France : some worries de Frank Leutenegger (www.swissguns.ch

The pre-campaign for the French presidency takes a step forward. Next year, French people will choose a new president. Two favorites are already on the verge:
- for the left, Segolene Royal, self claimed "pasionaria",
- for the right, Nicolas Sarkozy, disserved by his short stature and his Hungarian name, but loved by some part of his electorate for his strong declarations on the insecurity, on the incapacity of French justice to gain any respect, on the order that has to be brought back in the suburbs, etc.

Most gun owners were ready to vote Sarkozy, without a second thinking, until the day when the would be president answered a question on the right to keep arms and on home self defense. It was September 22nd, on RTL radio. Here is an extract of his answer:

"I would like to tell you one thing. In MY conception of the Republic, security is the responsibility of the state. I am against militias, I am against private gun ownership and I would like to make you think about it. If you are aggressed by an armed man, He will be better than you with a gun and you will put yourself in jeopardy. If the man is not bearing and you shoot, it's your life which will be destroyed, because to kill someone because of a steel is not in conformity with republican values which are mine. Private gun ownership is dangerous. I do perfectly understand that you may be exasperated, to have been stole twice and I do understand the fear of your wife and your daughter, but the answer is in the efficacy of the judiciary answer. It's not in private gun ownership".

Thank you Mister Minister. It's always a pleasure to hear somebody like you tell us we should trust the police… this police which doesn't dare anymore to patrol in the suburbs with less than 100 officers, to catch a kid who terrorized two agents and destroyed their car.

Thank you Mister candidate of the right wing to adopt so easily leftist theories according to which the monopoly of violence belongs to the state. Thank you also to assimilate gun owners with members of illicit militias ant to ask US to think about it.

French people will certainly think about your words. They will ask themselves why you make the propaganda of Madame Royal… maybe another feminine conquest in prospect ? To paraphrase (horribly) Henri IV: "Ségolène could be worth a republic !"

A Swiss politician (who says he is from the right wing) asked me recently if I really was afraid to see extremist parties, like Ecologists, deprive me from my right to keep my guns. "It' not the extremists that I fear, I answered. It is people like you !" I have some concerns, when I hear Mister Sarkozy.

As it was one said : "Lord, keep me safe from my friends. My enemies, I can go with !"

F.A.L. 9 octobre 2006