| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | '''Gun enthusiast''' or '''Gun nut''' is an [[American]] [[colloquial]] term that describes firearms "[[hobby|hobbyists]]" who are very involved with the [[gun culture]]. | + | '''Gun enthusiast''' or '''Gun nut''' is an [[American]] colloquial term that describes firearms "[[hobby|hobbyists]]" who are very involved with the [[gun culture]]. |
| | | | |
| | Based on how [[firearm]]s and [[weapon]]s are perceived and the intention of those using the term it will have different [[connotation]]s. | | Based on how [[firearm]]s and [[weapon]]s are perceived and the intention of those using the term it will have different [[connotation]]s. |
| | + | |
| | + | ==Conservative Pro Second Amendment Perception== |
| | + | To the [[Founding Fathers]] such as [[Thomas Jefferson]], and to most [[conservative]] [[libertarian]] [[citizen]]s, [[prepper]]s, [[patriot]]s, [[Veteran]]s, [[Oath Keepers]], "gun nuts" and from a [[Bill of Rights]] perspective, being a firearms enthusiast is a positive quality reflecting [[self-reliance]] and the maxim that "a [[unalienable right|right]] not used is a right lost." Being a gun enthusiast is an admirable trait to these above types of people, since the [[unalienable rights]] of the [[Second Amendment]] act as the primary [[deterrence]] against [[big government]] [[Nanny state]]-[[Police state]] [[tyranny]]. Thus the "gun nut" slogan of [[Molon labe]] laconically represents that deterrence. As [[Yamamoto]] is said to have replied when asked about invading the U.S. mainland, "There would be a [[rifle]] behind every blade of grass." |
| | + | |
| | + | Thus most [[Gun Owners of America|gun owners]] embrace the term "gun nut" affectionately. This is evidenced by many popular blogs, podcasts, forums and outdoors magazines such as ''[[Field and Stream]]'' using the term positively. ''Field and Stream'' has a column called "''The Gun Nut''".<ref>[http://fieldandstream.blogs.com/ The Gun Nut] blog at Field & Stream Accessed December 28, 2014</ref> |
| | + | |
| | + | ==Liberal Gun Control - Anti-Rights / Anti Second Amendment Perspective== |
| | + | To [[Nanny state]] - [[Police state]] [[liberal]] [[gun control|"gun grabbers]] the term "gun nut" or "gun enthusiast" is an [[insult]]. It is regarded as a [[pejorative]] [[stereotype]] hurled at gun owners by [[:Category:Anti Second Amendment|gun control activists]] as a way of suggesting that they exhibit abnormal behavior, are fanatical, or even are a threat to the safety of others.<ref>"[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=BN&p_theme=bn&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAF9B07493D3700&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Shoot-out Confirms Foreign View of America as 'Gun Nut' Country]" by T.R. Reid, ''The Buffalo News'', July 26, 1998</ref><ref>"[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAE8D5DC080AAF3&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM Massacres Fail to Sway Gun Nuts and their Lobbyists]" November 7, 1991, Press-Telegram ([[Long Beach]], [[California]])</ref><ref>"[http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-ed-guns17jun17,1,5131671.story?coll=la-news-comment Small steps on gun control]" [[Los Angeles Times]], June 17, 2007</ref><ref>"[http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005030835,00.html Gun nut fired over pics]" by Jamie Pyatt, [[The Sun]] ([[UK]])</ref><ref>"[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/shooting/stories/world072698.htm 'Terror in Capitol' No Surprise to World]" By T.R. Reid, ''[[Washington Post]]'', July 26, 1998</ref> |
| | + | |
| | | | |
| | ==See Also== | | ==See Also== |