Not too long ago during a casual group lunch, subjects finally rotated around to politics, the constitution and gun control. Several of the participants are gun owners. Several are not. I mentioned I recently purchased a 9mm pistol and I was asked why I wanted a gun. Actually, I was asked why I want to shoot people. I managed to keep my sarcasm in check and not say, “Because of stupid questions like the one you just asked.” While it would have made me feel much better, it certainly wouldn’t have helped the conversation.
My actual answer was "I don't want to shoot people. I want to shoot paper targets." It was about as diplomatic as I could muster at that point considering I had essentially just been asked why I had homicidal urges. (I don't by the way.)
My actual answer was "I don't want to shoot people. I want to shoot paper targets." It was about as diplomatic as I could muster at that point considering I had essentially just been asked why I had homicidal urges. (I don't by the way.)
I have several reasons why I want to own firearms (yes, I want more than one). Not a single one of them involves wanting to harm anyone, regardless of whether the person is a danger or not. In order, these are the primary reasons:
1. I like shooting. My father taught me to shoot rifles and I really enjoy it. Now I want to learn to shoot pistols. Shooting reminds me of fun times I spent with my dad. (He’s still alive, we just don’t live close enough to each other to go out and do these things together.)
2. I want to be able to hit the teeny, tiny circle in the middle of a target consistently. It is a skill and I’d like to develop it.
3. It is my Constitutional right and I choose to exercise it just like I exercise my right to vote.
4. I want to be able to defend myself, my family and my friends should the need ever arise.
Please note that wanting to shoot a person, hurt a person and kill a person are nowhere on that list. I know some will argue that that is implied in #4, but it isn't. I do not ever want to be in a situation that I need to defend myself and I try to avoid places and situations that put me in danger, but life happens and so does crime. What I want is the ability to survive such an encounter and save anyone with me if I need to do so. I would prefer that survival does not depend on me actually using my weapon, but if I am left no other choice, I want to use it properly and effectively. I don’t want to accidentally injure my companions or myself.
It is also worth noting that self-defense is the fourth reason on the list. The foremost reason I want to start shooting again is because it reminds me of fun times with my dad when I was a kid. He has some beautiful bolt-action rifles that are a lot of fun to shoot. We used to spend Saturday afternoons out at the Rod and Gun Club on Fort Bliss as a family. It was one of the few family activities that my teen-aged self didn't immediately rebel against.
To be clear, wanting to own a firearm does not equate to wanting to shoot people. Millions of legal gun owners go through life never having to use their weapons against another human being. I do not want to shoot anyone. Ever. I do not want to have to even point my gun at anyone. Ever.
So, for all of those reasons, I got my pistol—a Springfield Armory XDM 3.8” 9MM. Now, I am going to put lots of holes in paper targets. Paper targets, not people. 