America is the world's great gun culture. Its love of guns was born in a time when a gun was a tool often needed for survival in the wilderness. That time has passed, but the love of guns continues.
In some segments of American society, having a gun is equated with being strong and self reliant. Folks without guns are weak. Men without guns are unmanly.
These attitudes have crept into Canadian society because we live next to the world's predominant media provider. We see, hear, and read American gun culture 24/7.
But Canada has always been next door to American gun culture and has always been tuned in to American culture. So why is the situation deteriorating now?
The gun culture is a huge contributing factor, but the real source of evil is another American import: right wing fiscal conservatism. Over the last decade, Canadian social programs have been cut back severely to match a free enterprise driven, lower the taxes mentality that politicians have imported from south of the border. Children in poorer urban neighbourhoods, most of which are populated by recent immigrants, have fewer educational and job opportunities. Programs which helped them have been cut back. They see the images of wealth on TV and know they don't have much of a chance of attaining that wealth. They feel powerless; they reach out for what a source of power. They get a gun.
Right now Canada is in the midst of a national election campaign and a proposed change to gun laws is one of the big issues. I support the Liberals' proposed tightening of controls over gun ownership. But if our politicians truly want to stop gun violence they also need to restore social programs that support poor people and give the young a fighting chance in life.
Technorati Tags: Canada, commentary, culture, gun control, Paul Martin, poverty, Liberal party, United States
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