Is gun ownership a form of "expression" protected by the 1st Amendment?

[reformist2]

I'm throwing this out there as a parallel to the claims that violent video games are protected by the 1st Amendment as either speech or expression. Because it you're going to say that an image is protected speech, why can't an object be as well?

[DanM]

1. Don't know, but authorities not doing their job isn't . . .

protected by ANY part of the constitution.

In every one of these mass shootings by these criminals, it always ends up that the authorities knew or should have known of the shooter's severe mental problems. It is THEIR JOB to know who is severely mentally ill in their jurisdictions. It is THEIR JOB to ensure these mentally ill people are flagged in the NICS background check database. I am at the end of patience with the ineptness of these bureacrats. FIRE THEM! Replace them with people who care about innocent lives.

[CanonRay]

2. How is one expressing anything by ownership

of something that sits in a drawer or locked cabinet. I don't see it.