Good opinion piece re: gun culture

[OneGrassRoot]

2. FEAR....the culture of fear, that's what I'm speaking of.

The NRA absolutely, positively stokes fear -- fear of "Obama's coming to get your guns!!!" and this is never more evident than after a visible tragedy such as Aurora and Sandy Hook. The sales in guns spike tremendously after each such event.

As the graphic you shared shows, "protection" is a key reason people are armed.

I'm not advocating a ban on guns; I believe there are instances in which -- given that it will never be a perfect world -- protection is helpful to use in one's home. Marissa Alexander is one such example, yet the Stand Your Ground law worked AGAINST her.

What I am asking for is a rational discussion about a gun culture which simultaneously buys into fear -- fear of the government and of one another via CCW laws and lack of regulations, which I realize differs from state to state -- yet simultaneously sends a very mixed message about gun ownership, often glorifying it while confusing the issue and seriousness by almost trivializing guns thanks to capitalism, with Hello Kitty AK-47s being sold and other "accessories" for the gun owner who wants to look cute.

When real guns look like toys and real toys look like guns, that's a societal problem, imho.