Taking A Look At The Firearm Culture
Posted on July 24, 2009 - Filed Under Relationships
In England, hunting was an aristocratic pursuit, carefully regulated by law. For instance, a firearm could not be used on one's own lawn to kill a pesky squirrel or rabbit. When the colonists came over to the new frontier, they aimed to be much different than their homeland.
Every colonist was required to carry new guns to defend themselves against invading Red Coats or to use in case of an emergency, when all able-bodied men were needed. The end result was our freedom from England, which prompted our founding forefathers to adopt the right to bear arms as one of our most essential creeds.
Just as our love for firearms dates back in history, so does it date back within our own personal history. Young children play with toy guns and are taught how to shoot at targets for sport.
After the laser tag years and the toy gun stage, some teenagers look to guns as a way of bonding with dad. They get to “play with the big boys” at the shooting range, learning to hone their marksmanship skills. They may shoot at paper targets, plastic animal targets, clay ducks or cans.
As they grow older, they'll get their hunting permits and take courses to learn how to shoot deer, turkey and other wild game. Spending time with dad up in a tree stand can be a wonderful bonding experience for a young boy who is still learning what it is to “be a man.” Our fascination with the firearm is a rite of passage in America.
Adults looking to exercise their Second Amendment right may be interested in handguns for self-defense or long guns for sport. According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, there are more than 100,000 defensive gun uses each year.
Every day citizens are able to protect themselves from robberies, home invasions and other crimes simply by possessing a firearm. To get their money's worth, shooting ranges abound, where citizens can go to hone their shooting skills with some friends.
Sporting rifles are involved in hunting hobbies for 12.5 million Americans. Hunting is a way of demonstrating skill, but also to provide for one's family, just like our ancestors used to do.
Today, the National Rifle Association has roughly 4 million members, which confirms the American fascination with the firearm. At the center of the gun control debate, there are people who feel it is their right, as a free citizen, to bear arms.
Yet there are others who fear becoming a victim of crime from citizens who aren't as upstanding. Over the years, gun regulations have come and gone, but the basic American tradition of gun ownership for most people has proliferated over various stages of life.
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