedinanationalMexican

standoff.

Inthemeantime,therestoftheworldstilllovesAmerica.InSwitzerland,CoolRanch

DoritosarecalledCoolAmerican.InItaly,theyhaveapopularAmericanPizza

withslicedhotdogsandFrenchfriesonit.InAmerica,20childrenwereshotwitha

semi-automaticrifle.