--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't believe in a country where it's…" description: "\"“I don't believe in a country where it's more acceptable to see two men holding guns than two men holding hands.”\" — Brian Whitaker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/brian-whitaker-56119_amendment_i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s_36498.jpg" --- # I don't believe in a country where it's more acceptable to… ![“I don't believe in a country where it's more acceptable to see two men holding guns than two men holding hands.” quote by Brian Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/brian-whitaker-56119_amendment_i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s_36498.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/brian-whitaker-56119_amendment_i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s_36498.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/brian-whitaker-56119_amendment_i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s_36498.jpg) > ““I don't believe in a country where it's more acceptable to see two men holding guns than two men holding hands.”” [Brian Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-whitaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques a culture that normalizes violence over affection, urging a shift toward valuing emotional intimacy over aggression. **In simple terms:** Criticism of violent norms Key Takeaway Prioritize love over guns Themes social critique gender norms violence empathy cultural values Mood defiant hopeful critical Type political philosophical When to use this quote - public policy debates - media commentary - activist speeches - educational curricula - personal reflection Key Concepts masculinity peace human connection social acceptance Practical Applications - advocacy campaigns - community workshops Questions to Reflect On - How does society define masculinity? - What would change if affection were celebrated over aggression? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) [Equality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/equality/) [Guns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guns/) [Holding hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holding-hands/) ## Related quotes > [How sad now never to see men holding hands, while everywhere one looks they are holding guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/how-sad-now-never-to-see-men-holding-hands-while-everywhere-one-looks/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Why is it that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-gaines/why-is-it-that-as-a-culture-we-are-more-comfortable-seeing-two-men/) [Ernest Gaines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-gaines/) > [It's really sad that in this world, people would rather see 2 men holding guns, killing each other..than to see 2 men holding hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-really-sad-that-in-this-world-people-would-rather-see-2-men/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The greatest evils in the world will not be carried out by men with guns, but by men in suits sitting behind desks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-greatest-evils-in-the-world-will-not-be-carried-out-by-men-with/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/a-body-of-men-holding-themselves-accountable-to-nobody-ought-not-to/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [What does it tell you that applications for guns since the shooting are up 41 percent in Colorado, and that our cameras found about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-williams/what-does-it-tell-you-that-applications-for-guns-since-the-shooting/) [Brian Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-williams/) > [Why do we even make guns? I'm not against gun control. I'm against guns, period. I'm against anything at all that is used as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/why-do-we-even-make-guns-i-m-not-against-gun-control-i-m-against-guns/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [We've had enough with the gun traffickers and straw purchasers who buy guns out of state and sell them out of the trunks of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-durbin/we-ve-had-enough-with-the-gun-traffickers-and-straw-purchasers-who/) [Dick Durbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-durbin/) > [“Do not fuck with gun nuts because they are nuts about their guns.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/do-not-fuck-with-gun-nuts-because-they-are-nuts-about-their-guns/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Banning guns, drugs, alcohol, premarital sex, political incorrectness, and gay marriage hasn't worked. We should ban Life. So long as even one of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rock-cowles/banning-guns-drugs-alcohol-premarital-sex-political-incorrectness-and/) [Rock Cowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rock-cowles/) > [They need to enforce how and who to give guns to. But there are Americans like me who are responsible, and they shouldn't take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-cerrone/they-need-to-enforce-how-and-who-to-give-guns-to-but-there-are/) [Donald Cerrone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-cerrone/) > [It's just too late to ban all guns. There are 300 million. We should've done that after the Civil War - that's when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-linklater/it-s-just-too-late-to-ban-all-guns-there-are-300-million-we-should-ve/) [Richard Linklater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-linklater/) > [I have a lot of guns on my ranch. I don't use them for hunting. I'm not a hunter. It's for protection. The Second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-norris/i-have-a-lot-of-guns-on-my-ranch-i-don-t-use-them-for-hunting-i-m-not/) [Chuck Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-norris/) > [Guns aren't the problem; sick people are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/guns-aren-t-the-problem-sick-people-are/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) ## More by Brian Whitaker > [“There is an important distinction to be drawn between tolerance of homosexuality and tolerance of sex tourism.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/there-is-an-important-distinction-to-be-drawn-between-tolerance-of/) [Brian Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-whitaker/) > [“Denial is the first line of defence against a problem and also the easiest, since it requires no action. In Saudi Arabia, denial is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/denial-is-the-first-line-of-defence-against-a-problem-and-also-the/) [Brian Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-whitaker/) > [“Sexual rights are not only a basic element of human rights but should have an integral part in moves towards Arab reform ...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/sexual-rights-are-not-only-a-basic-element-of-human-rights-but-should/) [Brian Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-whitaker/) > [“The idea of a licentious West that many Arabs hold today closely mirrors the view that Europeans had of the Middle East a couple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/the-idea-of-a-licentious-west-that-many-arabs-hold-today-closely/) [Brian Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-whitaker/) > [“It is worth recalling that Britain, over several centuries, waged a war against homosexuality - in the name of religion, social order, decency, etc.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/it-is-worth-recalling-that-britain-over-several-centuries-waged-a-war/) [Brian Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-whitaker/) [Explore all 6 Brian Whitaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-whitaker/) ## More Amendment quotes > [There are a lot of people who want to retain the Eighth Amendment - I don't agree with that view myself - there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-want-to-retain-the-eighth-amendment-i/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [“Let's just make this easy. I'm in favor of a Constitutional amendment that would read something like this: 'Neither the federal government, nor any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-boortz/let-s-just-make-this-easy-i-m-in-favor-of-a-constitutional-amendment/) [Neal Boortz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-boortz/) > [If you reduce the guns and the ammo, you'll reduce the murders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-moore/if-you-reduce-the-guns-and-the-ammo-you-ll-reduce-the-murders/) [Michael Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-moore/) > [Gun control laws don't work. What is worse, they act perversely. While legitimate users of firearms encounter intense regulation, scrutiny and bureaucratic control, illicit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-d-polsby/gun-control-laws-don-t-work-what-is-worse-they-act-perversely-while/) Daniel D. Polsby > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Guns aren't the problem; sick people are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/guns-aren-t-the-problem-sick-people-are/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I don't think anybody who carries a rifle carries the future. Because I don't believe that you can really change the world by killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-don-t-think-anybody-who-carries-a-rifle-carries-the-future-because/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [“my folks wouldn't read a book if you put a gun to their dicks. but they read people all day long and always get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-conroy/my-folks-wouldn-t-read-a-book-if-you-put-a-gun-to-their-dicks-but/) [Pat Conroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-conroy/) > [Anybody who pretends that how you read the 10th and 11th Amendment doesn't have a fundamental impact on the things we care about is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/anybody-who-pretends-that-how-you-read-the-10th-and-11th-amendment/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Country lyrics often reference the NRA and firearms ownership as a way of life. Artists such as John Rich, Toby Keith, Sara Evans and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-pavlich/country-lyrics-often-reference-the-nra-and-firearms-ownership-as-a/) [Katie Pavlich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-pavlich/) > [“People who have attended Concealed Carry classes, and those already licensed, typically seem to demonstrate a higher degree of courtesy, responsibility and respect. Interestingly,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-behr/people-who-have-attended-concealed-carry-classes-and-those-already/) [Gary Behr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-behr/) [Browse all 2,041 Amendment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I don't believe in a country where it's more acceptable to see two men holding guns than two men holding hands.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Brian Whitaker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s-more-acceptable-to-see-two/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amendment" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s-more-acceptable-to-see-two/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/brian-whitaker-56119_amendment_i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s_36498.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/brian-whitaker-56119_amendment_i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s_36498.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fbe/brian-whitaker-56119_amendment_i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s_36498.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I don't believe in a country where it's more acceptable to see two men holding guns than two men holding…” — Brian Whitaker", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Brian Whitaker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-whitaker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I don't believe in a country...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s-more-acceptable-to-see-two/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-whitaker/i-don-t-believe-in-a-country-where-it-s-more-acceptable-to-see-two/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```