Within 10 to 15 years, it would be possible to raise a new generation of Russians with a responsible attitude toward firearms. Just as children are taught not to play with an open flame, so too they can be taught to respect firearms and the damage they can inflict.

       Permitting civilians to carry firearms is a highly controversial issue, especially in Russia. In July, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia submitted a bill to the State Duma to allow citizens to carry firearms. I believe this is little more than cheap populism. The party’s leaders understand that the Russian authorities were frightened by the protests that followed the murder of soccer fan Yegor Sviridov in December 2010, who was shot and killed with a so-called non-lethal gun, which shot rubber bullets. This prompted President Dmitry Medvedev to propose stricter laws on the possession, sale, purchase and use of these non-lethal guns. In light of this, there is little chance that civilians will be permitted to carry actual firearms. The LDPR understands its bill has no chance of passing. It is only trying to score points ahead of the upcoming elections.

       I support allowing civilians to own firearms. There is a lot of crime in Russia, especially domestic violence. People drink denatured alcohol and get chemical poisoning. Traffic fatalities are high. In light of all this, it seems clear to me that the number of crimes committed by gun-toting madmen will be relatively small. Criminals have no problem obtaining guns. They have them already and they don’t hesitate to use them. It is the law-abiding citizens that suffer as a result. It seems to me that things would be calmer if ordinary folks were permitted to purchase and keep weapons to protect their homes and loved ones.

       One fact that is rarely ever mentioned in the debate over legalizing gun ownership is that the Russian army lacks trained reserve soldiers. In the event of war – not even a large-scale war, but the kind the United States is prosecuting in Iraq – troops must be regularly rotated to give them a break from combat and to keep their morale high. The United States has such a reserve, the National Guard, whose members are trained to handle weapons.

       Russia could create something similar: a sort of militia on the Swiss model whereby citizens are permitted to carry firearms only if they are in the reserve. If someone wants a gun for self-defense, they must fulfill a series of obligations to get it. For example, once a month or every six months they must attend a training camp so that they will be prepared if they are ever called upon to fight. Not all wars will be as brief as the intervention in Georgia in August 2008. There are prolonged wars, such as the war of attrition between Israel and Egypt in the 1970s. In the event of a longer conflict, the state will have to rotate troops. But when the time comes, there could be a shortage of people who know how to handle simple firearms, such as an assault rifle or a light machine gun.

       Unfortunately, no one has given much thought to linking gun ownership to training reserve troops for the armed forces. Arguments for and against gun ownership are mostly emotional. But this issue is deep and complex, and there is no simple solution.

       The debate over gun ownership is like believing in God. Some believe, while others don’t. You can make any number of arguments supporting the view that civilian gun ownership will stabilize the situation in the country and make people feel safe. You can also argue that it will have a destabilizing effect. There is a case to be made on both sides of the issue.

       Within 10 to 15 years, it would be possible to raise a new generation of Russians with a responsible attitude toward firearms. Just as children are taught not to play with an open flame, so too they can be taught to respect firearms and the damage they can inflict. This new generation of people should be taught to see firearms as a means to defuse rather than start conflict.

       Views expressed are of individual Members and Contributors, rather than the Club's, unless explicitly stated otherwise.