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0 pointsEmma_Goldman4y ago0 comments

Those are not like cases. The picture in Belgium and the Czech Republic does not seem inconsistent with the thesis that lax gun rights, and mass gun ownership, are heavily related to rates of mass shootings.

Belgium:

"Until 2006, Belgium had surprisingly lax gun control laws. After a man shot two innocent people, however, the nation become increasingly concerned with the illegal flow of firearms. The 2006 legislation requires gun permits to be renewed more frequently and sought to prevent the impulsive purchase of guns by requiring prospective gun owners to go through a three-month process which includes an extensive police screening. Six years later, in 2012, the European Union passed regulation aimed at interrupting the transportation of guns across borders by requiring exporters to obtain a special license.

Today in Belgium, it's not easy to own any type of gun, unless it's a rifle or shotgun. The nation prohibits the private possession of fully automatic weapons, and permits ownership of semi-automatic weapons only in certain case scenarios. Furthermore, the private possession of handguns is only allowed after obtaining special permission from the government. In the country, long guns, such as rifles and shot guns, are the only guns not prohibited by the state. According to GunPolicy.org, these regulations categorize Belgium as a country that has "restrictive" gun control laws."

https://www.bustle.com/articles/149385-what-are-brussels-gun...

Czech Republic:

"The most recent statistics show that on a per-capita basis Czechs own about one-tenth the number of guns Americans.... Still, owning a gun in the Czech Republic isn't so easy. Permits are for 10 years and are reviewed after five years. People have to pass a written and practical test, as well as a medical check that includes mental health, and a clean criminal record...

Mass shootings are rare in the Czech Republic, but not unknown. In 2019, seven people plus the gunman were killed in Ostrava, and in 2015, eight people plus the gunman were killed in Uherský Brod. There was also a case in 2009 with four victims plus the gunman."

https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/how-does-gun-owners...

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Rebelgecko4y ago· 2 in thread

The Czech rules don't sound that different from where I live (California). Permits are for 5 years, and require a written test. You have to take the hands-on safety test for every gun you buy. There are checks for mental health and criminal records, although IIRC the mental health check only covers involuntary commitments.

Emma_GoldmanOP4y ago

Sorry I meant to add this statistic (updated now):

"The most recent statistics show that on a per-capita basis Czechs own about one-tenth the number of guns Americans."

The Czech Republic has 10% the per capita gun ownership of the US, and some moderate controls on ownership, and suffers from occasional mass shootings. That seems to me consistent with the idea there's a relationship between gun ownership, and its lax regulation, and mass shootings.

The Czech Republic has less ownership, a bit more regulation, so has less mas shootings. But it still has them because those values are not 0.

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djbebs4y ago

Imagine requiring a permit to criticize the government...

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