Why do Americans feel so strongly about the right to bear arms? Is the United States not the only country with such a law among the G20?
User Detail :
Name : Walter P., Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 37, City : Montreal, Quebec, State : NA Country : Canada, Occupation : Engineer, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, As a rule, Americans don't like anyone telling them anything. I think this is a situation where genetics and culture are intertwined. Basically, whites came over here (from England, Ireland, Germany, etc.) because they either didn't like being told to pay taxes or worship a certain way. Blacks were hauled over here against their will, Native Americans were slaughtered as a result of Manifest Destiny and Asians came here to get away from oppressive dynastic regimes. What this makes for is a group of people who typically resent all types of authority. The most die-hard NRA advocates will tell you that they oppose gun-control because they don't want the government telling them what to do, because 'If you let them take this, what's next?' There is also a strong degree of anti-intellectualism in America that stems from its roots as a haven for start-up capitalists. Capitalists, as a rule, don't like government interference with anything, and once again, if you let them take your guns, control of your business is next. White descendants of our country's Revolutionaries, immigrants from oppressive nations, descendents of slaves and Manifest Destiny-victims all have inherited a legacy of distrust for the government. Those opposing gun control want to keep the ability to fight off whoever they think it is they need to.
User Detail :
Name : Brian23003, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 25, City : Peru, State : IN Country : United States, Occupation : management, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Briefly, I think it is a matter of distrusting government. In Texas, we are 1 for 2 in disposing of odious governments: we disposed of Santa Anna, a singular service to Mexico, and we gave the Federal Government a good fight in the 1860s. If you include ancestral rebellions, we are 2 for 3, having sent King George's men back to torment the Irish. That we have had sufficient concensus in two centuries to think three governments odious enough to merit armed rebellion either demonstrates a consistent bad attitude or a rational basis for our distrust.
User Detail :
Name : Walter, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Disability : getting old, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Jewish, Age : 51, City : Austin, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : historian, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower middle class, The right to bear arms is so central to American values because it is how we won our independence, and the writers of the Constitution guaranteed that we would retain it. Without it, we wouldn't have the power to defend ourselves from criminals or tyrants. It is listed among our basic liberties such as freedom of speech because it is the right that secures all our other rights.
User Detail :
Name : Trudy24915, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Mormon, Age : 18, City : San Jose, State : CA Country : United States, Occupation : student, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class, Oh boy, do I agree with Brian on this one. Americans DO NOT like to be told they cannot do anything; even if its against the law. While this particular issue has strong feelings on both sides, I think its another example of the 'I'm entitled' behavior that runs so hot in the US. I also think its an example of why so many populations abroad refer to us as 'Ugly Americans.' Personally, I think the British regulations on firearm ownership need to be instilled here. No one has any damn business owning an assualt weapon in the home. Thats not a hunting weapon; its made to kill human beings.
User Detail :
Name : Alma, Gender : Female, Sexual Orientation : Lesbian, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, City : Kempner, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : contract employee, Education level : 4 Years of College, The Americans had just defeated the English in the American Revolution when the forefathers came up with this amendment. This was to ensure that the government and government workers weren't the only ones who had guns, so that the common people were not forced to do everything the government said by fear of being shot. And when you have given a society a right for so long, you cannot just take it away. Also, I have heard (and my grandfather was Canadian), that Canada is less of a violent place than America. Drugs are illegal here, but that does not stop people from buying them, the same would be with firearms. If you are not a criminal then you are not going to cause anybody intentional harm with a firearm, but if you are a criminal then what would stop you from buying an illegal firearm and using it in a malevolent way. The only difference is that the innocent people will have no way to protect themselves.
User Detail :
Name : Amy, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Christian, Age : 17, City : Hinesville, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Hi, Through the last centuries poor, desparate, prosecuded and underprivileged people from Europe emmigrated to the US. Add the slaves and you got a lot of valour,keen determination and bad education. For centuries they were concerned with local Indians and wars with Europe, having very little interest for the rest of the world. Somehow they managed to maintain their ignorance of the World outside the US, their distrust of anybody, their supreriority complex (if we can comquer the west, nothing can stop us) and their lax attitude towards education. They are just morons with guns. Man, they made Ronald Reagen their President a moron who spent his life, playing morons with guns in cheap movies. Regards Thorsten
User Detail :
Name : Thorsten-Roggendorf, City : Bielefeld, State : NA Country : Germany, Social class : Lower class, Many Americans feel guns are an important part of defense for themselves and their families. This goes back to our frontier days, when one was required to provide one's own defense. Those who waited for 'troops' or 'police' didn't last long. In 42 of the 50 states, there are provisions that allow citizens to carry concealed handguns in public. I can legally carry a concealed handgun in more than a dozen states. It is a sad fact that there are criminals who will attack and even kill you without an iota of concern. One can often rely only on oneself for defense in these situations. The police are overburdened as it is and cannot provide a personal bodyguard for every citizen. It is also rare that the police are there to intervene in the commission of a crime; they usually have to do the 'clean up' of the aftermath. Many Americans also feel that gun ownership is a key to their freedom. Few governments wish to tackle an armed populace. History teaches us that one of the first things a tyrant wants to do is seize personally owned guns. Why would he need to do that, except to quash resistance to his tyranny? Look at Hitler, Stalin and Castro for examples. The United States isn't the only country with widespread gun ownership. The Swiss and Israelis have an even higher per capita gun ownership than we do.
User Detail :
Name : Michael, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Baptist, Age : 34, City : Stone Mountain, State : GA Country : United States, Occupation : video editor, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class, Why are guys so shocked when they are overpowered by a girl? When I was 11, I began to pick on a 30-year-old male friend of my cousin. He was a very nice white guy, but when I put him into a headlock, his face turned red because he was unable to get out of it. I then continued to wrestle him to the ground. I literally overpowered him and kicked his ass. He was so shocked and humiliated that he started to pretend that he allowed me to do it, but when I grabbed his underwear and pulled them all the way up his butt, and then literally torn them off him, he finally admitted that I had completely embarrassed him. But why was he so humiliated? Because he was overpowered by a girl? What was the big deal? Why is it so important for men to feel as if they are physically superior to females, even when they are not?
User Detail :
Name : Jessica30842, Gender : F, City : New York, State : NY Country : United States, Most Americans who feel the need to bear arms are expressing a fantasy based on a tenuous interpretation of the Constitution that would allow them to have and use weapons of any type to enforce their notions of civil correctness. There is an anti-intellectual element throughout the fabric of this country's history that seems to ignore legal or governmental processes. The need for personal protection has blinded some individuals from public safety. It doesn't make sense to have personal stockpiles of weapons just in case a few decide to have an insurrection.
User Detail :
Name : Bob, Gender : M, City : Laurel, State : MD Country : United States, That's true, but it doesn't give anybody the right to have an arsenal of weapons at their house.
User Detail :
Name : Clyde-S, Gender : M, City : Bellwood, State : NE Country : United States, So if a guy got you in a headlock, threw you to the ground, 'kicked your ass' and then ripped your panties off, you would not feel humiliated? Of course, anyone would. The fact that you're female adds to the humiliation because our culture expects men to always be stronger than women.
User Detail :
Name : Rick29872, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, City : Springfield, State : OH Country : United States, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, why did you feel the need to use violence? I agree that men aren't necessarily the stronger sex, but acts of unreasonable violence won't get us respect from men.
User Detail :
Name : Anon23919, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Agnostic, Age : 15, City : Somewhere, State : NA Country : world, Education level : Less than High School Diploma, Social class : Lower middle class, Gads, as a women I'd feel humiliated and weak if an 11-year-old put me in a headlock! Maybe the 30-year-old man didn't want to hurt you. Of course you embarrassed him. Had he taken defensive action, he would have been more than likely accused of child abuse. Just in general - and there's no reason for women to be ashamed of this - men have more muscle mass than women (usually). So they are physically stronger.
User Detail :
Name : Carrie32374, Gender : F, City : Scottsdale, State : AZ Country : United States, Frankly, I think you made this up. Unless the man was a midget or had a physical disability, there is no 11 year old on the planet, male or female, that could do what you claim to have done. Face it, if it did happen, he was allowing it to happen.
User Detail :
Name : Steve27692, Gender : M, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 45, City : Houston, State : TX Country : United States, Occupation : Corporate Cubicle Kind of Guy, Education level : Over 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper class, 
Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences .
