Posted by Shmuel Goldstein, playerazzi@hotmail.com, on 10/31/02

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My thesis: Repeal the 2nd Amendment.

I live in Israel. The so-called West Bank, to be precise. Here in Israel, we
do not have a 2nd Amendment, and no one here has a "right" to bear arms.

There are basically three ways in which your average Israeli citizen can/does
use arms: 1) He can acquire a license, then buy the weapon, 2) Work for the
Police or other security agency, 3) Do reserve duty

Now, just about every man does reserve duty, and typically the weapon used is
an Uzi, M-16, or perhaps a Galil, which handles like an AK-47, and uses M-16
size bullets.

In addition, reservists and regular army soldiers are all over the country, and
it is de riguer to see a 19 y/o soldier get on a bus with an M-16 strapped
around his shoulder. No one thinks anything of it. In fact, there have been
several incidents where one of these guys was near a suicide bomber and stopped
him by shooting him.

In order for a regular citizen to acquire a weapon, say, a pistol, he must
undergo security checks, medical checks, and police checks. It is not a given
that he will receive a license for the weapon. Basically, if he was an IDF
officer, a cop, or if he lives in a dangerous area (the gov't decides what is
dangerous, and they make logical decisions, believe me), he can get the
license. Then he's got to go to an approved dealer to buy the gun. Then he must
do monthly target practice or risk having his license revoked, and the weapon,
which could cost hundreds of dollars, confiscated.

I remind you, that this is ISRAEL, which is undergoing a cruel war of attrition
right now.

Gunshot and violent crimes here are much more rare then they are in the US.
Part of the reason is that a weapon is hard to get. Part of the reason, indeed,
is cultural.

Before the OSLO accords, signed in 1993, Palestinian violence was primarily
rocks being thrown, and the occasional bigger attack. Since the accords were
signed, and more to the point, since the Palestinian police were given weapons
by the Israelis, my children must go to school in BULLET-PROOF buses. The
Palestinians use the weapons freely against us, and even use them at weddings -
firing in the air in "celebration".

An Israeli is VERY careful with the weapon he either has bought, or was issued
for his reserve duty. He must fill out a report and undergo sometimes grueling
interrogations by the Police (or the MP's) if he fires the weapon.

Many people where I live walk around with pistols in their belts, and/or the
Uzi or M-16. These are simple civilian residents of a Jewish village in
Samaria (aka West Bank). These people have the weapons legally. In fact, the
attack just a few days ago in Harmesh was stopped by people with such weapons.

Israel can be considered the valhalla for those who love guns.

BUT

There is no 2nd Amendment, and there is no "right" to bear arms.

In the US, there is no "right" to drive, yet millions do.
There is no "right" to be a doctor, yet there are many.
There is no "right" to fly, yet there are many pilots.
There is no "right" to be a pharmacist and sell potentially deadly drugs, yet
many are pharmacists.
There is no "right" to be a prostitute, and in fact, it is illegal in most
places, EXCEPT certain areas of Nevada.

In short, if the 2nd Amendment is repealed, each State and locality can then
set the weapons-use issue according to the customs and mores of its own
people. Even if there is no "right" to bear arms, this does not mean that guns
will be taken away from people. It only means that they could (but not
necessarily will) be monitored much more closely, which I think will only help
to reduce violent crime.

Just my thoughts,

Shmuel

Re: 2nd Amendment perspectives, 2/10/05, by Shmuel Goldstein.

Second Amendment Chatboard

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