Someone asked what causes people to amass lots of assault weapons.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Assault weapons give the illusion of providing power to the powerless.

Sort of like having a lot of money. But they don't have money.

Weapons and money when aimed at a target compels respect (if only fleetingly), fear, authority, intelligence, superiority, and a boost in the socio-economic strata.

I've had someone threaten me with his Magnum. You bet I listened to everything he said at the moment. We were no longer equal. He had the upper hand and there was nothing I could do about it.

En masse, I'd say the NRA and their advocacy of all kinds of weapons has given confidence and/or arrogance to members of Society who still feel oppressed, forgotten, not respected, unheard, and have no hope of advancing their level in Society.