On Screen or In Person

Showing a gun being crossed out can mean many things amongst cultures and many different environments that people have been raised. When I first went searching for symbols that represent gun control, I thought that this picture would be to simple. I personally thought that it people can take the picture for what it was and have the same opinion as me but that was not the case. Asking people what the image meant I received answers like “no guns allowed” or “no more guns in America” but my first thought was “better gun control” and “guns are harmful”. With me researching this topic and wanting to know both the political and emotional side of things, those are the basis of my answers. On the other hand, the responses that I got from people that do not think of gun control their answers are good but general. Looking at all the pictures that are associated with gun control it was always a gun but with either it being crossed out, an American flag, or someone has made it into a meme. There always had to be some correlation with the gun and something else “American”. Seeing this picture makes me feel like there could be hope for change in the world on the way people use these weapons but also a solution or agreeance that we use them for protection and not senselessly. Seeing a gun on a screen and seeing one in person has a different meaning. Since I have seen both, the picture has more of a reason to deal with the negative stereotype of a hand gun, whereas if I see a gun in real life not only would it create fear in me but me not understanding why it is available for a normal citizen. The picture provides the question of “what are we going to do about this? what are the laws we need to put into place to better control our residents?” etc. With seeing the gun in person is initiates questions of “are you about to use this weapon? Do I need to use flight or fight?” or even “how / where did you get this weapon?”. The picture provokes more of thoughtful, solutions questions, and the actual weapon provokes more of how do I protect myself from you to survive?

https://www.google.com/search?q=gun+control&sxsrf=ACYBGNSIc8tHCiudSbaWiObDrpsgsVTYmw:1572035892717&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi1k9aHorjlAhUOWa0KHSyIBWIQ_AUIEygC&biw=1536&bih=754&dpr=1.25#imgrc=hJojiCJnxfNBhM: