jas0n@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Total speculation from my own experience… so maybe just me.
It seems like there is just a completely different culture surrounding guns that didn’t exist before (or just want so damn loud). I’m talking about the whole I need guns for “protection” because crime is out of control, the 2nd amendment SHALL NOT be infringed, “don’t tread on me,” I have guns and I’d like to see the government “try” and take them, etc. It’s like this delusional, childish owning a gun so you can tell people you own a gun… thing? Anyone else notice you can always tell who owns a gun by how dumb their bumper stickers are?
I talked to an older dude who went to my high school 20 years before me and he told me how him and a buddy always brought their rifles to school. It was never a “thing.” They might have gone hunting before school or something. But the whole attitude he had about it was the polar opposite of what it has become.
No one is coming for your guns guys. On that note, no one fucking cares either.
Krono@lemmy.today 11 months ago
Everything you mentioned is an NRA talking point.
The NRA started out as a well respected advocacy group for hunters rights and environmental protection. Then they were captured by the arms manufacturing industry, so now their only goal is to sell more guns.
And after every major mass shooting there is a significant uptick in sales of guns and ammo, so the arms industry is financially motivated to contribute to the culture of gun rampage.
EchoCranium@lemmy.zip 11 months ago
The NRA has a bloody hand in promoting this culture. Decades of escalating fearmongering brought them members, money, and political influence. It also took them far off course from their original goals promoting safety and responsibility. They now exist solely to promote more firearms sales at any cost, and actively push legislation against any attempts to regulate ownership. I enjoy going to the range once in a while to do some target shooting, and used to hunt years ago, but will never be a NRA member. I have no respect for this organization and what they’ve become.
jas0n@lemmy.world 11 months ago
Yeah, that makes sense. It used to not be a partisan thing to be an NRA member either. But I suppose I can say that about any bullshit culture war issue nowadays. This whole politics as a team sport thing is cancer.
Owning a gun just seems like another way to show support for your team. I’ve just got a sneaking suspicion that if it were somehow illegal to tell people that you own a gun, firearm sales would plummet. Otherwise, how would anyone know how cool they are?