Do all Americans like to carry guns?

Question

And would you ever really use one?

Answer 1

As a Brit I apologise for stepping in here, but would just like to say that the only two members of my American family who possess guns are police officers. The remainder refuse to own guns on the grounds that too many 'accidents' occur in households where weapons are kept. They have a point - I lived in New York for a while and the number of accidental (fatal) shootings by children of children, in the home, amazed me - as did the arbitrary and senseless shooting of people on the streets. So I guess the family has a point.

Incidentally, regarding the comment above that the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution gives Americans the constitutional right to own guns, doesn't the relevant sentence say "A well regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed." Surely, all that means is that in the absence of a standing army (the newly formed United States not yet having a regular army when the Constitution was drafted), the people were allowed to bear arms, as members of a disciplined militia, in order to protect their new nation in case of an attack by outside forces? Now that the USA has both a National Guard _and_ an enormous Regular Army, isn't that Amendment now redundant and a couple of centuries out of date?

I'm only asking... but it's a question that's worth calm, reasoned discussion, surely?

Answer 2

I am american but I can only speak for myself and not all americans but I rather doubt that all americans like to carry guns and very few do. The ones that do I would think that only a few liked carring the gun and the others carry one because they have to not because they like to . I personally dont carry a gun because I know i would use it and to avoid any problems or mistakes and regrets I just dont keep one around. I know I would use one since I did shoot some guy in the back of the head with a bb gun when I caught him trying to break into my car before it had an alarm. I didnt think I just picked it up aimed and fired . Good thing it was only a bb gun so it only gave him a nasty little sting and maybe a bump. A bullet would of blown his head right off. I am not a violent person and really good natured but cant stand thieves and am good with a gun so I prefer not to have one.

Answer 3

Well you should first ask, why do you need to carry a gun? Self-protection? Just to be cool? etc. Not all Americans like to carry guns. I know alot of people who are totally against guns.

For the career that I want to pursue, then I need to carry a gun. And I would carry it off duty, and if the situation called for the use of a gun, then I would use it.

Answer 4

No, but the thing you have to keep in mind is that 41% of US land is ranch/pasture and an additional 350 million acres are farmland. Even where I live, in Los Angeles, you can go 30-40 miles out of town and you'll find farms (same thing in New York City or Chicago). In the 1800s people were immigrating west for land opportunities, and a gun was necessary for survival as a farmer (especially in non-populated areas that still had wild animals threatening your cows, pigs, etc).

I grew up in a ranch community and the majority of farmers I knew had a gun around for use on the farm, or just hobbyist hunting. Conversely, of all my friends in Los Angeles I only know one who has a gun, and he grew up on a ranch in Texas (and he'll go shooting as a hobby).

I actually heard a statistic the other day that Canada has more guns per capita than the US, and they have much stricter gun laws (although the majority of the Canadian population lives on the plains and farms, and not in the cities)

Answer 5

Don't any of you people care about out 2nd ammendment! It is our RIGHT to keep and bear arms. In fact a LOT more people carry guns than anyone realizes, the sad part is that a lot of those people are more of a danger to themselves with that gun on their person. I would most DEFINATELY use a gun to protect myself or my family or anyone who was in a life-threatening situation for that matter. People who want to rape you or break into your home, or harm your family deserve it if someone kills them. Remember, guns don't kill people...people kill people, weather it's with a gun or a baseball bat or a crow bar or whatever. A gun is as safe or as harmful as the person who is carrying it. If the goverment ever succeds in taking our guns the only people who are going to still have them are the criminals because they will be the dishonest ones and not give them up. My husband and I both carry a firearm, we've never had to use them on a person, but we both would if the situation ever called for it. Everyone should educate themselves on fireamrs. They're not what some pepole make them out to be. If you don't want to carry a gun, carry pepper spray.

Answer 6

No, not all Americans like to carry guns.

Answer 7

No. All Americans do not carry guns. This is not the wild west over here.

Answer 8

No not all Americans. I have lost 2 family members because a gun was in the house.

Answer 9

All the fear they put in your head that in the moment of truth you may panic and make it worse is just that. If you really believe the anger of being attacked would not empower you to use a gun wisely, don't get one! Get a maze, or walk aroud with something you could use to defend yourself. A cell phone isn't a luxury anymore.

Practice, practice, practice and you will feel more confident, if you ever need to defend yourself.

Answer 10

No they're only allowed for hunting and policemen. I don't own one, no one in my family does, and I don't know many people that do. I think it is because it is seen in so many of our movies that you assume we act the way they do in the movies. But you are not allowed to just carry them out in public unless you are a cop.