Gun crazy: For too many Americans, guns are tied to masculinity, patriotism and white power

[marmar]

Gun crazy: For too many Americans, guns are tied to masculinity, patriotism and white power
New research suggests that for many white men, owning a gun is a mark of "good citizenship" — and racial conflict

By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
APRIL 26, 2021 10:00AM


(Salon) Too many Americans love guns more than they do other human beings.

There have been at least 50 mass shootings in America since the massacre and apparent hate crime attack against Asian Americans in the Atlanta area on March 16.

The COVID-19 pandemic has done nothing to stop America's addiction to gun violence. Writing at the Nation, Tom Engelhardt explains, "In the first 73 days of Joe Biden's presidency, there were five mass shootings and more than 10,000 gun-violence deaths. In the Covid-19 era, this has been the model the world's 'most exceptional' nation (as American politicians of both parties used to love to call this country) has set for the rest of the planet. Put another way, so far in 2020 and 2021, there have been two pandemics in America, Covid-19 and guns."

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For many progressives, liberals and other Americans who are not part of the MAGAverse, TrumpWorld or America's gun culture, Graham's performance of gun-toting hyper masculinity was laughable. His comments about defending his family from "gangs" were also criticized as being especially ill-timed given the recent mass shooting events. But again, as is so many other instances, those outside of the right-wing echo chamber were not the audience for Graham's performance.

The South Carolina senator was speaking to a right-wing culture, moral universe and imaginary where guns, whiteness and toxic masculinity are tightly if not immutably linked together. He was channeling the idea of the white American male as defender of his home and family — and of heterosexual white (right-wing) male power and privilege — against some type of "criminal" or "invader," generally understood to be black or brown. This enemy to be defended against may be a "Muslim terrorist," an "urban" black male or a "Latino gangbanger." He may also be a member of "antifa," the right wing's current bogeyman. .........(more)

https://www.salon.com/2021/04/26/gun-crazy-for-too-many-americans-guns-are-tied-to-masculinity-patriotism-and-white-power/

[multigraincracker]

1. We will see regulation when POC demand the same 2nd Amendment rights as Whites.

[Skittles]

3. yup

[multigraincracker]

4. I'm old enough to remember when Ronald

Reagan banned assault rifles as Governor of California when the Black Panthers showed up on the steps of the State Capital steps armed with those weapons.

[Scrivener7]

2. I know the gun humpers don't like it when it is pointed out, but these huge guns are

clearly compensation. Especially when these idiots have to carry them to Starbucks, etc. It's like Humvees, only more so.

Most women can read this pretty clearly.

Guys, seriously, you aren't saying what you want to be saying with these things.