Arms and the American: A Syllabus of Errors

By Tim Parise

Arms and the American examines the contradictions inherent in common attitudes towards firearms in the United States, and explores the superstitious feelings that most Americans have towards guns regardless of whether they favor gun rights or gun control. Drawing on more than four hundred sources, these eleven essays consider topics ranging from the origins and abandonment of the militia system to the biochemical motivations that drive violence in society. They review the self-interest of the armed forces in relation to widespread military support for gun control, and the geographic distribution of gun violence in the U.S., along with the work of the National Rifle Association to support gun control and drive up firearms prices in opposition to its stated mission. They also document how the handgun replaced the rifle as the primary weapon of American civilians, the efforts of The New York Times to further gun confiscation, and the decay of due process through the administrative expansion of background checks for firearms purchasers. Special attention is paid to the American paramilitary or police forces, and the financial and human cost the public incurs by maintaining units staffed with officers who are six times as dangerous to the public safety as convicted felons. Above all, Arms and the American outlines the authoritarian inclinations of gun advocates and opponents alike, and examines the contrast between their views and the ideals of the early American republic.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1724880020
• ISBN13: 9781724880024
• Release Date: August 2018
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.4" x 5.5"