The 2nd amendment plus our insane defense budget is a combination that is unique to America

[Rustynaerduwell]

I know this is absurdly simplistic, and I've no evidence to support it except intuition, but I believe that, without the both of these, we wouldn't have the gun problem we have. I don't think we appreciate what being born into a country that possesses half of the world's arms and sells a good deal to the rest of the world does to our psyche. And while we debate social programs as much out of existence as one side of our government can, both sides always want to increase our military budget. As much as any government may bend to the will of the people, the people will always be somewhat formed in a deep and mostly imperceptible way by the policies and actions of the government they are born into. And we have all been born into a country whose government seems to value guns over children, over health and well-being, over education. Guns over people.

And then we put a gun, figuratively per our constitution and literally per capita, into every hand in America.


We are given a weapon of war as a birthright in a country that too often uses weapons of war to fix things. And we do so like no other country on earth.

America is a gun.

[jimfields33]

1. The defense budget is huge because we have to cover the world.

Heck even in Ukraine, we provided double the financial support the Europeans have even though together they are even in our economy. Italy, Korea, Japan, Australia, Africa, Middle East, Spain, Germany all have our bases there which allows those countries to not spend their money on defense. Unless we literally leave every country but ours, we will always have a larger military budget.

[former9thward]

3. No, we don't "have to cover the world".

Who assigned us that duty?

[jimfields33]

6. We need to tell the countries that we're leaving. We could say by 31 December we're gone.

Whose willing to do that?

[jimfields33]

2. Second amendment is what it is. Until it can be overturned, we're stuck with it.

[Initech]

4. Other countries have guns. Only America has the 2nd Amendmend and the National Rifle Association.

Fuck the NRA - they're a massive part of the problem.

[cachukis]

5. 65% of American corporations are supported by the DOD.

From Taco Bell's to local diners the American economy benefits from defense largesse.
American hegemony fulfills our need for modernity at low prices.
We sell bombs and get inexpensive toys.
Guns are more than apple pie in defining the real America.
Guns are trickle down at work. It is the last resort of depravity.
The hiders of this depravity are paid very well.