I have just realized that guns are prohibited in many countries in the world. I understand not ALL Americans believe they should be able to own guns, but why do so many still believe they need them after seeing/hearing/reading about all these problems they cause? Is the 2nd amendment so vital for our society? I am ready for any answers.
Well to understand that, you have to understand American history. We value freedom and liberty here, and you can not ahve that if you don't have a means to protect yourself. The only reason to take away firearms is to live in a tyrannical government. And most countries and people around the world do not understand the concept of inalienable rights.
I am not American nor am I living in the US but I do acknowledge the importance of guns and having a means of protection for oneself. I think it's just a matter of being a responsible gun owner and having a stricter law when it comes to gun ownership and the management of illegal gun dealerships. My dad also owns a gun but thankfully never had to use it at all. It's just there as a means of assurance that there is a sort of protection for the family just in case it would ever be needed. I am upset though with all the stories and news I hear nowadays about rampages and shooting of innocent lives by people who never deserved to hold any gun at all.
As an immigrant to the US I understood it better after looking at the history not only of the civil war but how the government treated people after the war. For a long time the people needed to be able to form militias to defend their rights and that is ingrained in the national character. That said, militia action would now be considered illegal, and the percentage of Americans that own guns is currently at an all time low.
Americans have a history of fighting for freedom - which is how they became a country. It is only proper to be able to own a gun, as Americans still hold that pride that earned them America.
It's my right, and it's for self-defense. If you don't like guns and don't want to own one, that is your right as well. We have a culture here in the US where many people will always obtain guns illegally from one place or another, one way or another, no matter what. Many of those people also commit crimes against law-abiding citizens with those guns. Those of us who are not criminals often feel the need to have our own firearms for these very reasons. Many, if not most of the gun murders committed in the US are gang-related. As calloused as it sounds, I don't really care if they kill each other off. The problem is that they sometimes commit crimes against innocent people as well. And also that they will always illegally obtain guns.
I don't live in the U.S. But I think It depends on the person, for many of them a gun can give them a feeling of being secure or safe, because they can defend from other people that can harm them. And for other ones it could be a feeling of power over other people, because most of the people are afraid to guns, we associate them with danger and obviously death, so this people take advantage of it and can own a gun just to feel the pleasure of the power.
There is a lot of good information here, but I want to add my two cents. I have the advantage of being able to view this phenomenon without personal bias. I have a lot of American friends, every one of them who owns guns boils down to 2 reasons. 1) They don't trust their government. Guns are a defense mechanism against an oppressive state. This is directly tied to how American's fought for their independence from Britain. This is also why many don't even like firearms regulations, they see it as the start of a process which will end with the government taking away all arms from citizens. 2) They see them as the most effective method of self-defense against others. As much as American's don't trust their government they often have little faith in law enforcement. They see guns as a means to defend and protect themselves and their families. A means in which they need no permission to do. When you boil it down, US gun culture has reasonable and even noble ideals. I know some gun enthusiasts who have taken the time to explain things to me and show me their firearms and let me use them. Yes firearms are weapons whose primary purpose is to end lives, but they are also tools and hobbies. A lot of gun crime in the USA is from illegally sourced weapons (except mass shootings, which are 90% from legally purchased weapons.) Gun violence in USA is much more a function of socio-economic factors then it is about gun culture. As always it's just easier to say "oh you yanks like shooting each other ya'll are crazy" then to look deeper at the root causes of events.
The right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental right in these United States. Why do we like them? Self-defense. The right to defend yourself, your family, and your property is fundamental. Some folks hunt. Some target shoot. Some break clay pigeons. Some like to collect them out of interest, historical significance, monetary value, sentimental reasons, or some combination of those. Some don't like guns at all and don't exercise their 2A right. There is nothing wrong with that provided, of course, that belief isn't foisted upon those of us who do want to exercise said right. Cheers.
These mass shootings are almost always in "gun free zones" - theaters, malls, churches, military installations / areas where most or all people on them can't carry, etc.
