The US cop show has immersed us all into the clichés of American gun culture. It is one aspect of American life which most of us find hardest to comprehend (especially when it gets defended theologically by the Christian right – though if this is where you are coming from, please help us out here – I do want to understand how it can still be justified other than on purely pragmatic grounds). After all, in contrast to most police forces in the world (including across Europe), the British police do not carry guns while on normal duties. And I would argue that we are all much safer as a result.
So it is interesting when a few jibes about it come from across the pond. Here are a couple of great cartoons from the New Yorker last month (5th September).
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love the New Yorker, Mark! one place to start on the 2nd amendment might be looking at the Bill of Rights in general. those amendments have a historical and philosophical basis that starts w/ america’s founding. it’s definitely a unique part of american culture.
ah yes, thanks Steve.
my question, though, is not so much a constitutional one (because of course there are plenty of arguments and counter-arguments about whether or not the constitution still mandates this), but a theological and ethical question…
Hmmm, could the constitutionality and the ethical elements be somewhat linked? It might be argued that there is a strong cultural sense of individual liberty and empowerment that gun ownership fits in with. So something like an Aristotelian idea with these virtues? I think other ethical frameworks aren’t as easily applied in the US. Theologically… I have no idea!