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American gun culture is based on frontier mythology – but ignores how common gun restrictions were in the Old West
By Pierre M. Atlas BLOOMINGTON, Ind©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
52 Comments
EvilBuddha
Of course there were gun restrictions in the Old West. Buster Scruggs had to leave his gun at the door of the saloon and did not mind as long as everyone else was similarly disadvantaged.
But these restrictions were often violated. That is why Joe was able to draw and point at Buster Scruggs to force him to play the dead mans hand.
This is an important point that this ‘opinion piece’ does not cover. That if one outlaw violates the gun restrictions every law abiding person is put at a disadvantage.
As they say - If guns are outlawed only outlaws will own guns.
1glenn
in the "Wild West," guns were common, but once cities came along, guns could not be carried within the city limits.
kwatt
America is a guns country. They never give up/change guns culture. Tragedies never end as long as guns are there.
1glenn
About 21,000 people were killed by guns in the USA in 2021, not counting suicides, about as many civilians as have been killed in the first four months of Putin's war against Ukraine.
Tom San
The solution would be to ban all movies, dramas and anime with guns.
It's the responsible thing to do.
Rainbows, unicorns and pumpkin spice, YES! Guns, NO!
painkiller
My analysis finds that gun culture in the U.S. derives largely from its frontier past and the mythology of the “Wild West,” which romanticizes guns, outlaws, rugged individualism and the inevitability of gun violence. This culture ignores the fact that gun control was widespread and common in the Old West.
Well, then your analysis contradicts other studies that show gun culture in the US os a leftover of the UK gun culture dating back to the pre-colonial period.
“Guns were widespread on the frontier, but so was gun regulation. … Wild West lawmen took gun control seriously and frequently arrested people who violated their town’s gun control laws.”
Absolutely more gun laws on the books today than in the Wild West period.
In 2020, 44% of American households reported owning at least one firearm. According to the 2018 international study Small Arms Survey, there were approximately 393 million firearms in civilian hands in the U.S., or 120.5 firearms per 100 people.
Incredible how few acts of gun violence are committed with such a huge proliferation of firearms along eith a large number of non-law abiding people.
Peter Neil
To have a pistol in Texas, a person used to have to get permission from a judge.
Remember people, toasters don't toast toast, toast toasts toast.
James Hendershot
Gun ownership varies by state. The highest rates of gun ownership are in states that have higher rates of hunters. Highest rates being Wyoming, Montana, Alaska etc. The converse is true as well. Lowest rates are in New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island etc where there are fewer hunters per capita. This is just a data point. As far as the fascination goes, to an extent every person's or culture's ethos is based on myth..
Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne
@Kwatt
There are countless tragedies that have happened recently where guns weren't used or involved.
The 9-11 high jacking of an aircraft with box cutters is just one example.
painkiller
Jeans and T-shirtToday 01:35 pm JST
Well, if US gun culture comes from the UK, then "deriving largely" would be a contradiction anyway. I am from the US, and can tell you gun culture is not based in frontier mythology in at least the 30 states with which I am thoroughly familiar with.
But sure, will look up the link.
The answer to the first part of your question could be zero, because you can hold up a liquor store with a knife, a brown paper bag with just one's hand inside pretending to hold a weapon. And to shoot from a rooftop, I would say you only need one criminal.
painkiller
RedstormToday 11:45 am JST
Where is such land? Very interested.
Not in America, you must be acknowledging, because inanimate objects such as guns do not have rights, while living beings such as children do.
painkiller
Oh, so you are saying the Wild West mythology doesn't work because blacks couldn't own guns; got it.
painkiller
Jeans and T-shirtToday 02:07 pm JST
Well, there were American domestic manufacturers of firearms, so I guess the import permits were meaningless.
I wasn't there, but I can see how if the colonists felt threatened by the Brits, who had firearms, then they would want to produce their own; so it makes sense this aspect of culture could have begun from that.
Strangerland
The second amendment is necessary so that well regulated militias like the Proud Boys and the Oathkeepers are able to overthrow the government when they don't like the results of an election. It's right there in the constitution.
Peter14
Nope, there have been way more killed in four months in Putin's invasion. When both sides are included the figure could be as high as 100,000 or more.
painkiller
Oh, you can bring up British colonialism was 200 years ago, and blacks in America are now allowed to own guns, as a way to deny the British influence or whatever, but I can't bring up the Wild West being about 150 years ago, and blacks being able to own guns now as a way to deny that influence?
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how we bring the argument back to point.
Colonialists in a British colony, governed by gun-toting Brits who, according to you, cannot import firearms, resort to manufacturing their own?
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a classic example of a straw man.
Interestingly, the UK firearms industry was very much money motivated.
Look--another common aspect of UK culture seeping into the US.
painkiller
Jeans and T-shirtToday 02:36 pm JST
Winchester and Mr Colt manufacturing firearms domestically; a practice that began during colonial times.
It looks like that aspect of British influence was still predominant during the Wild West.
Ooops!
Strangerland
The problem is that America is trying to create a stable society, with a constitution that ensconces the right of the people to destabilize civilization by overthrowing the government with their constitutional right to bear arms in order to be able to do so.
These two things are fundamentally at odds. If you provide the right to overthrow society, you remove the security provided by society. This is an irreconcilable conflict.
painkiller
Jeans and T-shirtToday 03:47 pm JST
DIdn't prove anything and sticking to the "derives largely" argument doesn't work because it derives largely from colonial times. As I and others proved.
What’s interesting is in this 18th-century period, when guns were being manufactured in enormous quantities and sold all over the world, one of the reasons that they’re sold all over the world is because British gun-makers don’t have a really big market in Britain itself.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/04/where-americas-gun-culture-comes-from.html
As I noted, they manufactured them. And you noted because import permits were forbidden or something.
Wait--you made the big deal of firearms not being able to be imported into America, and now all of a sudden they are importing them from everyone and their sister in Europe!
Oh--a new argument; ok, gave up with gun culture "being based on" or "influenced by".
Don't know--are you going to present an entirely new issue again????
painkiller
Oh, changing the argument again to fit your claim.
Not in the way you're using it.
You gotta stay on topic, as I have. So back to the point I am arguing:
gun culture in the US os a leftover of the UK gun culture dating back to the pre-colonial period.
painkiller
Jeans and T-shirtToday 04:59 pm JST
No, you didn't.
And back to my original point, if you can stay on it.
lincolnman
Gun culture in the US can be divided into two distinct groups...
Responsible firearms owners, which I am a member, who own their weapons for lawful recreational activities; hunting, shooting competitions, etc. We believe that firearms are dangerous instruments that should be controlled with common-sense measures. In that sense, these US firearm owners are not much different from those in other countries...
Then you have the gun fascists. They own their guns for only one reason - it gives them a sense of power. They are mostly under-educated, insecure, scared, driven by fear, and easily manipulated and outraged. These are the folks that want everyone in the US to have concealed carry with no background check or training. So when you have a fender bender or someone refuses to move over on the sidewalk, you can resolve that confrontation with your Glock...
For them, it's not about 2nd Amendment rights - it's about power and self-worth...
And they are destroying America...
John-San
It is a American legal right to protect themselves from rioting slaves. Then they had the War of Independence and change that law and the wording into a constitution right and call it the 2nd Amendment.
painkiller
lincolnmanToday 05:40 pm JST
You are missing the ONE distinct group that is, as you are saying,
The people accessing firearms and committing crimes; i.e., criminals.
nishikat
It's too bad the native American Indians could not have access to guns to defend themselves against the white Europeans. Also, Trump people back then used guns to keep the slaves in control.
bass4funk
I agree with the exception there are millions of farm owners like myself don’t want the Federal government anywhere telling me what I can and cannot own especially when I am law-abiding
That is not necessarily true.
You wouldn’t know that because there are no stats that quantify as to how many would or would not support it especially in rural areas.
Which doesn’t happen often
Well, you don’t know that verbatim
No, what’s destroying America are the liberal leftist policies that are making it harder for people to defend themselves and by limiting the powers of the police and the less police you have, the more crime will be on the rise and more people have less option except to protect themselves and that’s why gun sales are up.
https://www.personaldefenseworld.com/2020/08/black-gun-ownership-defunding-police/
lincolnman
Sorry, you're not a member of this group - keep reading....
BINGO! Your group...
Bunk. Ohio just passed a concealed carry law with no training or background check.
It shouldn't happen at all - but does - and will increase with these lax laws...
It's obvious - and you've admitted it in many of your posts.
Yes...
nishikat
Exactly and on my large Texas farm I keep the wild pigs under control with my M134 mounted on my pickup truck. My son drives and I shoot and the best time to pick them off is at night. M134 beats the AR any day for taking care of wild pigs.
nishikat
Can you be specific? What is funny about 2A and We the People
FizzBit
Sure, you don’t “pick them off” with a rotary machine gun. Now if you had made your funny using a sniper rifle, then that fits. I do find it interesting that you chose a US NATO weapon.
nishikat
What's wrong with that?
Yes, you do. I pick "them" off by the group with this powerful gun. What's the problem. When there are a bunch of pigs together that rapid fire gets all of them at once. It works well and the AR is a child's toy as I mentioned.
painkiller
nishikatToday 07:30 am JST
Agree--the Brits, French, Dutch--all took advantage of the poorly armed American Indians.
Lost me with this one. It was the Brits who instituted the guns and slavery culture in America---was Trump part of British Royalty?
nishikat
We no longer have Dem vs. Republican. It's Hillary people and Trump people. Lincoln would be a Hillary person and Jefferson Davis would be a Trump person.
Express sister
Why are you speculating? You said you had studies. Link to them.
painkiller
Express sisterToday 12:18 pm JST
Why not? You disagree with that premise? The Ukraine is begging the world for weapons, as it is outgunned by Russia.
You think it is not an accurate assumption that the colonists, who were not able to import legally firearms, would resort to manufacturing their own, as they feel increasingly repressed by their British rulers?
Sure will.
nishikat
The American revolution was stupid. Proof: Look at NZ, Canada, and Australia. Was it really worth losing your legs or even your life over........drum roll......TAXES?