Be careful with how you throw around your "not very American at all" claims.

America is a big place. It is unwise to presume you know all of it.

In my part of it, most of us think letting people die of privation due to misfortune and societal factors outside their control in such a wealthy society is cruel and foolish (read history to understand why it is foolish). In my part of America, most of us also think letting random individuals own weapons constructed purposely for killing multiple humans quickly is absolutely insane.

YMMV