Introduction

The United States Constitution mandates that our federal government protect the life of each United States citizen. This proposal would insure that protection. Fathers would be able to protect their families. Individuals would be able to protect themselves. It would also place guns in the hands of responsible people.

Switzerland is an excellent role model for the United States.

The Helvetic Confederation holds the ideal solution for gun control here in The United States of America. In 1515, this nation, now commonly called Switzerland, was defeated militarily after an attempt for expansion. Switzerland then renounced the policy of armed aggression, and adopted a policy of armed neutrality. It has had no war for 501 years! It now serves the nations of the world as a neutral and safe place for peace talks.

However, the reason that other nations have not tried to take her is not so much found in the goodness of their hearts. Switzerland has a very effective deterrent. It does not have an army—it is an army! It has a standing army of only 2,000 full-time soldiers. However, every able-bodied man, 20-50 years of age, serves in the Army Reserve, and must serve three weeks per year on active duty. Excellent defense plans and a well-trained and well-armed reserve operate as an effective deterrent. Invading armies would pay a high price to take it. 

Men, ages 20-60, who do not qualify for military service, along with women volunteers, serve in the civil defense system. The civil defense people maintain public shelters that would insure a high survival rate in case of a nuclear attack. The civil defense force also educates the public for survival.

"It's all over if we have an atomic attack," appears to be the assumption in the US. The truth is that we could survive well, if we had a system like the Swiss! Our government has let us down in this area. [Read Ronald L. Cruit and Robert L. Cruit, MD, Survive the Coming Nuclear War: How to Do It (New York: Stein and Day, 1984)].

Let's refer back to Switzerland's universal military draft. Since the men of Switzerland are screened and trained, the weapons are in the right hands. The few who are incompetent to handle weapons are identified and known locally. 

Applying these principles to the United States, every 18-year-old male would be drafted and trained in a branch of the military. If a young man were to leave the country to avoid draft, there would be no amnesty!

Why couldn't we do the same thing? Universal male military draft would help us in at least ten ways:

1. Our nation would be more secure.

2.Our troops would be better trained in case of armed conflict. It would be unconscionable to send our sons into combat with inadequate training. This happened in WWII and in Iraq. It would probably happen if we were to have a national emergency now.

3. It would insure against takeover by radical people. (Hitler first had all guns registered, and then simply picked them up and seized control of Germany and Austria). Each man would keep his own weapon secured. He must keep his weapon with himself or locked up at home.

4. Nearly all sociopaths, felons and the mentally ill would be identified. These people would not be allowed access to weapons. The gun control problem would be largely resolved!

5. It would be cost effective. The savings in money could be applied to the national debt and to the production of goods and services. (The Swiss have a very strong economy. Whereas the American dollar has continually lost value through inflation, the Swiss Franc has gained.)

6. Our full-time military would not have to be as large, as reserve strength increased. (Our active duty military is too small at this time.) Most of the reserve should be combat arms in the National Guard. Since the National Guard is under the control of state governors, this would scatter power and reduce the possibility of power abuse.

7. A strong deterrent would help maintain world peace.

8. More of the national energy would be directed in raising the quality of life of its citizens.

9. Civilian-military conflict in the United States would end, since the entire male population would be citizen-soldiers. We already have the infrastructure in place.

10. The mercenary problem would be solved—there would be no need for aliens serving in our military. Mercenaries would be more likely to fire on our citizens than citizen soldiers.

The legal basis for these proven principles are found in the following:

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1. The Declaration of Independence

In Congress, July 4, 1776,

The Unanimous Declaration Of The Thirteen United States Of America

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. ... [Italics mine].

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2. The United States Constitution

AMENDMENT II.
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. [Italics mine].

AMENDMENT V.
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb, nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use without just compensation.

AMENDMENT XIV.
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

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The Swiss have tested these principles and have used them for some time. How could we refuse their model, which would protect us and save United States citizens' lives? This program would work well for us. Are we too arrogant to learn from the successful programs of other nations?

Sources

We owe a special Thank You to The Honorable Edouard Brunner, Embassy of Switzerland, 2900 Cathedral Avenue NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20008, for help in research.

Cruit, Ronald L., and Cruit, Robert L., MD. Surviving the Coming Nuclear War: How to Do It. New York: Stein and Day, Publishers, 1984.

Jones, Michael Arthur. Swiss Bank Accounts. Blue Ridge Summit, PA: Liberty House (Tab Books), 1990.

Essay 47, from my eBook, Essays Exposing the Myths of Political Correctness. 

Copyright © John E. Russell 1993, 2017. 2018

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