Hank...
Usually I'd be offended when someone rushes to judgment about an American and guns. The whole "we are superior to you because we don't like guns" things in foreing countries pissed me off.
But actually, Hank, I wan't to thank you for bringing it up and thus giving me a chance to speak my piece on the matter.
First of all, I'm not fascinated with death. And who doesn't like a bit of stress relieving destruction from time to time?
I think it is important, Hank, not to lump all Americans with guns into one category. The truth is, we have two distinct gun cultures in the United States. The one you referred to with stereotypes does indeed exist. It is the one responsible for school massacres and other crimes. There is a segment of Americans who indeed glorify the gun and treat it like some kind of status symbol. You see this most evident in the gangster rap culture. And quite obviously kids are influenced by this. However, I must point out that guns do not commit crimes. People do. If we banned guns in America crime rates would not drop significantly. People would just use other weapons to use in the commission of a crime. It is debatable if the right to bear arms helps protect citizins or not, or if it increases crimes. I'm not interested in debating that.
Now, the other gun culture is the one I belong to. You see, I am an Appalachian. Raised in the mountains. Guns have always been around in my life. The good gun culture is one in which owners do not glorify their guns. To them a gun is a tool. The majority of this culture are hunters. Some are just sport shooters like myself. See Hank, I'm an animal lover. I've never hunted and never will. I can say with pride that my guns will never take a life. However, if in a life or death situation in which someone is trying to kill me I take comfort in knowing I have the protection of my firearms should it come to the worst. I pray it does not. The gun culture I belong to is not at all like the gun swinging bullies in American films or rap videos. We respect the gun and its lethality. We do not abuse it.
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