This title contends that an understanding of America's gun controversy cannot be found in statistics documenting the rise (or fall) of violent crime, or in examining trade-offs between societal needs and personal safety, or in following the political maneuvering of advocacy groups such as the National Rifle Association or Everytown for Gun Safety. At heart, the gun controversy is a values conflict involving how people see themselves and how they make sense of the world they live in. Understanding this controversy requires a deep analysis of the profoundly different cultures inhabited by pro- and anti-gun activists, lawmakers, and voters. As a social scientist who has explored how values and self-perceptions impact behavior, this author explores the origins and evolution of cultures in American society; the beliefs, experiences, and principles that guide behavior of members in both camps; and the triumphs and failures they have experienced from colonial times to the present day.