I suddenly understood something simple about the topic of guns in America and it’s all clear now

My “enlightenment” is nothing eye-opening. What I’m about to describe is probably understood by most people. But somehow I’ve been slow. I thought I knew the country well (even as an immigrant), having lived in its different places — East Coast, West, and in the middle. But you never stop learning…

My thoughts and feelings about mass shootings and gun violence in the US are as you’d expect: every time there is a mass shooting, I think “I like this country, but this is the most embarrassing, awful, fucked up thing about America.”

I have some understanding of the second amendment but I don’t claim to understand the ins and outs of the politics around the topic of gun control.

Having watched though a few videos of the Republican politicians loving their guns (see this) or exercising their power to demonstrate their support for guns (for example, this about DeSantis), I suddenly understood something super simple.

It’s the American culture. It’s the American identity. Machismo. I’m a strong dude. I manifest my strength through my gun. I have a dick, hence I must have a gun. What the monarchy is for the Brits, what vodka is for the Russians, a gun is that for many Americans. It’s what religion (whatever religion) is for a nation. It’s an integral part of the American soul. When I use the words “culture” and “identity”, I’m referring to something that has been passed from…