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[guillaumeb]

1. why guns matter

Wages and living conditions have been stagnant for the bottom 90% since the Carter years. Causes, in my view, range from the dwindling unionized work force in this country, free trade agreements that eliminated the manufacturing base, politicians from both parties who are owned by the 1%, general lack of knowledge by the adult population, taxes that are far too low on the 1%, the list could go on.

How does this relate? Because guns symbolize freedom for many people. One might be living in a shack, no assets to speak of, no hope for a real future, but a gun makes that person powerful.

Plus guns are a link to the mythical pioneer days, or the Wild West, or the always heroic American freedom fighter busy fighting Indians, black slaves, Indians again.

It does not matter that this movie mythstory masquerading as history has no relation to reality. Most Americans have no grasp of their own history, much less world history.

Throw in the fact that this country has always been at war, and guns are an essential tool of war.

I feel that if gun control advocates do not address the psychological aspects of gun ownership the fight can never be won. Simply trying to control or regulate gun ownership would be seen as a taking away of what many see as a symbol of their American freedom.