Guns and Freedom - The Diplomat

Part of the difficulty in comparing these countries is that the notion of freedom is somewhat different as compared with the U.S.  For many in Japan, freedom is not simply about free speech, freedom of the press, and voting, it is also about having a society that is safe and in which people support each other.   Many Americans tend to construct a concept of freedom as being associated with a lack of interference from government and other members of society. 

These different ideas about the nature of freedom contribute to the generation of distinct cultural attitudes about guns and gun control.  I am not going to argue in favor of one view of freedom over another, but I will make a simple point: the idea that guns are necessary to preserve freedom is empirically wrong.  Countries like Japan make it very clear that it is possible to have a free society while also maintaining strict control over guns. In fact, the Japanese recognize that widespread gun ownership decreases safety and security and, in turn, makes for a less free society.

The Diplomat