Yes, I think a lot of the views expressed here have to do with experiences with the realities of life, Buddhist principles, and also a large degree to culture. I am sure that some of the Americans here (posting in favor of some type of voluntary gun ownership for target practice) and I might have expressed different views if we were not raised in the U.S. and vice versa. Now to really freak the non-Americans out, here is something that I also mentioned over at DW (Mahayana):Ben wrote: Like some here - I just don't get the gun culture in the US. Everyone arming themselves to the teeth out of fear creates the sort of problems that people buy guns try to protect themselves against. From my, perhaps limited, point of view - it looks like a catch 22. Perhaps my attitude is the result of living in a society where there is a very high degree of gun control and regulation.
Did you know that in many western U.S. states that it is fully legal to walk around with 'open-carry'? That means you can walk outside in public with a pistol on your belt, holster, etc. and it is fully legal (so long as you are not a felon or other condition which precludes you from owning a gun). I would not do that or recommend that and in actual practice few do that as it appears to be just looking for trouble.
It is not as if everyone in America is waiting for a gun fight to occur, unless of course it is high noon on Friday. (just kidding)
I was exposed to guns and their safety from a young age; my father being in the military and later I was in law enforcement and also being exposed to some other experiences led to me find some interest in guns as a sport, shooting at targets. Fortunately I never went hunting and never liked the use of the firearms for killing or potentially killing and focused strictly on the shooting sport side of their use.