The anthropologist Clifford Geertz studied the phenomenon of cock fighting in Bali and produced a lengthy study of his work about the culture of the Balinese cock fight. Males there groomed their cocks for years and years before putting them into a fight. They carried their cocks around with them, nurtured their cocks, stroke them, and talked to their cocks. then the state decided it was time to shut down the cock fights citing animal cruelty standards and the like, but the Balinese people resisted for years, and held their cock fights regardless.
Reason was because the cock symbolized something more important for Balinese males. Their cock was their cock!
Similarly, American gun lovers are merely showing off their cocks when they strut around with their assault rifles and pistols.
That's not true.
I'm sure for some it is but not all.
I carry every day. I own an ar15. I don't see the point of carrying an ar or ak into stores. Maybe a political statement. I say if you don't use your rights you will lose them. I will however say that I don't think its a great idea to do what some of these people do. Carry guns like that into stores and around communities just to get a rile out of a cop just to film it.
Not all people that carry want to be a cowboy, hero or are pussies. You have to remember where some of us live and how we were raised. I don't have the convenience of the police or ambulance being minutes away. Growing up and now it is hours sometimes for response times. Even if it were minutes I will not rely on police to luckily be there when they are needed.
I can also assure you its not about wanting to kill someone either. Two times, a third possibly, I was in a situation where I could've killed someone and been in the legal right to do so. I didn't.
Some of us are not looking for a conflict or to be a hero. The only thing I want is, if the situation requires, to be able to get myself and family away from a dangerous person or situation.