I have guns because I am afraid of the government. Snowden confirmed my fears were justified.

Despite being a US citizen who also enjoys guns, I don't understand this rationale at all. What kind of government overreach would private ownership of firearms stop? It obviously wouldn't interfere with any sort of targeted attack on an individual (that's what drones are for), and I have a hard time believing it would deter even ground attacks. A few guys in the woods with AR-15s aren't going to be a speed bump for any concerted effort by a nation-state, let alone this one.

*Disclaimer: I disagree with our use of drones, don't think anyone should come to take away private guns, and don't believe any of this is a real risk. I'm just trying to understand the large group that believes their guns will protect them from the military.

I don't pretend to know what the scenario would be where I'd actually use my guns. Be assured it's a nightmare scenario and not some dispute over land use rights.

A few lone nuts would have no chance against the government. But if the sentiments and fear spread to the point that entire towns were like-minded in their opposition, you'd have a guerrilla warfare situation like we saw with insurgents in Iraq. In that situation, the government's job becomes much more difficult, and assuming carpet bombing is off the table, small arms indeed can make an impact.

Logically, if you fear the government, you should also have a transmitting radio and a reloading bench (with a fat stockpile of primers) at home, solar cells, a PVC pipe filled with gold and silver coins buried in your backyard, a tamper-resistant dash-cam in your car, and a packed bag--with medical supplies--hanging by your back door.

If just a gun is enough to reduce your fear, you haven't been thinking about it hard enough. (Or maybe not playing enough Fallout.) Battles can be lost with poor logistics before strategy or tactics even come into play.

If you ever see a day where you need that gun against a rampaging government, you're not going to be able to make full use of paper dollars, public networks, broadcast media, retail stores, power grid, refueling stations, police, hospitals...

I think people actually keep guns because they fear both too much government against them and not enough of it for them.

Sometimes you want to build a house and sometimes you want to just want to hang a picture on the wall. Either way you at least need a hammer.

I don't know if that made any sense.

I know it's only a metaphor, but I've driven a picture hanger into the wall with vise grips before. An actual hammer just makes the job easier; it isn't the only way to drive a nail.

I'm not from the US and I'm genuinely curious about something - if you are afraid of the US government do you therefore see the enormous power of the US military as a good thing or a bad thing?

Both really. Double edged sword. I like knowing we could repel an invading army, but it can also be turned on its citizens and tempts politicians to get entangled in global affairs.

>The media spends is way to cozy with the governments of the countries they operate in.

Say what you will about the quality of journalism in the US, but is as diverse, open, available and free as anywhere in the solar system. There is no singular view; you can easily find sources form any angle.