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[timelets]

The truth is they do cling to their guns. The gun has become a part of their bodies, just like in a Harry Harrison science fiction novel where a deadly weapon is an extension of the arm controlled directly by the brain. It's a part of their minds. In a world where you automatically take your loaded pistol to a moral support meetup for men, a man without a gun is a man without a dick.

I'm not passing a judgement here. Threatening to take away his smartphone would have the same effect on a hipster as a hint of prohibiting a semiautomatic rifle to a man whose mind fused with a deadly weapon.

Comments

Different surprize

[malobukov]

I was surprized by inclusion of this detail, but for a different reason. Why mention it at all? It makes no sense to carry the gun only occasionally. You either always carry (and mention the exceptions when you don’t),or never carry.

Re: Different surprize

[timelets]

He's really proud of his guns and mentions them at every opportunity.

Kind of reminded me of the old Soviet joke: На чем вы ездите заграницу? На танке.

Re: Different surprize

[malobukov]

Nah, that's not it. People who are proud of their guns are way more specific. For them it's not just "a gun", but "my West German SIG P226" or "my .45 Ed Brown". His guns are utilitarian and functional, but nothing to show off or brag about.

But you're right to think that people tend to consider guns their extension, especially guns they built or customized themselves. Both Bill Clinton and Obama understood that well, and if Hillary Clinton did she'd be our president now.

Re: Different surprize

[timelets]

My old boss was born on a small farm somewhere in Midwest. Incredibly smart man: did really well for himself, made tons of money in a meaningful way. He had a huge collection of guns, including a high caliber machine gun, an AK-47, etc. He loved those things. When we had parties at his house he would take the guns out, show them to everybody, brag how he got them and compare various types of ammunition ad nauseum. I managed to impress him because, after a bit of practice I remembered how to assemble-disassemble his AK-47 with my eyes closed. Good old days.

You are probably right, Hillary Clinton didn't appreciate how much guns meant to the deplorables. Or maybe she despised this whole thing.