There’s been a lot of discussion in this thread about the correlation between gun ownership and crime in the US and UK, what about Switzerland where almost evey make over 18 is required by law to posses a firearm, one that is provided by the state and designed to kill. Some of these firearms are fully automatic. We don’t hear about massive crime in that country. I belive that the laws on continental europe are also much less restrictive but again we don’t hear about higher levels of armed crime there either.

You’re overlooking one important aspect:
Education. The US education system is a joke from top to bottom.

Example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRdAe3UAIVs

& on Math:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9QBv2CFTSWU

And…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkBmhM0R2A0&feature=related