POST 13: THE US GUN CULTURE

Steve SACK, on www.startribune.com,

Gun Lobby and Congress (2010)

In this first cartoon we can see on the bottom left two men who represent the Congress and the Gun Lobby (written in their briefcases). On the top right of the cartoon we can see the Congress, and down its stairs a trail of blood that goes right until both of the men's feet. The man representing the Gun Lobby has a bag with the dollar sign on it and a bubble speach above his head that makes us understand that he might be negociating something with the other man (i.e: "where were we, before we were so rudely interrupted). The interruption that he refers to is probably related with someone who doesn't share the Gun Lobby's opinion, and it implicitly makes us understand that this man used violence related with guns to make his vision and opinion rule. The cartoonist crtisices the power of guns in the US legislation, but also the profits that these lobbies make out of guns and promoting violence against others.

Dave GRANDLUND, on www.davegranlund.com, 

Second Amendment and NRA (2013)

The Founding Fathers of the United States are the individuals of the Thirteen British Colonies in North America who led the American Revolution against the authority of the British Crown and established the United States of America. The term is also used more narrowly, referring specifically to those who either signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776 or who were delegates to the 1787 Constitutional Convention and took part in drafting the proposed Constitution of the United States. A further subset includes those who signed the Continental Association or the Articles of Confederation. During much of the 19th century, they were referred to as either the "Founders" or the "Fathers"

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is an American nonprofit organization which advocates for gun rights. Founded in 1871, the group has informed its members abour firearm-related bills since 1934, and it has directly lobbied for and against legislation since 1975. Initially founded to advance rifle marksmanship, the modern NRA continues to teach firearm competency andsafety. The organization also publishes several magazines and sponsors competitive marksmanship events. Membership surpassed 5 million in May 2013. Observers and lawmakers see the NRA as one of the top three most influential lobbying groups in Washington. Over its history the organization has influenced legislation, participated in or initiated lawsuits, and endorsed or opposed various candidates. The NRA has several charitable subsidiaries, the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) is its lobbying arm, which manages its political action committee.

In this second cartoon we can see two different cases in which there are two different representations of the understanding of the Second Ammendment of the American Cobstitution who gives right to the Americans to bear arms and keep them. There are two visions in this cartoon of the Second Ammendment: the Founding Fathers vision and the NRA vision, all this through the cartoonist's point of view, of course. The fisrt one is represented by the statue of an 18th Century American who bears a rifle on his hand and looks proudly towards him. This man is in a defensive position that would lead us to understand that he is bearing the gun only in self-defense. This could also represent the British colonialism and how Britain invaded the native american's territory using violence and later on legalize that violence. But this is not the heavier  vision of this Second Ammendment, the vision of the NRA according to the cartoonist's opinion is the most stricking one. On the left side of the cartoon we can see a military with too many fire-guns on him. I believe it's a parody of how american men have evolved to the point of not having a gun for self-defense, but owning too many guns just because the law allows you to have them.