Abstract
This essay critically examines the underlying assumptions about freedom and democracy at the basis of those like the NRA who argue that the United States does not have a gun problem and that the second amendment protects citizens' rights to own any gun they wish. Inspired by Hannah Arendt's political philosophy, the author first discuss three problematic notions of freedom—free will, sovereignty and liberation—and show how they have been appropriated by the NRA and other pro-gun organizations to justify their agendas. Adopting Arendt's conception of political freedom, he then demonstrates how it is integrally related to the notions of civic responsibility and plurality. In the last part of this essay, the author introduces Arendt's understanding of educational authority, which she defined as assuming responsibility for our common world. He argues that this notion of educational authority can help us address the issue of the role that education ought to play in a culture that glorifies violence.
Published Version
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