Questions for our American friends

[palo5]

Originally Posted by billybunter

Can I ask, why do you need guns? Americans will recoil at this. I know it's written in your constitution. But I can't understand this obsession with firearms.

Because when you give people a Constitutional right, it's hard to take it away, especially if it has centuries of tradition

[deepsepia]

Originally Posted by billybunter

Can I ask, why do you need guns? Americans will recoil at this. I know it's written in your constitution. But I can't understand this obsession with firearms.

It's cultural, and historical. Now, I'd note that the Second Amendment does not ever speak of a "personal" right to a weapon for self-defense, it speaks of the need for a "well regulated militia".

If you look at gun fanciers' quotes of the Second Amendment, you'll note that they always omit that part, and ignore it.

The question of "why the obsession with guns" is complicated. If you compare the US with ethnically similar UK offshoots -- Australia, Canada, NZ -- the US is the only one that was founded by religious malcontents. These were much more cranky people, and they were much more hostile to the State than their, say, Canadian counterparts.

There are really two ideas of the use of guns: one, for self defense, and the second, for use against a tyrannical State. Americans are far more likely than an Australian or Kiwi to view the State as a tyranny, or potentially tyrannical. To that point, in the American Revolution, many of the folks who could get along with the State, loyalists, ended up moving to Canada, changing the complexion of both places in the process.

[Nobody1]

Originally Posted by billybunter

Can I ask, why do you need guns? Americans will recoil at this. I know it's written in your constitution. But I can't understand this obsession with firearms.

Billy, this can not be explained on a rational level. I consider myself as someone who on a rational level completely rejects the concepts of weapons and war. Still, i'm very interested and fascinated. Why? I've asked this question myself many times.

I think it has a little to do with our genetic information. It's an archaic relic of times in which we had to contend against a hostile environment. Two million years of warlike human development are faced with 200 years of peace movement. That can not be washed out so easily.

My heart tells me : The bigger the gun, the safer you are from predators (humans included). But my brain and my experience tells me : The one who has the greatest gun is the one who has the greatest fear. A weapon simply gives weak people the illusion of power, control and security. And illusions taste sometimes better than the reality.

[billybunter]

I've been to the US and browsed a gun store. I couldn't believe the sort of weapons you can buy. It was a culture shock. I'm not saying all Americans are crazy trigger happy lunatics. Of course not. I don't understand why such fire power is needed by a member of the public. But the law is the law.

[Nobody1]

Originally Posted by billybunter

I've been to the US and browsed a gun store. I couldn't believe the sort of weapons you can buy. It was a culture shock. I'm not saying all Americans are crazy trigger happy lunatics. Of course not. I don't understand why such fire power is needed by a member of the public. But the law is the law.

Don't forget it is also a sport. And simultaneously a philosophy. Somehow similar to the Japanese Zen. Unfortunately, weapons are also needed to control wildlife populations because natural predators such as wolves and bears were exterminated by urbanization measures. At least in Germany.

[billybunter]

You are not suggesting these guns are for sport? Where I live you can apply for licence for a gun for sport or hunting. But it's not an automatic rifle.

[Nobody1]

Originally Posted by billybunter

You are not suggesting these guns are for sport? Where I live you can apply for licence for a gun for sport or hunting. But it's not an automatic rifle.

As far as I know in the U.S. are also automatic weapons regarded as sports equipment But I may be wrong. And I don't know where they are used.

http://www.nssf.org/msr/facts.cfm

[ubu_roi]

Originally Posted by billybunter

You are not suggesting these guns are for sport? Where I live you can apply for licence for a gun for sport or hunting. But it's not an automatic rifle.

I fire my guns for sport/recreation/hobby (whichever you want to call it). I enjoy it more than, say, pool or golf. For me it's fun, and relaxing.

That said, several of my guns are primarily owned for self-defense, if such need ever should arise. But I shoot them for fun, too.

And by the way, I do not hunt. Never have, just not my cup of tea. But paper targets need to fear the hell out of me.

[billybunter]

Why do you feel you need a gun for self defence?

[ubu_roi]

Originally Posted by billybunter

Why do you feel you need a gun for self defence?

Because a good number of criminals have 'em.

Seriously, I subscribe to the notion that it's better to have it and not need it, than the other way around. There are a lot of guns in circulation in America, with more than a few owned by rather unsavory people. While I don't expect to be attacked, it is a possibility, and I intend to be prepared in the event that I am. So I have a permit to carry a concealed firearm (first obtained over 20 years ago when I was a retail store manager and making large cash deposits every night) and frankly, I feel safer as a result.