Why do American citizens have such a strong DESIRE to own guns?

Question

I've read today about the Constitution and the RIGHT to bear arms, but having the right to do something doesn't make it compulsory.
So what fuels the desire? Is it image, fear, aggression or what?

Answer 1

Graeme: lots of Europeans asking similar questions today. You are correct...having a "right" doesn't make the behavior compulsory (reminds me of "Animal Farm"...everything not forbidden is compulsory).

What the rabid gun rights defenders here have forgotten - or perhaps never understood - is that the 2nd Amendment was written by men who had just made good use of the armed Colonial militias to win independence from England. That was a time when owning a gun equaled feeding one's family and protecting oneself from hostile natives. The framers of the Constitution were not about to disarm a populace who depended on firearms to survive, and they were good enough politicians to understand they might need help to keep the fledgeling US free while they stabilized a government and established an official army.

Thus, the 2nd Amendment, which we don't need any longer, but which exists as a dangerous anachronism, defended vehemently by idiots who think it is their "right" to own better armament than the police force. It is a sad, sad situation and one that I am personally ashamed of.

That said, I'm in the minority in this country and at an even worse disadvantage as an educated woman living in the South. We even have a sign forbidding firearms at our community fitness center (No shirt, no shoes, no service...and NO firearms! Oy.)

Answer 2

Despite the publicity from the NRA, most Americans don't own guns, and don't want to own guns.

Constitutionally, there have been many opinions written about the second amendment. The fact that the Supreme Court has supported gun controls shows that the 'well regulated' clause has been accepted by the courts. The other part, which talks of the security of the state, and the need for a militia, leads some scholars to question whether anyone, outside of a local, organized (regulated) force, has any right to bear arms.

Hunting is still a popular sport, but this has declined every year for the last 20 years, and is slowly dying out - partly because our lives have changed; people would rather eat out than clean out the innards of an animal and then cook it - and partly because the availability of game has reduced.

Meanwhile the illegal use of weapons in crimes has sky-rocketted.

As appauling as the situation is, and as disgusting is the relationship between politicians of both parties and the NRA, there is little liklihood of removing guns from our society.

Answer 3

You've answered one question yourself.
To have the right, not necessarily that theywould want to go and arm themselves.
What fuels the fight for any of "yesterdays rights"? That someone will say ' there otta be a law', and the 1st politician who comes along wanting to be elected , says " Yes.". So now , one more right bites the dust.
The right to bear arms isn't the issue. It is a galvanizing point. If that right is compromised , it will be compromised out of existance. The smoking laws are an example. First 1 restriction , next year another , 6 months down the road another. and finally , it's gone.
What part of the Constitution is next?
As I've said before, to all you anti-rights people, fix or help fix the problem. You have all been told what the problems are.The solution is in the problem. If a person is bullied / help to put a stop to it. Exclution /Inclutuion . Ignored / Befriended.
Your last question sounds like it could be media hype to sell papers.

Answer 4

It's hardly universal among Americans, at least not during the ordinary flow of Life. As I sit at home reading or watching TV, or as I drive to work, or talk on the phone, I don't have an ongoing desire to own a gun, nor do most people anywhere, let alone Americans. The desire to own a gun simply does not manifest itself when the Energizer Bunny marches across the TV screen... at least, not for most people.

But there are some situations where any rational person will desire to own a gun they know how to use. For example, when the front door opens in the middle of the night. A rational person would want to be armed before they head downstairs to find out if it was the wind blowing the door open, or their wife's ex-husband who just got out of jail. A rational person standing in a 7-11 when a young thug comes in and starts threatening the clerk and anyone nearby with a knife would feel a strong desire to have a gun. Notice, I said "rational", because I do realize that some people wouldn't feel this desire, they'd rather it just went away on its own and let them get back to pretending such people do not exist.

Rational people with foresight understand that these people do exist, and its just a matter of time before they or someone they know is in such a situation, and that's why they desire to be prepared. Others don't recognize this desire in themselves, and simply want the government to handle it through the police, although the desire to own a gun and the desire to have a strong police force are closely related. Such people are always surprised when these situations happen anyway, and blame the police for being incompetent, rather than recognize their own unwillingness to prepare to deal with reality. Yet others are even more deep into their fantasy of such situations never happening, and not only do not desire guns for themselves, they also wish to take them away from others, and even want there to be no police or military forces.

So, to answer your question, the American desire to own guns comes from a willingness to face reality and survive it.

Answer 5

I do not have a strong desire to own a gun. What I do have a strong desire it to protect myself and my family. If or when the bad people lay their guns down (and we know that isn't going to happen) and I can be safe, I would be happy to put away my guns. Also if some other country want to come into our country and try a ground war they will not only fight the Army, I'm going to be shooting at them also. So there are pro and con about having guns, but at this time if we do away with guns, only the bad people will have guns. As we know they won't turn in their guns and will always find a gun if necessary.

Answer 6

Right, it's not compulsory to own a gun, except for, I believe, one city in Georgia. If you reside in that city, their law says you are required to own a handgun. Personally, I think that's more of a reason to keep people who can't own a handgun from living in that town, but that's just my opinion. I have no idea if this is actually enforced or checked, either.

Not all Americans have a strong desire to own a gun. I don't think they should take them away from law-abiding citizens who don't misuse them, but I have no desire to have a gun.

Answer 7

It comes from our founders. Our system is basically this: Power to rule comes from the Creator but does not go to the ruler. It goes, instead, directly to the people who in turn, lend that power to the ruler or rulers in measured amounts for a limited time.

As such, it was also believed that the government should fear the citizenry not the other way around. the founders knew that armed citizens were a force to be respected while unarmed citizens were basically sheep.

As explained in many of the writings of the founders, the idea of revolting against tyranny was a large part of the second amendment as was self defense.

Answer 8

Not all do -- I don't. The main result of so many American owning guns has been the tragic murder of family members through domestic violence, and the even more tragic deaths of children shooting themselves or other children after getting their hands on a gun they found.

Amen to the poster above me who pointed out the intention of the second amendment. We have absolutely nothing remotely resembling a "well-ordered militia" these days.
-w-

Answer 9

On yet another exciting observe, because of the fact it is not criminal to own finished vehicle gadget weapons produced after 1986 those in inner maximum hands in the previous the ban are transforming into collectibles. for this reason whether a semi-vehicle Mac-10 sells at 10% of the fee of the completed-vehicle version there are no further finished-vehicles getting into into stream. I say in case you are able to arise with the money for one purchase it! without a metamorphosis in those regulations (and that i do no longer see any coming interior the close to destiny as anybody seems content to "adjust to semi-vehicles") that value distinction will purely get larger and larger. Any finished-vehicle gun will purely pass up in fee because of the fact the supply of "transferable" weapons decreases.

Answer 10

I just started shooting gun about a year ago.I was completely against guns because my uncle was killed by someone with a gun. i had no desire to shot guns or date someone with guns but I met this gun that taught me gun safety and i started shooting. Now i go hunting and to the shooting range. I agree with one of the other people that if something happens in the US like it did in the movie Red Dawn, I'd want to protect myself and my loved ones. We don't desire to own guns. To me and husband and my in-laws it's a hobby, just like other people with there antiques or they're classic cars, we just collect guns, and also because it's our given rights to own them.