It seems that most people have understood my main argument or purpose in posting those cartoons. A few others have moved into the sphere of gun control and touched on the merits of the Second Amendment. Frankly I don’t care much one way or the other regarding the right to bear arms within the USA. That is an internal US matter, and I don’t live there and am not a US citizen so it doesn’t affect me. Perhaps I’d be more involved in the gun issue if we had to move there for a few years.

Making the “right to bear arms” an actual responsibility and duty of all American citizens has come up for discussion in the media several times in the past few years. Speculation as to whether it would contribute to crime or actually reduce rates in the USA run the whole gamut. Some feel it would infringe on a person’s right NOT to bear arms.

I’ve lived in Switzerland, where every adult male citizen must go through military training, and must at all times keep military issue equipment, guns and ammo in their homes. In addition, every single Swiss house and apartment building is to this day built with a mandatory bomb shelter. We used ours for storage.

Let’s take a look at how the Swiss do it:

The Swiss army is primarily a militia army. The standing forces are relatively small, but the reservist forces form an important component. All male citizens between the ages of 19 and 26 are liable for basic military training. After basic military training, all men have reservist duties up to the age of 34, and up to 50 for officers. Reservist duties also include home maintenance of equipment, a rifle and ammunition. These weapons are fully automatic, military assault rifles, and by law they must be kept locked up. They also must have at least 72 rounds of ammunition on hand at all times. Because so many people own rifles, there is no regulation on carrying them.

Handguns are treated differently. In 1993, Swiss voters approved a constitutional amendment which authorized the Federal Parliament to pass a Firearms Control Law aimed at making access to some firearms more difficult. As an aside, the Swiss practice a more direct form of democracy than the USA. Citizens may propose legislation or constitutional amendments, which are put to a popular vote and must be implemented by the government if passed. The only other country to allow voters this right on national questions is Italy. (but discussing and comparing differing forms of democracy belongs in another post, so I’ll move on.)

For conscientious objectors, there is a way to avoid actual military duty. The law states: "Those liable for compulsory military service who can credibly assert that performing military service is incompatible with their conscience, must perform civilian substitute service".

Men who are legally exempt from service (for medical or social reasons) must pay a substitute military tax up to the age of 50. The tax is two per cent of taxable income and is at least 150 CHF. (about $114 US) Refusal to pay military tax is punishable on each occasion by one to ten days' imprisonment. Under the Law on Civilian Service, total refusal is punishable by up to 18 months' imprisonment.

Every year, approx. 40,000 young men reach conscription age. The Swiss Ministry of Defence claims that the armed forces are capable of full mobilisation within 72 hours. That means that in 3 days, the Swiss could have over 500,000 trained and equipped troops available at need. Not bad for a country with a population of less than 7.5 million, 20% of which are foreign nationals.

I wonder what would happen if the laws in the USA were changed to something like what the Swiss have.