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I'm the first to admit that 99% of gun owners (I obviously made that number up) are law-abiding citizens and that people who have concealed weapons permits don't typically cause problems (I am not aware of any cases). I think that much if not most of the gun control debate is based on people's emotional response to guns. It's based more on the disgust reflex than anything logical.
Gun-control activists find the presence of guns distasteful and bad for the kind of cultural environment they want to foster. The fact that they hold on to support for gun control laws even though they don't affect crime rates doesn't mean they are stupid. It's the disgust reflex. They just don't like the thought of everyone packing heat when they go to the grocery store.
Gun enthusiasts see "keeping and bearing arms" as an important part of their cultural identity, and are driven mad by the idea of latte-sipping yuppies looking judgmentally at their lifestyle. Even the LDS church's gun-control policies/positions occasionally provoke the ire of the NRA crowd (No guns in chapels, Temple Square, BYU campus, etc.).
Bringing a gun to a public rally or, to an extent, getting a concealed carry permit are ways of making a statement against our modern sanitized, suburban sensibilities. I think it's analogous to homosexuals parading around in thongs or engaging in obnoxious public displays of affection. Both are frustrated that much of society looks at their way of life with suspicion (at best), and they want to make a public statement that tests the limits of constitutional and statutory tolerance for their lifestyle.
The key quotes from the video, in my view, are "Our forefathers fought for the right to keep and bear arms and that everybody should be armed." and "The question is, why don't people bear arms these days." (both around 2:30).
I don't really know where I stand on the gun issues, but it is really interesting to watch.
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3 comments:
When I saw this man's sign on the news I definitely found it shocking. I don't know how violent he is, but perhaps those who would be influenced by him could be dangerous. I DO think that Chris Matthews got a little out of control in this interview and he let himself get too heated. I understand why he was upset, but still....
i was also a little surprised at chris's hard-ball questions...perhaps i haven't watched the show often enough!
as far as the issue goes, i agree with you that to a certain extent, it is a disgust reflex. most definitely. i am disgusted to think that the person on the bus next to me thinks that carrying a gun makes him safer. i don't argue over whether or not he is allowed to have one or not, although the argument is easily made (in my opinion, of course) with the language of the second amendment.
regardless, if you're going to make a scene protesting something like that, you had better be able to articulate your exact purpose and reasoning, which, mr. kostric, did not.
Soelberg, I agree that the guy was out of line bringing a gun to the rally, especially given the sign he was carrying and the company he was with. Really, nothing about the situation should have said, "You ought to bring a gun today." To be honest, even concealed carry people kinda rub me wrong (though, not so much that I can't be their roommate or anything ... obviously).
But I really can't think of anything beyond my emotional response that makes me feel that way (I know that was a circular, redundant sentence, but you know what I mean).
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