Why do Americans value their "right" to own guns so greatly?

Question

The right to own a gun seems to me to be one of the least important "rights" imagineable. Why are so many Americans obsessed with this "right?"

Interesting, the idea expressed below that WWII and the Holocaust happened because Germans had their guns taken away. Incredibly stupid idea, but interesting that someone could be so dumb as to believe it.

Answer 1

As one of our founders said, paraphrasing- if you remove one right then you can start removing other rights and soon you are on the slippery slope to total control. Also, no country that has allowed citizens to have weapons has never been conquered. The Bush dynasty is doing that internally, but that is another matter.

Answer 2

I personnally don't own or can even handle loaded guns or rifles,but am understanding of the ideas behind gun ownership, (not fanaticism). These are my observations and opinions.
For the most part, gun owners are responsible people who view ownership as both a privelege and a right. Traditionally passing the rites of hunting skills (lets keep animal rights out of this discussion) down through generations, the hunter's companionship, the thrill and challenge of providing for one's own food. Not only does it appeal to the base primal instincts, but a sense of pride knowing that they could survive in rugged environs as people in the past had to. Some are fascinated by the mechanical/technological functions of the device, these are ofren the collectors. But as Americans, we also have a traditional view, that has been weakening over the generations of complacency, that the gun is also the bottom line of individual rights for self protection against threats foriegn or domestic. Heroic images of citizens standing against tyrannical take over of OUR homeland, (invasion or totalitarian leadership for our own security) abounds within the American cultural mindset. Ownership also provides a skilled citizen soldier base for our military to draw on for our mutual defense, allowing our soldiers to be some of the most independent, and innovative militaries. The problem is that in the past the majority of gun using Americans were taught the responsible use and care, via hunting traditions, of gun ownership. Whereas today the media has inspired gun use as a token of power, while the tradition of teaching the responsible handling has been diluted out. Weapons without justifiable purpose (collecting can be justified if securely maintained) is the debatable side of gun rights. The gun control lobbies view only a total elimination goal as acceptable, forcing the gun rights lobbies to stand for a no limitations view, with niether side willing to compromise or accept an educational (which both sides suggest when not pounding out rhetoric) solution. As some other answers have stated it is often the criminal users who would get guns with or without gun controls that are the crisis driving the issue. The majority of domestic wounds are still due to knives or other household objects, rather than guns, they just don't get the media play up that a shooting does. Limit access to those that have been certified in responsibility courses with ample, reliable waiting periods may be a start, but outlawing weapons and ownership will only drive these people into a paranoid (justifiably), underground faction similar to militias and survivalist fanatics (as opposed to the regular, stable people preparing for a future crisis). Education and self-responsible users are the key to this problem. Of course this is only an opinion. Let common sense prevail.

Answer 3

This is why:

"[W]hen the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised by an artful man,- who was governor of Pennsylvania, to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia."-- George Mason (speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention,14 June 1778)Reference: The Debates of the Several State..., Elliot, vol. 3(380)

The Founders saw gun ownership as a way to keep the government from expanding beyond it's prescribed boundries. The Founders didn't want to be subjects, but citizens.

If you don't want a firearm you don't have to own one. But as Americans we are more self-relient than the rest of the world. Then there are the 20 plus cases that went before SCOTUS that said that the police departments don't have to respond to criminal activity.

In my state, even if the Sheriff's Department does respond it can take upwards of thirty minutes to respond. If you throat is slashed you can bleed out in under two minutes.

Then there is the preditor threat. We have had mountain lion attacks in this state. I'm to old to fend one off with a knife, let alone my bare hands. But you can if you want to.

Then there those of us who hunt for food. If you don't that's your right.

If you want to be relient on someone else for your safety, well your crazy but that's your right. In this country we realize that we have to take care of our own and to have someone who allegedly knows better than us, that has never even held a gun tell us that if we just give them what they want everything will be fine. Except there are to many criminals that will kill you after you give them your wallet and vehicle.

But if you want to be arrogant go ahead.

Answer 4

why should we not have the right to own guns? honestly, tomorrow if all citizens with registered handguns had them taken away from them, would we be safer? no. why? because do you honestly think that most criminals who use guns obtained them legally? i think not. there is a huge gun black market. i would feel helpless with the knowledge that i had no way to protect myself from an intruder in my home. i am a 25 year old female who is married, but my husband is a firefighter and spends many nights at the fire station, which leaves me at home and i sleep with a .22 revolver next to my bed. i feel safe with it, and i know that i could and would use it if necessary to protect myself and my home. i'm sorry that you have bad feelings towards guns and gun owners. if only you could be as open minded as others. some of us think there are other ridiculous rights, but we tolerate them because this is america and last time i checked, it was a free country.

Answer 5

It is another freedom we have as Americans. The freedom to protect our family and our property. I agree that the system isn't doing enough to keep guns away from gangs,etc., but I do believe having the right to bear arms is still an important freedom. I'm certainly not obsessed with it though.

Answer 6

The Revolutionary War that was responsible for the independence of the United States of America was, in large part, fought by ordinary people. These farmers and other citizens used the arms that they used for hunting or protecting their families, for example. So the United States has a long tradition of individuals using their own personal weapons to fight for freedom and defend their families and their rights.

Also, the "right to bear arms" is one of our basic rights, guaranteed to us by the second amendment to the Constitution of the United States, our most basic body of law.

In many places in the United States, such as many urban areas, people recognize that there is a lot of danger, and they want to be able to protect themselves and their families. Being able to have weapons and use them if necessary is one way that people can do this.

Answer 7

Well I don't own a gun and I thnk it's stupid, but most places where people own guns is where they can hunt, where I live we need hunters becuase, the stupid hunters before like in the 1700,1800, and 1900's killed a natural predator of deer, so we need hunters to kill the deer around her because the deer around here are over the carrying capacity, and its a whole chain reaction so we need hunters where I live, I think people should only have guns where there needs to be hunting done for the ecosystem to survive.

Answer 8

apparently it's in the Constitution and they fiercely oppose any changes 2 it, because back in the wild west u needed a gun 2 survive.
i don't know why ur average yank still needs 2 arm himself but times r changing & buying/owning a gun is harder now than ever b4.
if they updated the Constitution 2 present day standards, it would destroy all that america thinks it stands 4.

Answer 9

For protection... example: this past friday an man that was 61 years old was not charged with murder by our district attorney. Some young punk was trying to steal his car and was coming straight for the old man attempting to run him over, the man had a gun and shot.... he killed the kid that was trying to kill him that gun saved that man's life!

Answer 10

Because we value our lives and property. If we were not allowed to legally own guns, then the only people with guns would be criminals and cops.