The Armed Nation: American Culture and Guns at the Core

Why don't we understand the gun debate that is inflaming American opinion? Historian Jensen Cox explains its origins and current events to us. Every year, mass killings plunge the United States into horror. And yet, the freedom to be armed is a fundamental right, based on the sacrosanct second amendment to the constitution, which is supported by a majority of Americans: the powerful national rifle association, peaceful mothers, hunters, sports shooters, all those who want to defend themselves against possible attacks, who trust neither their police nor federal institutions. This is disputed, with solid arguments, by supporters of arms control. The debate divides the country, just like abortion, the death penalty and immigration. It holds an even more important place than the opposition between democrats and republicans. It arouses controversy in the religious, academic and political worlds. In a word, it immerses us in the heart of American culture, so close and so different from ours.