Gun Control and Culture

I live in a culture in which the question of gun control has little or no meaning because societal norms, not to say enacted legislation, dictate that individuals shouldn't normally have access to firearms. It is difficult therefore for me to understand those in the US who advocate little change in gun control laws in the wake of the recent shootings of children in Newtown, Connecticut.

At the same time, however, there are commentators whose views I respect, who do try to explain the issues from an american perspective in which the right to carry firearms is a part of the sociopolitical culture. One of these is Darwin Catholic who does this in a series of articles on assault weapons here, here and here.

I can't say that I understand all of this - the desire to own a gun as an aesthetic item, for example - but I do recognise the that translated to swords. I think swords are very interesting and the best of them have an aesthetic quality that I understand very well.