Why do Americans love guns so much?

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All the time I hear Americans say they need guns for "protection", presumably from other people with guns, muggers, etc.

What I don't understand is, if an armed robber has his gun pointed at the civ, how does the civ expect to draw his gun from his holster and fire it in less time then it takes for the robber to pull the trigger?

Another one I've heard is that they expect to use their guns against assailants armed only with knives. It would be very convenient for the gun owner if criminals were armed only with knives but that's not realistic.

Another one I've heard a few times from gun loving Americans is that they need a gun to overthrow their corrupt government. This one baffles me since said government possesses tanks and other armored vehicles. I don't believe small arms fire could penetrate tank.

I'm a Yank.....and I've never owned a gun in my life.

I think the gun thing is about protection....but also about the concept of the rights of the individual and of freedom from government interference in their lives.

The Second Amendment, which speaks about "the right to bear arms," is a symbol of this concept.

I never understood it either. I always thought it was an ego power trip thing.

A lot of it is propaganda to provide jobs for gun makers and the people who work for the National Rifle Association. The gun makers actually did quite well during the Obama years. The election of Trump was actually a disaster for the industry. They were expecting lots of gun sales if Clinton got elected.

I'm definitely not into the "gun thing."

I'm not really against a person owning guns, especially if they are responsible with them.

I'd rather that "hunting merely for the sport of it" didn't exist.

It might work, it might not. I would rather not take the risk myself.

America is not the Wild West. The Internet might give that impression.....such is the Internet.

A disabled friend of mine in Florida once had to protect herself with a gun from a guy outside the door who was about to break into her house. Good for her.

I agree with the right to protect your property from burglars.

I do hope the threat of being shot and killed deters some of them.

Foreigners really are clueless about guns, I am convinced they get all their information from movies. The 2nd Amendment is about protection, be against an intruder in our home or a tyrannical government. An armed society is a polite one, it's not about beating a mugger in a gunfight because that mugger probably would never have attempted it if they thought they might get shot in the face because of it. People protect themselves with guns every day in this country, they might not do emotionally manipulative stories on it every day like the anti-gun media but it happens so you can look that up if you want.

Also saying 'well you can overthrow a gun with small arms' is not really a well thought out position since there are revolutions that happen with far less and there are great many military and police that would side with the 2nd amendment rather than the tyranny of the other side. The threat of force again works as a deterrent here, you're not going to enslave people who can violently resist.

Just talk to Dox about this, he'll set you straight and then some on the topic.

I certainly hope not.

I've been talking to a few gun lovers on the internet. Some of them seem to expect that all of their assailants will be armed only with knives even though guns are readily available and some of them seem to expect their assailants will politely stand still without firing their guns while the gun lover shoots them one at a time.

It's almost as though they think guns can block bullets from other guns. A gun is an effective offensive weapon but a very poor defensive weapon.

I can say with certainty that most people don't take shooting somebody lightly.

But if somebody threatens to shoot you or your family with a gun, or take your car or something, it's natural to want to defend yourself.