Gun cultures: Difference between revisions

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	===United States===		===United States===
	{{See also\|Gun culture in the United States}}		{{See also\|Gun culture in the United States}}
			According to political scientist Robert Spitzer, the American gun culture as it exists today is founded on three factors: the proliferation of firearms since the earliest days of the nation, the connection between personal ownership of weapons and the country's revolutionary and frontier history, and the cultural mythology regarding the gun in the frontier and in modern life.<ref name = "SpitzerCh1"/> Spitzer writes that:
	Gun culture in the United States is rooted all the way back to the very first colonists who arrived on the Mayflower. Since then guns have spread into every aspect of American life, ranging from paintball, to videogames, to ]. There are even competative sniper rifle shooting competitions. Shooting clubs can be found nearly everywhere, as are war re-inactor groups, and there are themeparks where audiences may watch staged gunfights as entertainment. Guns in the United states are a common gift, and they are produced in all manner of sizes shapes and colors; there are even guns designed for children. Guns are often considered by style rather than function, and all manner of other items can be easily found in gun form including jewelry, toys, tools, cigarrette lighters, clocks, etc. Americans are, in many respects, "the" gun culture, far dwarfing any others elsewhere, and guns pervade nearly every color of the American experience. <ref>http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1886076_1857761,00.html</ref>

			*Two elements of the modern American gun culture have survived since the earliest days of the country; the hunting/sporting ethos and the militia/frontier ethos.<ref name = "SpitzerCh1"/>

			*The Hunting/Sporting ethos emerged when America was an ] nation in which hunting was a valuable source of supplying food for settlers, guns were a means of protection from animal predators, and the market for furs could provide a source of income. Acquiring shooting skills was connected with survival, and acquiring these skills was a "]" for boys entering manhood. The role of guns as marks of maturity persists to this day. Today, hunting survives as a central component of the gun culture.

			*The Militia/Frontier ethos emerged from early Americans' dependence on their wits and skill to protect themselves from hostile Native Americans and foreign armies. Survival depended upon everyone carrying a weapon (excluding blacks, and in a large part, women). In the late Eighteenth Century, there was neither the money nor manpower to maintain a full-time army; therefore the armed citizen soldier carried the responsibility of protecting his country. Service in militia, including providing your own ammunition and weapons, was mandatory for all adult males.

			*Closely related to the militia tradition was the frontier tradition, with the westward movement closely associated with weaponry. In the Nineteenth Century, firearms were closely associated with the westward expansion. Outlaws and Indians necessitated an armed citizenry ready to defend themselves.

			*Today, this veneration of firearms has left a deeply felt belief that guns are both an integral part of, and a force responsible for, America as it exists.<ref name = "SpitzerCh1">{{cite book \| last = Spitzer \| first = Robert J. \| title = The Politics of Gun Control \| publisher = Paradigm Publishers \| edition = 5 \| year = 2012 \| page = 8 \| isbn = 9781594519871 }}</ref>

	===United Kingdom===		===United Kingdom===

Revision as of 05:07, 31 July 2014

Gun cultures are found around the world, and evidence various attitudes towards guns in such places as the United States, UK, Japan, and Pakistan. Among the most studied and discussed global gun cultures is that of the gun culture in the United States.

United States

According to political scientist Robert Spitzer, the American gun culture as it exists today is founded on three factors: the proliferation of firearms since the earliest days of the nation, the connection between personal ownership of weapons and the country's revolutionary and frontier history, and the cultural mythology regarding the gun in the frontier and in modern life. Spitzer writes that:

Two elements of the modern American gun culture have survived since the earliest days of the country; the hunting/sporting ethos and the militia/frontier ethos.

The Hunting/Sporting ethos emerged when America was an agrarian nation in which hunting was a valuable source of supplying food for settlers, guns were a means of protection from animal predators, and the market for furs could provide a source of income. Acquiring shooting skills was connected with survival, and acquiring these skills was a "rite of passage" for boys entering manhood. The role of guns as marks of maturity persists to this day. Today, hunting survives as a central component of the gun culture.

The Militia/Frontier ethos emerged from early Americans' dependence on their wits and skill to protect themselves from hostile Native Americans and foreign armies. Survival depended upon everyone carrying a weapon (excluding blacks, and in a large part, women). In the late Eighteenth Century, there was neither the money nor manpower to maintain a full-time army; therefore the armed citizen soldier carried the responsibility of protecting his country. Service in militia, including providing your own ammunition and weapons, was mandatory for all adult males.

Closely related to the militia tradition was the frontier tradition, with the westward movement closely associated with weaponry. In the Nineteenth Century, firearms were closely associated with the westward expansion. Outlaws and Indians necessitated an armed citizenry ready to defend themselves.

Today, this veneration of firearms has left a deeply felt belief that guns are both an integral part of, and a force responsible for, America as it exists.

United Kingdom

The U.K. gun culture is represented by shooting sports.

Japan

Pakistan

Gun ownership, especially in the mountainous northwest, is part of traditional Pakistani culture. Rifles are handed down from generation to generation for hunting and for celebratory fire. In the 21st century, increases in terrorist threats, and particularly in urban kidnappings, extortions, and robberies, has led to an increase in civilian demand for guns for self-protection.

In no particular order, Pakistanis view the right to arms and/or the right to bear arms and/or state militias as important for one or more of these purposes:

Repelling an invasion;
suppressing insurrection;
Facilitating a natural right of self-defence;
Participating in law enforcement;
Enabling the people to organise a militia system.

References

Fisher, Max (December 15, 2012). "What makes America's gun culture totally unique in the world, in four charts". Washington Post. Washington D.C. Retrieved January 25, 2014.
^ Spitzer, Robert J. (2012). The Politics of Gun Control (5 ed.). Paradigm Publishers. p. 8. ISBN 9781594519871.
"The British Association for Shooting & Conservation". BASC. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
Wonacott, Peter (January 6, 2009). "For Middle-Class Pakistanis, a Gun Is a Must-Have Accessory: With Kidnappings and Violence on the Rise, Demand for Weapons Permits Grows". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 26, 2014.
http://www.cidcm.umd.edu/mar/chronology.asp?groupId=77103
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123120431026355961.html
http://dawn.com/2012/04/30/trading-bullets-in-a-gun-friendly-nation/
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/pakistan/120303/pakistan-volunteer-militias-taliban-afghanistan

External links

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