Apart from their new president, nothing says “crazy Americans” like the bizarre obsession US citizens have with their guns.
Of course, that’s based on something that many Americans hold sacred - their Second Amendment right to bear arms. Vice Does America’s “Winnebago Warriors” come face to face with the explosive reality of this God-given right when they visit the ranch of militia leader Cliven Bundy (yes that Cliven Bundy) in conveniently named Bunkerville, Nevada.
Between target practice on watermelons, Head of Security Brian “Booda” Cavalier seems almost a voice of reason. “I don’t think you should have a gun, I’m saying it’s your right to have one.”
But he also says of the weapon in his hand, “Don’t be afraid of it, it’s just a gun.”
See? You don’t need to worry about holding a gun.
Here are some other things you might not know…
It’s legal to openly carry a hand gun in public in 46 states
That leaves only California, Florida, Illinois, New York, South Carolina and the District of Columbia that don’t allow open carry. In 31 states you can openly get your gunslinger on without a license or permit but in 15 states you’ll have to keep it in your pants if you don’t have these.
But here’s the kicker, Cavalier estimates that for every gun you see on someone “there’s three you don’t.”
'VICE Does America' co-host Wilbert L Cooper learns how to fire a gun. Source: SBS
Senator Ted Cruz likes to cook bacon with a machine gun
Now this is a novel way to cook bacon. In a bizarre “only in America” Texas Republican Senator Ted Cruz multi-tasks at a gun range, sizzling and shooting all at once.
Here’s a step by step guide to making “Machine Gun Bacon”:
1. Buy bacon.
2. Wrap a rasher or three around the business end of your machine gun.
3. Wrap said gun bacon in foil.
4. Shoot some hot rounds to cook the bacon until grease seeps.
5. Like the gangster you are, use a petite plastic fork to eat said bacon straight off your gun.
3% of Americans own half the guns in the US
According to a recent , only 22% of America’s population own guns. But here’s the scary statistic – out of an estimated 265 million guns, 133 million of these are in the hands of…. three percent of American adults. That’s half of all guns in the country. These gun enthusiasts have been coined “super-owners” and own an average 17 guns each, some many more than that.
You can take a gun to church and then have a shoot in the gun range out the back
Back in 2009, one Louisville, Kentucky pastor took gun worship to a brand new level putting on an “Open Carry Celebration” where parishioners were asked to bring their guns along to church, unloaded of course. The day included a handgun raffle and gun safety videos. So little time for a sermon then.
But another pastor shat all over that effort. In Alabama, Phillip Guin (if you squint it looks like “Gun”) has built a gun range behind his church according to . Everyone in town has a gun anyway so it’s a good way to attract new traffic.
"It might seem strange but we're trying to reach a group of people that would probably not otherwise darken our door," he says.
This is how gun nuts cook bacon! Source: SBS
Your child can have his or her birthday party on a gun range
In Lewisville Texas, you can treat the kiddies to a unique blend of birthday cake and bullets at the “family-friendly” Eagle Gun Range.
"They'll be in the classroom, walk into the range, shoot, go back to the classroom, and have cake and ice cream," owner David Prince .
Kids eight years and above get to attend a class on gun safety and then they can go ballistic in the gun range. Amusement parks have age limits higher than that.
VICE Does America airs on Thursdays at 8:30pm on SBS VICELAND. After they air, episodes are available on .
Watch the first episode (about the guns) right here:
