Text 11102, 81 rader
Skriven 2008-02-15 14:39:16 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
     Kommentar till en text av Robert Bashe
Ärende: Re: Shootings in USA
============================
RB> But aside from that, one thing you and others living in Europe never seem
RB> to realize is the fact that gun possession is part of the US
RB> Constitution, and was put there for a good reason if you consider the
RB> history of the US. Try imagining unarmed settlers going west in the
RB> 1800s...
 
In the 1800 many, if not most, settlers venturing west went into a territory
not belonging to the US of then A. Therefor the constitution could never have
applied to them. Therefor your argument fails.
 
It equally fails because the right to bear arms was put there in order to be
able to quickly put together a militia should the armed forces of the King of
England try to invade ...
 
RB> I've heard that you _must_ carry a
RB> rifle in some places in Europe (northern parts of Scandanavia) as
RB> protection against polar bears... it's legally required and if you're
RB> found without a wqeapon, the police will fine you. Places like that also
RB> exist in the States.
 
You really do believe anything, don't you?
 
There are no Polar Bears in Scandinavia, unless you go to the zoo somewhere.
 
Where you can encounter them is on the isle of Svalbard, also known as
Spitsbergen at about 79øN.
 
Svalbard is an island which by the League of Nations after WW1 was put under
the stewardship of Norway (a neutral country) as a compensation for tonnage
lost to U-boat activity. The fishing grouds around Svalbard are very rich and
there are tremendous mineral resources. But it has an international statute.
All shops in the Norwegian settlement of Longyearbyen are tax-free so are the
facilities found in the Russian settlement of Barentzburg.
 
When arriving in Svalbard, usually by commercial flight originating in Tromso,
one is immediately alerted to the presence of Polar Bears. The pictures and
continuous video in the arrivals are very intimidating. There is also a
statistic about how many people are killed by Polar Bears.
 
In Longyearbyen there is a rental shop where you can rent a high-powered rifle
and 5 bullits. These are not .22-bullits but heavy duty stuff. The rifles are
exquisitly maintained WW2 German Mauser rifles with the Swastika still stamped
in the barrel and you are advised to practice a couple of shots on the firing
range, very expensive those bullits, let me tell you.
 
All houses and buildings are Polar Bear proof but you are strongly advised to
take your rifle with you where-ever you go. You are not obliged to and if you
are silly enough to venture-out unarmed then you must face the possible
consequences. I was there for a while in 1999. The week before us a Danish girl
ventured out for a trek in the snow, without a rifle. SAR found a few bone
fragments, 2 boots with bloodied feet still inside and some shreds of a red
parka.
 
I must have some photographs somewhere of our outfit but it is an absolute hoax
that you are legally obliged to carry a rifle with you. While in any of the
settlements your rifle must be empty and the bullits in a special metal case.
 
Same for the US. I'd like you to point out to me where a rifle is mandatory. I
can only imagine that would be Alaska, but I've hiked and camped there on 5
different trips and never was bothered by a policeman, a Park Ranger (certainly
not them) nor a forest ranger or other person with some legal authority
inquiring about a rifle.
 
What I do know, however, and what 99+% of Americans do not seem to know, is
that when the fire-danger during summer is high enough, everybody entering a
"national forest" is obliged to have a shovel, an axe and a bucket in the car
as you could be comandeered into an instant forest-fire fighting crew. Failing
to produce these attributes when requested carries a fine.
 
RB> So does that mean that people in northern Scandanavia also believe that
RB> all conflicts can be solved by violence?
 
Getting your facts straight would help.
 
Of course, since you've been silent now to me for close to a year you have an
easy way out ... just remain silent and it will go away ... eventually.
 
 \%/@rd

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