chris writes:

What is it with Americans and bloody guns???

I think it has much to do with a frontier tradition of sorts. Much of the
early history of the United States is filled with pioneering efforts to tame
the wilderness, and when you're out in the wilderness a firearm can be a very
useful thing, for protection from animals or for hunting food. The "rugged
individualism" developed in this way survives today as an independence that
some express through a desire to possess firearms (sometimes developing into
paranoia).

The biggest problem in the U.S. is not the widespread presence of firearms,
but the combined widespread fascination with firearms _and_ with violence.
The Swiss have plenty of firearms, but they are not violent; and many
countries have a history of violence but not necessarily widespread ownership
of firearms. It's when you put the two together that weirdness ensues. See
_Bowling for Columbine_ for examples of the weirdness.

I personally don't see any reason to have a firearm anywhere (much less in an
airplane or hangar) except under the most restricted circumstances, but I know
that there's no arguing with the many Americans who love their guns.