So I Have A Gun . . .

There is a time and place for guns.  I live in Arizona – a big pro-gun state.  We love guns so much that the state legislature is in the process of having the Colt revolver declared as the official state gun.  When you go shopping, some stores have signs that say “No handguns” because we can carry our guns just about everywhere unless they specifically tell us we can’t.  My school is even considering allowing guns on campus.  They’ve tried  to outlaw cigarettes on campus but guns are ok.

I moved to Phoenix shortly after my grandmother died.  Since I didn’t have a job yet, I was the one who was responsible for being on site for the cleaning out and selling of her house.   When I was doing my final walk-through to make sure that we had everything out of house, I discovered an oddly shaped fabric case on a high shelf in her closet.  It was my father’s hunting rifle.  I never knew he had a gun.  I took it to my house and it has been in my closet ever since.  It’s a beautiful weapon, but I don’t fire it.

guns and ammo
Image by darkly_seen via Flickr

Now, I am all for responsible gun ownership.  I have shot a number of guns: rifles, handguns, and an M-16.  People laughed very hard at me when I learned the hard way that I didn’t have my gun pulled all the way into my shoulder before firing it.  I have had my fair share of gun-related bruises.

I heard that a friend of a friend always opens her door holding her gun.  It was handy for making solicitors go away.  I don’t like being bothered at home, so I decided to try it.  The next time the doorbell rang, I opened the door with my dad’s gun in my hands (just holding it, not pointing it at anyone).  There was a little Hispanic man going door-to-door offering to help with my lawn (and I don’t have a lawn).  He was so surprised to see a person with a gun.  He looked so scared.  I realized at that point that I don’t want to live in a world where people answer their doors holding guns.

I think one of the problems with the U.S. is that we’re conditioned to believe that the unfamiliar is scary and that people inherently want to hurt each other.  It lends itself to always being on guard and looking for the bad instead of being rational and enjoying the good in life.

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