Pulling a gun
These are the stories of my experiences pulling a gun to stop crimes, and how it differs from the stereotypes. In my life, I have personally used a gun to end an altercation three times. A rape, an armed car robbery, and a drug dealer or pederast trying to pedal something on a not so helpless young lad.
Contents
Rape is not OK
- REDIRECT 1980 🔫 Rape is not OK
Grand Theft Auto
- REDIRECT 1994 🔫 Grand Theft Auto
Those Hollywood Hills
- REDIRECT 1978 🔫 Those Hollywood Hills
Conclusion
Now I realize the plural of anecdote is not data, and I'm not trying to say this is representative of everyone with a gun. But the media loves to bombard us with selective anecdotes about how guns ruined lives, but almost never about the many, many millions of times a year more, where they are just used for hobby, sport or self defense. This is just some of those. You can read about my experience shooting, if you want another.
In all three cases the results could have been far more tragic had I not had a gun.
Of course these experiences are rare. Most people will never have to deal with any of these events. Let alone 3 different ones. I'm just lucky I guess (sarcasm) -- I've been hit by a car 4 times (not one even vaguely my fault), broken my left arm 4 different times, found one suicide victim, saw another jump (actually more land outside my window of a rather tall office building). Cracked my head open in the Sierra Mountains (and get flown out by Helicopter). Survived two (very minor) parachute malfunctions while skydiving (out of two jumps). Oh well, it keeps life interesting and gives me stories to tell. I'm just one of those people that has things happen around (and too), and has learned to be observant enough to catch on to what is going on around them. (Call it a defense mechanism).
In all cases I could have ignored the situation or been apathetic or concerned only about self-preservation -- and some say should not have done anything and just let society continue its entropy into anarchy out of disinterest or fear. But I think society is made better when people stand up for what is right, do get involved and stop injustice. I'm not saying they should seek out trouble or be vigilantes, but we should not hide from our societal responsibilities (and what goes on around us) out of blinding fear.
My wife (then girlfriend) was anti-guns and afraid of guns before we got together. But I believe in guns and gun safety. I wouldn't tolerate her being around guns (which I had in my condo) without learning how to handle them. So I quickly taught her the basics of guns -- how to unload, reload, activate the safety, and gun safety basics. This gave her enough confidence to ask to go shooting. After that, her attitude flip-flopped 180 degrees after a few quick lessons. She "got it", guns are a dangerous tool that deserves respect and proper safety, just like a car -- but like a car is used far more often for good (or for fun) than for harm. Guns are used 2.5M times a year to stop crimes or preserve self, and only 8K to murder, and 3/4ths of those are by blacks and latino's, usually in gang related crimes. So the good to bad ratio is extremely positive. Which makes sense since most people are responsible, law abiding, and would only use a gun for defense or to stop a wrong rather than to commit one. If you fear/distrust guns, it seems like you really just fear/distrust your neighbors. I also recommend that everyon take a gun safety class, take a shooting class, and learn about the tool before they fear it, so they can at least make their opinions from a position of experience and not ignorance or fear of the unknown.
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A bad law is never going to convince me that I shouldn't have the right to defend myself (or others). The only thing bad gun laws can do is convert me from being a law-abiding peace-loving citizen (that feels a responsibility for protecting himself and his neighbors/friends/family), into a law-ignoring peace-loving criminal (that may eventually be imprisoned because some well-meaning fascists think it would be better for society than to allow me my constitutional and inalienable rights).
I often ask gun-control advocates how many people they're willing to persecute (imprison or have killed) for their cause. I'm not just being a dick, I'm sincerely asking the question. But most are afraid or unwilling to answer. If they could learn to answer it to themselves, we might have a lot more liberty and tolerance in the world.
Pulling a gun : Air Rifles • Getting my CCW • What’s shooting like? •
1997.07.11