Gun control, Israeli style
Some food for thought for those of you in the US this morning.
The truth is that it is not easy to get a permit to legally carry a gun in Israel. Not only do you need a permit and to establish a reason that entitles you to one (which, in my humble opinion, would pose constitutional issues in the United States), but there are also strict rules about using one. Among other things, if you're keeping a gun in your home, as far as I am aware, it's supposed to be unloaded at all times except when it's in use.
But somehow, here in Israel, we often seem to have off duty soldiers and private citizens with guns around when we need them. In fact, the IDF is even training them.
Labels: gun control
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:41 PM
3 Comments:
The possibility of obtaining a PERSONAL weapons permit (which entitles you to carry a concealed - or not - weapon) in Israel is based on an absolutely clean violent criminal record and clean bill of health (physical AND psychiatric), excluding ANY problem that might make you dangerous to yourself or others (from bad eye-sight, to physical handicap, to mental disorders, to Alzheimer, to Parkinson, to epilepsy).
Not only not every schmuck can get a gun permit, but actually ONLY NON VIOLENT AND SANE CITIZENS CAN GET ONE. The Army criteria are much less strict.
There is ABSOLUTELY no law compelling the owner of a gun to keep it unloaded at home, nor there is one to prohibit carrying a gun with a bullet in the chamber, which is what I have always done FOR DECADES: if I need to shoot IMMEDIATELY, I can't spare ANY time!
HOWEVER - and this is a big HOWEVER - the law of unattended guns is very strict. The law PROHIBITS to leave your gun unattended AT ANY TIME, EVERYWHERE, IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE (i.e.: in your car or home).
ANYWHERE you go, the gun must be with you and under your exclusive control.
The only possibility to leave a gun in your possession UNATTENDED, is if it is BEHIND TWO LOCKED LOCKS; that is, NOT ONLY inside a BOLTED WALL SAFE, but ALSO within a LOCKED ROOM.
If you leave your gun in a closet, go to the movies or wherever, and thieves come in and steal your gun, you can get up to FIVE YEARS OF JAIL TIME.
Guns are a serious things, NOT TOYS, and as such need to be dealt with seriously.
One of the most important things to point out, and not with silly pictures like this one, is that most gun massacres in the US occur in states where it is practically forbidden to carry a concealed weapon and where weapons are not allowed within school grounds.
In states like Texas - or Vermont, for that matter, that has a socialist Senator and practically no gun control and is one of the few states without ANY law on carrying a weapon - that is states where people can carry, such crimes are rare if eve happening: criminals and crazy people are gunned down BEFORE they can murder at will.
I forgot a VERY important detail:
In Israel you MUST undergo TRAINING (legal, technical AND practical - including showing that you CAN shoot straight and are not endangering others!)
The permit to carry is valid for four years and is renewed automatically upon refresher training course and shooting AT LEAST 50 bullets of which 40 MUST be on target) AND certification from your doctor that there are no physical or mental reasons to make you unfit to carry (like taking psych medications, being a drunk, being depressed, etc.)
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