Tactical Atlas Firearm Blog

By Robert B. Young, MD

USA – -(Ammoland.com)-  The concept of a “gun culture” is an interesting notion.

The phrase is frequently used, most often negatively by anti-gun activists but it’s also been adopted as a positive description of values by many gun owners.

What is it, and what does “culture” have to do with guns?

First of all, there is certainly not a monolithic “gun culture”, because people appreciate firearms from a number of perspectives.  We may be interested in different kinds of sport; that may be some form of target shooting, recreationally or competitively. We may care more about hunting, which is another personal challenge and a physically healthy pursuit that can also feed us.  We may admire their fine craftsmanship, be fascinated by the history of firearms and collect them.

By Robert B. Young, MD

USA – -(Ammoland.com)- There is much speculation about how to identify people at risk of committing violence, in order to preempt their possessing firearms.

This ignores risks from violence done with, say, hands and knives, but it’s a worthy goal.

However, it’s not one easily accomplished—and risks restricting Second Amendment rights from too many people who don’t present any risk at all.

The stereotypical characteristics of a mass shooter are being almost always male and usually white (but whites and African-Americans appear in proportion to their population percentages), with many meeting criteria for a major mental illness (most significantly paranoid schizophrenia).