Sunday, May 31, 2009

Germany Looks For Random Checks of Stored Guns

In yet another overblown response to a school shooting, Germany is looking at more restrictive and intrusive gun laws.

Under legislation to be put to a vote in parliament next month, Germany’s gun owners, who number between 10 and 12 million, would be subject to unannounced random checks of how and where they store their weapons.

If guns are accessible to anyone other than the license holder, that person will be subject to punishment. If a judge finds that someone deliberately allowed adolescents access to firearms, that person will face a prison sentence.

The age of those allowed to use high-caliber firearms will also be raised from 14 to 18. The Social Democrats wanted to ban high-caliber rifles altogether, but the ministers agreed not to go that far.

Apparently, the citizens of Germany have a short memory about the possible consequences of oppressive restrictions on firearms.

(3) Comments
Posted by Owen at 0915 hrs
Firearms + Foreign Affairs

  1. It is extremely difficult to get a gun in Germany.  There have been a number of school shootings lately and they are just trying to figure out how a highly regulated item all of sudden is getting in the hands of people who should not have access.  No surprise here, I think you are projecting a little Owen.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 31, 2009 at 1451 hrs


  2. “Apparently, the citizens of Germany have a short memory about the possible consequences of oppressive restrictions on firearms.”

    Is this a Nazi reference? Are you opining that accessible firearms in 1930s Germany could have stopped Hitler’s rise to power?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 31, 2009 at 1515 hrs


  3. “Apparently, the citizens of Germany have a short memory about the possible consequences of oppressive restrictions on firearms.”

    Um, Germans in the 1920s and 1930s had paramilitary armies. Somehow I doubt low rates of gun ownership were a reason for the rise of Nazism. Neither would higher rates have helped in any way.

    Let’s also remember that under Saddam’s Baathist regime, Iraqis had a rather high rate of gun ownership. It didn’t stop Saddam from ruling with an iron fist.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on May 31, 2009 at 1950 hrs


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