Questions for DU gun owners - I don't understand your country- Please answer if possible

I seriously want to know because there are a considerable number of DU'ers that are gun owners and advocates.

As a preface: I have previously lived in the US and probably spend a month every year "in country". I love your country and people. I've lived in open carry states. As a resident, I experienced racism. Never experienced racism as an ongoing visitor for the past 40 years. But....

Questions:

1) if you live n the greatest democracy and strongest nation in the world why would you need to carry? (Why would you need to own even own a handgun or a non sport rifle?)

2) Do you believe the tissue of society is so thin that you think it's going to be Mad Max 15 minutes after the next power blackout? (If so, then how can you be living the greatest democracy in the world?)

3) maybe my premise wrong: you don't carry weapons to be free but you carry weapons because you are free?