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Why do Americans want to own guns?
I remain baffled by how it's legal to own a gun in the United States. I think even the option of having one is like saying it's OK to kill if you have a good reason. According to a recent piece in Newsweek there are 215 million guns in America -- i.e. more than half the households across the country own one.
This statistic triggered photographer and author of "Armed America" Kyle Cassidy to travel 15,000 miles across the country to ask people who own guns "why do own a gun?", and take portraits of them in their homes.
Some of the reasons were just beyond my comprehension:
- "My shotgun will take care of any intruder, and I know how to use it."
- "I own a shotgun for the same reason I own a fire extinguisher."
- "Gun ownership is a right and privilege, everyone should exercise it. I think everyone should have one, on the range, on the playing field, in the world."
- "It's not the guns that kill, it's the people."
- "I have nothing against guns, I think they are cool and I love that we have them in the house. My friends are very impressed by the collection we have."
- "It's up to us as citizens to protect ourselves, our family and property. Our constitution provides us with the right and method by which to achieve that objective, and I simply choose to exercise that right."
- "I think the ownership of arms is not only a right, but the duty of a free people to themselves and future generation."
[Full podcast here.]
Filed under: Podcasts, North America
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Sherm Feb 18th 2008 5:57PM
That kind of faulty logic and pseudo-intellectual presentation the author of this article uses irritates me to the nth degree. A person shouldn't be required to justify his right to self-protection, one of the most basic of human rights. That isn't given by a government and a government shouldn't be allowed to take it away. There's far too much idiotic legislation being fabricated by the government anyway without directly attacking the Bill of Rights.
will sterling Jun 22nd 2008 9:28PM
A gun can be used for sport (target shooting, trap, skeet). A gun can be used to hunt and feed one's family. A gun can be used to defend oneself and one's family. None of these acts should be illegal.
Nearly every male Swiss citizen owns a fully automatic assault rifle. If guns are so bad, you'd think Switzerland would be a very violent place full of murderers. Nigeria has one of the lowest rates of gun ownership in the world. Which country would you rather visit? Where would you feel safer?
People who don't like guns tend to have two flaws: First, they're wusses who are scared of dangerous things that go boom. Grow a pair. Any adult male that doesn't find some modest pleasure in shooting, should spend their day making tea parties for their dollies, and stop annoying the rest of us.
Secondly, they have an enormous confidence in the government to protect them, always be there, always do the right thing, and never overstep their authority. These people are happy to be wards of the nanny state that dictates what everybody can and cannot do. That is their perogative, but I do not share their blind faith.
sean Aug 12th 2008 11:39AM
Why not ban horses then? After all, people are injured and even killed while riding horses. They are not useful for anything in this modern age, so lets get rid of all of them. You enjoy them you say?? well, i feel the same way about my guns. I have owned guns since i was 12, and have never killed a person with one of them, outside of military service. I dont fear anyone breaking in, nor do i feel i need to carry it everywhere i go, however, it is my right to do so. A man who cannot protect himself, is a target, and a slave. When you i say i need no protection for evil, i say, you have no reason to fear my gun.
Randall Dec 19th 2008 12:14PM
This is going to sound odd but the problem in the US is that every single person does not own a gun. LoL thats right. I grew up in a town in Texas. I distinctly remember the first time I met a person that did not own a gun. I was 15. Gasp! Strangely enough there was not one armed robbery or murder the entire time that I lived there and I have not heard of one since I have left. Everyone is polite to each other. Neighbors help each other and things are quite. There was theft but theft is the second oldest profession. I moved to New Mexico and even I was shocked. People not only owned guns but where I was they still wear them on their hip. Criminal activity was absolutely 0%. They had one punishment since there was no law enforcement any closer than an hour away. They were the best people I have ever met in my life, happy and hard working. This is not complete by any means but in short yes violent crime is high here because the assailants know they have a good chance in getting away with the crime. So fellow Americans, don't get a sissy concealed permit. Strap a .45 to your hip for all to see for the sake of peace.
That should get things stirred up.
Jerry Oct 28th 2009 10:38PM
I agree! A gun is a means of protection and a symbol of power that gave us our country in the first place. What ever happened to the American spirit? This country is full of a bunch of mindless cowards that are too comfortable in their pointless lives to stand, or to even die for anything. The people have lost ownership slowly over time, right under our nose. History has proven that times change and the unpredicted always occurs. Times always change and so do laws. To say that it should be illegal to own guns is an naive way of saying that we will always be safe, protected, and that our current situation will never change. If the argument is that guns are fatal, then what about knives, bows, tire irons, baseball bats, hamers, or even our bare hands. The fact is that the weapon doesn't chose to kill. Besides, I've never seen a gun sentenced to prison for murder.
Kaiser Jan 4th 2009 2:38AM
Imposing limitations on inanimate objects is control freak thinking.Automobiles kill many times more humans in Europe and North America and are no more necessary than gun but it is the fear of intent that makes the lesser threat more present in the minds of homophobes.
You don't need a gun,that's what policement are for!
You don't need a car,that's what trains and buses are for.
Seriously in the great scheme of things I as a modern tool using biped think that I can do a better and more importantly more timely job of protecting myself or conveying myself than a Policeman or Bus Driver and I choose to do so.
If you do choose to be not be responsible for your own safety then good luck to you,if you have your skull caved in by a band of hooligans or miss life changing opportunities waiting for the bus it's probably natural selection at work anyway,LOL
Kaiser Jan 4th 2009 3:32AM
Gee the spell checker must be broken,LOL
"Homophobes" is supposed to read Hoplophobes
"Policement" is supposed to read Policemen
"If you do choose to be not be responsible" is supposed to read If you choose to not be responsible"
joe wilson Dec 26th 2009 8:41AM
It is not legal to shoot heroin in america, but it's here. If guns are outlawed in the U.S., they will be here too, brought here by way of the black market and used by the same people we protect our families and property from.
Andrew Feb 13th 2010 6:14PM
The 'cars kill people too', 'we should exercise our rights', and 'everyone should have a gun' being used by pro-gun advocates on this page are absolutely ridiculous.
Gun Deaths - International Comparisons
Gun deaths per 100,000 population (for the year indicated):
Homicide Suicide Other (inc Accident)
USA (2001) 3.98 5.92 0.36
Italy (1997) 0.81 1.1 0.07
Switzerland (1998) 0.50 5.8 0.10
Canada (2002) 0.4 2.0 0.04
Finland (2003) 0.35 4.45 0.10
Australia (2001) 0.24 1.34 0.10
France (2001) 0.21 3.4 0.49
England/Wales (2002) 0.15 0.2 0.03
Scotland (2002) 0.06 0.2 0.02
Japan (2002) 0.02 0.04 0
Data taken from Cukier and Sidel (2006) The Global Gun Epidemic. Praeger Security International. Westport.
michael Sep 9th 2010 2:10AM
In regards to the argument `Cars kill people too.. so if you want to make guns illegal, you should make cars illegal`
-- YES. You are right. Cars kill people. The purpose of a car is transportation. Because of the way we have spent money on infrastructure and transportation systems, and because people are stupid enough to speed over the suggested limit, accidents do happen. And then people die.
Guns... well, guns are MADE TO KILL. Do you understand the difference? Yes, one can use a car, or a nail clipper for that matter, as a means to kill another human. One can use anything to kill! The point here is that we DO NOT NEED something which sole purpose is to kill. THAT is the problem with guns, and that is why GUNS should be made illegal, and not cars, though both can kill people.
- In regards to the ammendment and constitution. I understand you, believe me. Had you lived in the US during a time of civil war, I would have agreed with you. But we haven`t seen a war within our borders for a long time. And we likely won`t see one again. Either way, by that time, the gun you have now will be so old, it won`t be working any more. The right to bear arms to protect yourself and your family was during a time of civil unrest, a time when police wasn`t a phonecall away.
I do agree that you want to protect your family, heck, I want to protect mine too. But I WILL not own a gun. Because in the heat of the moment, when I find out my wife`s cheated on me; or when my son has a fight with his brother and `wants to kill him`... the gun will be pulled, and someone will get shot.
Who are you kidding.. how many times have you been robbed. Or someone you know? Does ANYONE actually know someone who has been robbed and resorted to using a gun in self-defence?? I really doubt it.
This gun shit is so stupid. A machine to kill people. That is nonsense. Kids kill their teachers. Workers kill their bosses. Crazy people kill other crazy people. How many times do people actually need to pull a gun in self-defence.. that number does exist but is so small it almost doesn`t make it into the statistics.
This makes me sick.
MdmurrayGlasgie Nov 4th 2012 7:57AM
Thankfully someone with an once big rationality. This fantasy civil war when we choose/ protect your family/ kill thd rapist when in actual fact is a combination of arrogance and gun fetish The fact that it causes over a million casualties a decade and a third of a million deaths seems to be at odds with protecting the American way of life.
Thomas Apr 7th 2013 12:39PM
Not a war?! Are you kidding?! This whole gun thing is a war. You must be so blind to not realise this! And yes, we all understand that guns were made to kill, but what about knives for that matter. Knives were invented to kill as well. But we need knives you say? They have other uses you say? Shooting is a sport. Thousands of people make money off of shooting, running a gun dealership, or making the guns themselves. If banning guns is your answer, what about the economy. That would only make unemployment higher. Stop trying to keep people from doing what they love if you haven't tried it yourself.
IamImME Mar 12th 2011 7:07PM
"I remain baffled by how it's legal to own a gun in the United States."
Let me explain it to you, Apu.
OUR country is a Constitutional Republic.
In OUR Constitution the right to bear arms is stated VERY clearly.
We can exercise that right and we aren't required to explain it to you or anyone else on this planet.
Now I realize if your from a country that doesnt allow its surfs to own guns why this may all be alien to you, but until you've lived free you really arent in a position to understand OR judge gun owners.
And frankly, dear friend, we really dont give a rats rear if you are offended, disgusted or even outraged.
This is OUR country and we will do things as our forefathers intended.
Capiche?
that guy Nov 2nd 2012 9:58PM
I especially like the part where the forefathers told us to be racist, and I see you do to.
Mike Dec 13th 2011 10:21AM
I understand wanting a gun for hunting, but the whole self-defense bussiness is pure BS. This is not fucking Hollywood. I have never heard of ONE gun owner who successfully protected himself from an intruder, but I have read studies about people who accidentally shot their own relatives.
Bryan Jan 4th 2012 9:39PM
You obviously have more research to do.......much more.
rastep Apr 24th 2012 2:20PM
You don't hear about gun owners who successfully protect themselves or their loved ones because the media doesn't want to promote that information. http://www.keepandbeararms.com/information/XcInfoBase.asp?CatID=43
http://www.nrapublications.org/index.php/armed-citizen/
It constantly amazes me how people can criticize things in which they have never been educated. If you've ever been trained on firearm safety or taken a concealed handgun class, you would see that safety is the priority. Learning how to handle a firearm and keep one in your house or on your person is drilled over and over into your head. Education is the key to preventing accidental shootings. Banning firearms and pretending they no longer exist will be our downfall. When guns are outlawed, only the outlaws will own them.
How many licensed gun owners are responsible for the murders some of you are citing? I notice you also didn't list how many knives and cars have killed people. My husband is a vehicular homicide detective who has an average of 70 vehicular fatalities a year compared to 10 homicides.
K. Anders Jun 18th 2012 8:32AM
As long as we (the people of the United States) own firearms, we are safe.
The government cannot take complete control of the people if we can defend ourselves against it. Should our government seek to take away our rights, we can remind them who is supposed to be serving who.
A home invader is less likely to murder a family if doing so risks his own life. We have a right and a privilege to defend ourselves and our families from those who would steal our possessions and those who would kill us.
As long as we have guns, other countries will be discouraged from invading. Ever wonder why wars are not often fought on our soil? It is because we are armed and able to defend ourselves.
If firearms were to be illegalized in the United States, only law-abiding citizens would give them up. Such a law would disarm and leave defenseless many people, and still more would become lawbreakers because of their refusal to give up their protection. If you think that a murderer or a robber is going to give up his gun because of a law that says firearms are illegal, think again. He's already breaking one law, why not break two?
Do you truly want to leave your people without protection? Do you honestly think that removing guns from the American people is good for them? Do you think that the "bad guys" will give up their guns?
If you remove guns from the people, America will be a more dangerous place to live. The government would be free to take control in any form of communist/socialist/dictatorship it likes. "Bad guys" will be braver in attacking homes because they know there is little threat of personal harm. And for those of you who believe that wars will not be fought on our soil again, they will. Enemy countries will see that the people are defenseless and swoop in. Do you want that to happen?
TEE Dec 3rd 2012 12:49AM
FIRST OF ALL TAKING GUNS AWAY WILL NOT PREVENT MURDER OR MURDER SUICIDE, IF A PERSON IS GOING TO ROB YOU A KNIFE OR OBJECT CAN DO THE CRIME. IF THE GOVERNMENT TAKES ALL THE GUNS AWAY FROM CITIZENS THUGS/CRIMINALS WILL ALWAYS HAVE GUNS. IF A PERSON BREAKS INTO YOUR HOME (WHICH BREAK-INS ARE IN RECORD BREAKING NUMBERS) A PERSON SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEFEND THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY. IN 1979 A GIRL GOING TO THE SAME COMMUNITY COLLEGE AS I TURNED INTO THE PARKING LOT ONE MORNING WHEN A HUGE MAN JUMPED INTO THE BACK SEAT OF HER CAR STUCK A GUN TO HER HEAD MADE HER DRIVE TO A WOODED AREA ACROSS TOWN WHERE HE GOUGED HER EYE'S OUT, CUT HER TONGUE AND NIPPLES OFF, THEN HE GOUGED HER UTERUS AND MUTILATED HER WITH A TIRE TOOL THEN FLIPPED HER OVER AND SHOT HER IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD 3 TIMES.... SHE DID NOT HAVE A GUN.I HAD A FRIEND IN THE MID 70'S WAS AGE 19 IN TOWN FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK FROM COLLEGE TRYING TO WORK AND MAKE A LITTLE SPENDING MONIES FOR SCHOOL. HE GOT A JOB A CONVENIENCE STORE, THREE MEN CAME IN THE STORE AND ROBBED HIM THEN PROCEEDED TO TAKE HIM IN THE WALK IN COOLER WHERE THEY HOG TIED HIM AND SHOT HIM EXECUTION STYLE IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD... MY FRIEND DID NOT HAVE A GUN! DO NOT PREACH TO ME ABOUT CITIZENS HAVING GUNS! THESE INNOCENT VICTIMS DID NOT HAVE A GUN BUT THE CRIMINALS DID! MY FRIENDS GOT THE DEATH SENTENCE WITHOUT A TRIAL! NONE OF THESE CRIMINALS GOT THE DEATH PENALTY! THE TRIGGER MAN IN THE CONVENIENCE STORE MURDER GOT 30 YRS TO LIFE, I HEARD HE IS OUT OF PRISON! NOW ANOTHER PERSON IS MOST LIKELY GOING TO DIE AT THE HANDS OF ONE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENTENCED TO DEATH SO HE COULD NOT TAKE ANOTHER LIFE OR LIVES, CRIMINALS GET MORE RIGHTS THAN THE VICTIMS FAMILIES... DEATH SHOULD MEAN DEATH... ONCE IT HAS BEEN PROVEN THE CRIMINAL MURDERED SOMEONE EVEN CONFESSES THEY SHOULD GO STRAIGHT TO THE ELECTRIC CHAIR/LETHAL INJECTION AFTER THE VERY MOMENT THE TRIAL IS OVER. THE POINT HERE.... THE CRIMINALS GET TREATED FARE AND JUST AND THE INNOCENT MURDER VICTIM WENT THROUGH HORROR,AND TORMENT AND GOT THE DEATH PENALTY? WE HAVE A CROOKED JUSTICE SYSTEM. THOSE OF YOU THAT DO NOT BELIEVE IN THE DEATH PENALTY WHEN THE NEXT INNOCENT PERSON IS MURDERED, AND THERE IS GOING TO BE A MURDER ACCORDING TO STATISTICS EVERY 3 MINUTES IT MAY BE ONE OF YOUR LOVED ONES, LIKE A DAUGHTER RAPED AND TORMENTED AND KILLED, YOUR SON ROBBED AND MURDERED... SEE IF YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THE DEATH PENALTY WHEN IT HIT'S HOME? NOT BEING FOR THE DEATH PENALTY IS LIKE WISHING FOR ANOTHER INNOCENT VICTIM TO GO THROUGH WHAT YOUR LOVED ONE DID IF THAT PERSON GET'S OUT!
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Nick Dec 17th 2012 5:20PM
Here is a good example of what happens in a society, 1st without guns, and secondly with guns. Imagine you are in a room with 8 other people. A person walks in and starts shooting their gun. They kill everyone before turning the gun on themselves. 10 people die. Senerio two. Imagine you are in a room with 8 other people. You are permitted to have a gun on you. A person walks in and starts shooting their gun. They kill 1 person, then 7 people pull out their gun and shoot the person who walks in. 2 people die. 10 times less people die. In this case the person has a gun legally or illegally, they still had one and the intentions of killing people, and knew that they were going to die in both examples. So just because guns are legal means their's going to be more deaths because their are more guns, makes no sense. They probably wouldn't have even attempted to commit such acts. In short it's not the gun, it's the ignorance of life.