Post 13: The US Gun Culture

The Founding Fathers : 

The Founding Fathers of the United States are the individuals of the Thirteen British Colonies in North America who led the American Revolution against the authority of the British Crown and established the United States of America. The term is also used more narrowly, referring specifically to those who either signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 or who were delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention and took part in drafting the proposed Constitution of the United States. A further subset includes those who signed the Continental Association or the Articles of Confederation. During much of the 19th century, they were referred to as either the "Founders" or the "Fathers". Some historians apply the term "Founding Fathers" to a larger group of people, including not only the Signers and the Framers but also all those who, whether as politicians, jurists, statesmen, soldiers, diplomats, or ordinary citizens, took part in winning American independence and creating the United States of America. Historian Richard B. Morris in 1973 identified the following seven figures as the key Founding Fathers: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and George Washington.

National Rifle Association: The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun rights. Founded in 1871, the group has informed its members about firearm-related bills since 1934, and it has directly lobbied for and against legislation since 1975. It is also the oldest continuously operating civil rights organization in the United States.

Founded to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA continues to teach firearm competency and safety. It instructs civilians and law enforcement, youths and adults, in various programs. The organization also publishes several magazines and sponsors competitive marksmanship events. Membership surpassed 5 million in May 2013^.
Observers and lawmakers see the NRA as one of the top three most influential lobbying groups in Washington

Steve SACK, on www.startribune.com,

Gun Lobby and Congress (2010)

This Steve Sack cartoon published on the website startribune is a criticism of how influenced the congress is regarding lobbies. The fat politician in a nice blue suit, with a wallet identifying him as a member of the congress, receiving a bag full of money from a men in a businessman suit, with a brown wallet identifying him as a member of the gun lobby. we understand that the politician is being bribed, we can think it is to keep the same legislation about gun possession and business, and this criticizes corruption, for no protest against the possession of guns will get a result if the validity of the laws is bought. There is a double criticize, with a blood streak flowing down from the capitol, placed right above the two characters. The member of the lobby saying "Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted", we understand that they are probably responsible of this blood streak, which criticize how the gun lobby and the authorization about the use of guns in USA can drive to violence, bringing people encouraging this state of things in a place such as the Capitol. Also, as the congress member is turning his back on the blood trail, it shows that the government is voluntarily ignoring the n,egative aspects of the gun culture un USA.

Dave GRANDLUND, on www.davegranlund.com, 

Second Amendment and NRA (2013)

 The Second Amendment (Amendment II) to the United States Constitution protects the right of the people to keep and bear arms and was adopted on December 15, 1791, as part of the first ten amendments contained in the Bill of Rights. The Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the right belongs to individuals, while also ruling that the right is not unlimited and does not prohibit all regulation of either firearms or similar devices. State and local governments are limited to the same extent as the federal government from infringing this right per the incorporation of the Bill of Rights.


This document is a caricature from Dave Grandlund, made in 2013, and showing the vision of the second amendment about gun possession first from the founding father's point of view, and then from the National rifle association's point of view. The first one, being the founding father's point of view, shows a noble american, very dignified, carrying a rifle as a hunt weapon. 
The side of the NRA shows a big American in a military suit, carrying an assault rifle and having two others in his back, and while the other is standing on a column, this american is standing on five boxes of munitions.
This caricature is criticizing the excessive vision about gun possession the NRA is conveying through America, in contradiction with the vision of the founding fathers that the NRA is perverting. It is criticizing the fact that gun are too easily possessible and the NRA, turning it into a business, without caring about the negative aspects that could result of it. If the founding fathers thought this law for people's protection, it is not it's real purpose these days.