The Czech Republic Gets Its Very Own 2nd Amendment

 

From N-TV (all translations are mine):

The Czech Republic is adding the right to keep and bear arms to its constitution. After the Chamber of Representatives approved the amendment, the Senate, the Second Chamber of the Parliament, approved it with a considerable majority. The Constitution of the EU-Member State will contain the following sentence in the future:  “The right to defend one’s own life or the lives of others with a weapon is guaranteed under legal circumstances.”

Die Rheinische Post reports:

The initiative was a reaction to efforts of the EU-Commission to make the purchase of firearms more difficult. After the terrorist attacks in Paris in November of 2015, Brussels had decided to tighten laws governing weapon purchase and ownership im the EU.  More than 100,000 people signed a petition against this in the Czech Republic, including the current head of the government, Andrej Babis, founder of the populist party ANO.

President Milos Zeman is expected to sign the law.

To me, the interesting thing about the passage of this law is that it is another piece of evidence for a growing east/west divide between people who had to live under the various totalitarian dictatorships that constituted the Soviet Union and left-leaning western states that are determined to make soft totalitarianism – often in environmentalist guise- the model to beat for 21st-century political hegemony.

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  1. James Salerno Inactive
    James Salerno
    @JamesSalerno

    Adds Czech Republic to my “places I may go if the USA continues down this road” list…

    • #1
  2. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    If that’s an accurate translation, I can think of a few loopholes.  For example, maybe it’s legal to use a weapon to defend yourself.  But can you GET a weapon?  Maybe not.  Are you allowed to POSSESS a weapon when NOT actually defending yourself?  Maybe not.  And it doesn’t say anything about ammunition.  So you’re allowed to hit someone with your pistol, but you’re not allowed to fire it.

    • #2
  3. Postmodern Hoplite Coolidge
    Postmodern Hoplite
    @PostmodernHoplite

    HURRAH for the good people of the Czech Republic!

    Not to rain on the celebratory parade, but the constitutional amendment as written above doesn’t really do what our Second Amendment does: recognize the right of the populace to be armed against potential tyranny by the central government. But, hey, it’s a GOOD step in the right direction.

    • #3
  4. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Postmodern Hoplite (View Comment):

    HURRAH for the good people of the Czech Republic!

    Not to rain on the celebratory parade, but the constitutional amendment as written above doesn’t really do what our Second Amendment does: recognize the right of the populace to be armed against potential tyranny by the central government. But, hey, it’s a GOOD step in the right direction.

    That was part of my point as well.  A recognition of the right to KEEP and BEAR ARMS is more basic than just saying that it’s okay to use one to defend yourself, if you were somehow able to get one…

    • #4
  5. James Salerno Inactive
    James Salerno
    @JamesSalerno

    Postmodern Hoplite (View Comment):

    HURRAH for the good people of the Czech Republic!

    Not to rain on the celebratory parade, but the constitutional amendment as written above doesn’t really do what our Second Amendment does: recognize the right of the populace to be armed against potential tyranny by the central government. But, hey, it’s a GOOD step in the right direction.

    How centralized is the Czech Republic’s government? I know they had a peaceful divorce with Slovakia, so I’m genuinely curious.

    • #5
  6. Saint Augustine Member
    Saint Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    What about the right to keep and arm bears?  That’s important too.

    • #6
  7. Randy Webster Inactive
    Randy Webster
    @RandyWebster

    At least they managed to avoid any confusing verbiage about militias.

    • #7
  8. Hartmann von Aue Member
    Hartmann von Aue
    @HartmannvonAue

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Postmodern Hoplite (View Comment):

    HURRAH for the good people of the Czech Republic!

    Not to rain on the celebratory parade, but the constitutional amendment as written above doesn’t really do what our Second Amendment does: recognize the right of the populace to be armed against potential tyranny by the central government. But, hey, it’s a GOOD step in the right direction.

    That was part of my point as well. A recognition of the right to KEEP and BEAR ARMS is more basic than just saying that it’s okay to use one to defend yourself, if you were somehow able to get one…

    Getting a firearm in the Czech Republic is relatively easy by European standards. There are approximately 10.7 million Czechs and approximately 1 million of them own handguns and/or long guns. So being able to get one is not a problem Not as easy as it is in states with concealed carry, but not as difficult as here in Germany as far as I know, but I have not done even “den kleinen Waffenschein” here. 

    • #8
  9. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    I have always said that the US constitution is not copywritten – any other country can adopt it.

    So many people want to move here because of the freedom and the opportunity. You can have that in your country, but be able to keep your own house and traditions and language. Just translate it and go. Wir, die Leute . . .

    (Of course your current leaders may object, so you may have to make an adjustment there, as we did with England. But it’s up to you. Say it after me: “Nosotros, la gente, . . . “) 

    • #9
  10. Sal Reagan
    Sal
    @Sal

    It’s a good thing too because the Czech have a great gun-making tradition. Maybe this will help preserve that craft which has also gained international recognition. CZ pistols already compete with other brands in world markets; having a bigger domestic base can’t hurt.

    Besides, more guns in the hands of Eastern Europeans is a subtle restraint on Russian geopolitical adventurism.

    • #10
  11. kidCoder Member
    kidCoder
    @kidCoder

    They also have shall-issue concealed carry permits.

    Not bad but their wording fails the same way the English Bill of Rights did.

    “That the subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defence suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law; “

    By placing the law above the right, you have to continually own the culture; arms are not just always going to be there.

    • #11
  12. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    A recent issue of America’s First Freedom mentioned there were only two other countries with a 2nd Amendment or equivalent.  However, the other two countries only pay lip service to it.  I’m not moving anywhere.  America is the hill to die on if freedom is your goal . . .

    • #12
  13. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    The Czech Republic also has a cute girl next door vibe.

    • #13
  14. Rōnin Coolidge
    Rōnin
    @Ronin

    That makes a lot of since since CZ (Česká zbrojovka or Czech Armory) Firearms now owns the Colt brand.  I own a few of their product (before the submarine accident) and they are top shelf manufacturers.

     

    • #14
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