Gun Laws & Legislation

Guns & Politics: Czech Your Guns And Make Sure They Are Loaded

Susan Smith Columnist
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Good news in Europe!?!?

Is it possible?  Is there really a European nation that is not marching forward at warp speed to commit suicide?  It would seem that that is in fact the case, as lawmakers in the lower Parliament of the Czech Republic have just voted to enact legislation “that would see the right to bear firearms enshrined in the country’s constitution in a move directed against tighter regulations from the European Union.”

The legislation: “…passed with 139 deputies agreeing to the amendment to the constitution with only nine deputies voting against.  The amendment will now be considered by the Czech Senate where it will require a supermajority of three-fifths of the members in order to pass into law.  Similar to the U.S. Second Amendment to the Constitution, which gives Americans the right to keep and bear arms, the Czech legislation reads: “Citizens of the Czech Republic have the right to acquire, retain and bear arms and ammunition.”

As the majority of other members of the European Union continue in their death spiral in part by enacting more and more draconian measures to prevent citizens from being able to defend themselves from the increasing number of terrorists EU leaders are importing into their countries, the Czech Republic is asserting its sovereign nation status and refusing to allow that its citizens be disarmed at a time “when the security situation is constantly worsening.”

Previously one of the most significant parts of one of the greatest empires in history that of the Hapsburg Dynasty, (1526 to 1918), the Czech Republic originally became an independent entity at the end of the First World War, in 1918.  It was said at the time:

“Although the Czech national revival movement aspired at first only to a revival of the Czech language and culture, it soon began to strive for political emancipation…the defeat of the (sic) Austria-Hungary cleared the way for the foundation of an independent state of Czechs and Slovaks.  The Czechoslovak Republic (then) became one of the ten most developed countries of the world.“

Tragically, a period of twenty years of democracy and prosperity was “ended by the aggression of Hitler’s Germany…the conference in Munich and the following German occupation in March, 1939, brought the end of the independent Czech state.”

After World War II, and being occupied by Nazi Germany was no longer an issue, an even worse foe took over and the Czech Republic “became part of the Soviet sphere of power.”  A period of “limited” democracy at the end of the war was ended by a “Communist takeover in February, 1948.”  At this time, in the Czech Republic, “all private property was expropriated and political and human rights were suppressed.”

An attempt “to change and humanize Communist totality and to weaken ties to the Soviet Union” failed when the Soviet Army invaded the country in August, 1968, at which time the Soviet suppression of the Czech Republic became even more brutal.

Then, in November, 1989, the overthrow of the Communist regime (in the Czech Republic) was brought about, as a result of the “gradual decay of the Communist regime and the Soviet empire, (with) the mass protests and demonstrations of the Czechoslovak people.”

The “changes were confirmed by the election of (the great) Vaclav Havel as President of the Republic.”

The subjugation of a proud and independent people, trapped behind the Iron Curtain by the Communist tyrants of the Soviet Union for almost half a century, left an indelible mark on each Czech citizen, and will no doubt do so for many years to come.  Each Czech knows full well what it is like to be taken over and ruled by a totalitarian regime, and each Czech is clearly not going to let this happen to his or her country and its citizens again.

This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that the Czech Republic “has one of the largest rates of firearm ownership in the EU with an estimated 300,000 gun owners who own around 800,000 individual firearms.”  In addition, 240,000 of the 300,000 gun owners have concealed carry permits, and it has been decreed that self-defense is a recognized reason for firearm ownership.

The “Czech defiance of EU policy has in recent months been largely confined to the issue of the redistribution of migrants,” which the Czech Republic is basically refusing to accept.

Czech leaders, along with others from Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, have all “rejected EU plans to redistribute migrants,” to these nations, all four Eastern European countries’ leaders” raising concerns over security.”   A recent candidate for Prime Minister in the Czech Republic, Andrej Babis, (who is expected to win), said recently:

“We have to fight for what our ancestors built here.  If there will be more Muslims than Belgians in Brussels, that’s their problem.  I don’t want that here.  They won’t be telling us who should live here.”

How remarkable, how wonderful, how fitting for the American 4th of July, and, in fact, how Trumpian.  Could it be that Mr. Babis and his magnificent Czech citizens want to MCRGA?

Susan Smith brings an international perspective to her writing by having lived primarily in western Europe, mainly in Paris, France, and the U.S., primarily in Washington, D.C. She authored a weekly column for Human Events on politics with historical aspects. She also served as the Staff Director of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Children, Family, Drugs and Alcoholism, and Special Assistant to the first Ambassador of Afghanistan following the initial fall of the Taliban. Ms. Smith is a graduate of Wheeling Jesuit University and Georgetown University, as well as the Sorbonne Nouvelle in Paris, France, where she obtained her French language certification. Ms. Smith now makes her home in McLean, Va.