I Don't Understand America's and Obsession with Guns and Its Fear of Music
Sunday, December 23, 2012 at 9:16AM
I've never been able to understand America's fascination with guns. Yesterday's report in the Globe and Mail explored this in some detail with an article entitled "America's Obsession with Guns."
I think about this whenever I watch any dramatic entertainment out of the US. It's completely permissable to show a mass murder as part of some TV show but show a nipple and the entire nation goes batshit. Accidently drop an F-bomb on live TV and the country melts down.
And then there's Wal-Mart. American Wal-Marts sell assault weapons yet won't stock any albums that contain swear words.
So let me get this straight:
1. Swear words in music are legal and presumably protected under the First Amendment as free speech. Yet Wal-Mart infringes this right by refusing to stock any uncensored album or record that might require a parental advisory label. They're worried that shoppers might find such material objectionable.
2. Guns are legal under the Second Amendment. Wal-Mart wouldn't think of not selling assault weapns, including large magazine semi-automatics that can fire several bullets a second. Check out this sweet Sig Sauer M400 that's "Designed for use in law enforcement, military operations, the sporting field and competitive shooting."
So profanity is more objectionable than a weapon that's designed to cauase maximum damage?
I grew up in a rural area of the Prairies where guns were part of everyday life. They were used for protecting livestock, hunting and the occassional bit of sport shooting. My uncle used to send me down to Sylvestor's General Store to buy boxes of bullets and shells. But we were able to get by with standard-issue .22s and shotguns. Handguns? Assault weapons? Unthinkable. Why would you need one?
And this isn't America-bashing. I have great respect for our neighbours. I visit often. If I were offered a job in the US, I'd take it and I'd have a great time.
But the gun thing? I just don't get it. I never will.
(This rant was inspired by this rant on Business Insider.)
Reader Comments (2)
It's strange in America that you need a license that indicates you have the knowledge and skill to operate a car or an airplane but don't need it to operate a gun. In fact, in many states the license that says you know how to use a car is sufficient to use a gun. I didn't realize that the skills for operating a motor-vehicle are fully transferable to using a gun, but I'm not American....
@Brent Cook - In the US, I see many people driving a car irresponsibly and illegally. I would imagine most of them have a license, but they prove that they do not have the knowledge, desire, and/or skill to operate a car safely and legally. Driver licenses are not used to prove anything about using guns except who you are for the paperwork when purchasing the gun.
I completely agree that the American society and culture is full of hypocrisy (as a US citizen I see it everywhere). I think it comes from religious history/narrow-mindedness, ignorance, political correctness, and/or a lack of making freedom a priority. Sex and nudity shouldn't be that big of a deal. Cursing is somewhat common when talking to people face to face, so it is only a show that people get offended from swearing on TV. Most everything businesses do are driven by profits and PR so their hypocrisy changes according to people's reactions.
FYI, Assault weapons is a political phrase used by media and politicians to group guns together that are similar in appearance to weapons used in the military. This term is not commonly used by the gun industry; they typically use the phrase semi-automatic rifle. Example, the Ruger Mini14 was not banned under the 1994 Federal Assault Weapons Ban and the AR15 was basically banned. Ironically, these guns use the same magazine and fire the same ammo.
Why would you need one? Maybe this can help you understand. Historically, guns in the US have been a means of obtaining independence and basic survival. On top of that, the 2nd amendment adds to the gun being a symbol of freedom. In the worst case scenario, the US citizens want to be appropriately armed in the event of another civil war. The need for a semi-automatic rifle and hand-gun boils down to self-defense. For home defense, an AR15 can be an ideal gun. Its appearance alone can stop an intruder. The gun can easily accommodate a light so one can differentiate between an intruder and a wandering family member. If the need arises to fire shots for defense, the use of appropriate ammo can damage the intruder but not penetrate a wall. Lastly, the home defender will be able to have enough ammo in the magazine so they have a higher chance of stopping the intruder. A handgun allows portability of a self-defense tool. Since there is no such thing as absolute safety, carrying a gun and being trained to use it allows one to defend themselves if the need arises, which can include a person who decides to start stabbing people, dog attacks, a criminal causing violence, or some random drunk guy who gets too aggressive, anything can happen anywhere at any time. It's all about being prepared to take care of one's self and not being completely dependent on law enforcement.