What's your opinion? Do you think the prevalent gun culture in the States makes the men different than they might otherwise be? It's not just the availability and use of firearms, which is indeed great, but the attitudes and mentality that go along with them. These things could arguably inhibit a person from maturing in the area of conflict resolution, for example. What do you think?Then there is the gun- a man’s weapon here in the states- ready to blow the head off of someone in anger. A simple, quick ’solution’ to the situation at hand. Blamo!
While I was in Europe last Fall for 14 days, there was not a single act of gun violence reported there. Not one. Today I opened our local paper and read of several just over this weekend.
Is it the ease of gun possession here in America that has halted the maturing of the fully-functioning American adult male? Because many men believe that the gun can ’solve the problem,’ have they not been able to reach that highest plateau in maturity of the fully-functioning adult man? Has it, like a crutch, inhibited that final phase of growth?
That gun is not as readily available to the European male and, as a result, has not been a crutch in his quest for complete personhood. He has had to make those final steps up to the top on his own.
Not only the gun but the booze. American males are literally awash in alcohol. It has become a rite of initiation into the adult world on his 18th birthday. He becomes a ‘man’ with that first legal beer. He’s all set to move into adulthood with that first snap of the lid. Atta boy!
I suggested in my Famous 10% post that only 3% of gun owners suffer from substance abuse to the point of rendering them unfit to own guns. I think that's an extremely lowball figure. As Mudrake says, "American males are literally awash in alcohol."
And even most pro-gun apologists admit mixing guns and booze is bad.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
I think the comments at Muckrake are quite good.
ReplyDeleteAmericans--particularly the males-- suffer an inferiority complex. For those particularly afflicted, a firearm is considered an equalizer.
We are also extremely class conscious. That also accounts for a large amount of gunloonery. If a white male is unsuccessful in his professional and social life, a gun often is the crutch.
--JadeGold
"American males are literally awash in alcohol."
ReplyDeleteAnd European men are not? What world is he living in?
From mudrake's comments on the article: Mike- I often suspect that the American male believes that his handgun is an extension of his genitalia, and that explains why he reveres it so dearly.
ReplyDeleteNothing shows how mature and enlightened you are like a good dick comparison.
"While I was in Europe last Fall for 14 days, there was not a single act of gun violence reported there. Not one."
ReplyDeleteLast time I checked, Europe was a rather large geographical region.
Does this statement sound credible?
The rest of his post is just bigotry, which is why you and Jadegold like it.
There is another difference that has been pointed out by the media as well.
ReplyDeleteFor example, in the case of a home invasion:
Americans believe that we should defend our families if possible.
The European method: Lock yourself in the bathroom and call police while leaving your 5 year old grandchild outside to slow down the attacker.
Europeans have slaughtered each other by the tens of millions and practiced wholesale genocide over the last 100 years. Glad they are so much more civilized than Americans. I don't want that level of sophistication here.
European maturity = call someone else when you are in trouble.
Be it a man protecting himself and relying on the police or several countries that have to have America come bail them out every time they pick a fight they can't handle themselves.
Let's not forget that Mudrake adds (in comments):
ReplyDelete"I often suspect that the American male believes that his handgun is an extension of his genitalia, and that explains why he reveres it so dearly."
They changed the drinking age to 18? That's news to me, and thousands of 19 and 20 year olds waiting for their first beer.
ReplyDeleteIf he's not bright enough to figure that out it makes him hard to take seriously on everything else.
Mike W. responded to this
ReplyDelete"American males are literally awash in alcohol."
with this.
And European men are not? What world is he living in?
Tell us how much experience you have with Europe. Or are you just making stuff up?
They can talk about "maturity" and "inferiority," but if you let them talk long enough they usually get around to dicks.
ReplyDeleteFJ - Let em' post dick jokes. I just makes them look infantile and intellectually inferior.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, it shows them for what they really are.
"I often suspect that the American male believes that his handgun is an extension of his genitalia, and that explains why he reveres it so dearly."
ReplyDeleteFunny, I've used my genitalia for its intended purposes on more than a few occasions. That's how I ended up with four kids. Plus, its lots of fun!
I've never tried using my genitalia to defend myself from a violent attacker. But, if Mud_Rake is accurate, I should be able to do so, as a real man.
You first, big boy. Show us how that's done.
Drunken, violent thuggery is so much more excusable--commendable, even--when it's over something important, like soccer (or football, if you insist).
ReplyDeleteMike- it looks like the comments from your regular gun-lovers are all defensive and/or off topic, but then, when you're caught with your pants down...
ReplyDeleteWhat dicks FJ? You guys don't have them.
ReplyDelete--JadeGold
I guess in those 14 days mud_rake spent in Europe, he never went to a football game. There is a reason hooliganism is called the English disease and not the American one.
ReplyDeleteIf more European men had access to guns, they'd shoot each other up just as much as American men.
So I don't buy the notion that European men have reached some plateau in maturity. They're just as immature as American men. They just lack the tools and freedom to be as destructive as American men.
"If more European men had access to guns, they'd shoot each other up just as much as American men."
ReplyDeleteThis supports the gunnutz' contention that an armed society is a polite society? How, exactly?
Just a word on hooliganism, since AzRed appears once more not to know what he's talking about.
ReplyDeleteIn the late-80s, early-90s, English football was rocked by hooliganism. But some perspective is needed. Violence, of any kind, is so rare in Europe that when it does appear--people are shocked and its impact is magnified.
But in the US, violence is so commonplace that we take it for granted. For example, the Eagles have long had an arraignment court and holding center located at their stadium on game days. When Lane Kiffin announced he was leaving the U of TN, there was a riot. The list goes on.
--JadeGold
AztecRed said, "So I don't buy the notion that European men have reached some plateau in maturity. They're just as immature as American men. They just lack the tools and freedom to be as destructive as American men."
ReplyDeleteWhose side are you on, man?
Mike W. said, "FJ - Let em' post dick jokes. I just makes them look infantile and intellectually inferior.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, it shows them for what they really are."
I sort-of agree with you on that. That's why I never make those references myself and I take care to clearly state what kind of inadequacy I mean when I do mention it - the psychological kind.
Naturally your response to this is way over the top, which ironically is probably the exact reaction the guys who make those remarks are looking for.
Naturally your response to this is way over the top, which ironically is probably the exact reaction the guys who make those remarks are looking for.
ReplyDeleteHow is our reaction over the top? None of us our going to take the opinions of someone who makes these kinds of comparions seriously. Maybe they are looking for a reaction. To me it just shows a level of immaturity and lack of a substantive argument.
the comparision to drinking at 18 is wrong because the legal drinking age is 21. I think there is more of a story when you consider the age to drink compared to the age to join the military and take a another person's life.
ReplyDelete"Violence, of any kind, is so rare in Europe..."
ReplyDeleteExcept for WWI, WWII, The Balkan Wars, The 10 Day War, Croation War, Bosnian War...
And then there is Russia.
So violence isn't rare in Europe. They just experience a different type of violence. If anything, the only violence they don't have in surplus compared to the US is gun violence and only because they have a lot fewer guns.
Aztec Red:
ReplyDeleteIs the question I asked too difficult to answer, or just beneath contempt in your curious universe?
after living 7 years in europe and 19 years in the USA, I can honestly say european men are more interesting, far more worldly, more intellectual, more sophisticated and by far better looking and better lovers too.
ReplyDeleteI've dated both men and with european men there is often more in store, more romanticism, more understanding, more stimulating exchange between the two parties.
European men are more ok with their own sexuality therefore they express themselves more openly and are more comfortable being romantic and deep with you, as opposed to American men who come across as dumb, loud, unsophisticated, sort of aggressive, vulgar.
while a european men is taking you out to diner in some romantic restaurant, an america guy is slapping your ass, telling you that he wants to fuck you and burping in your face while drinking his budweiser like an idiot totally focused on his monday night football show!
Dear Anonymous, I never thought the day would come that I'd defend American men, but your generalization is a bit over the top.
ReplyDelete