Gun and US

We love our guns. They hold a fascination for us. Guns are part of what defines us as a nation. From the Revolutionary War to every war we’ve been in; all the way back to the Old West to modern day drive by shootings. Guns and America. Despite what the fear mongers might be saying, the two are inseparable. No matter who might be President.
Our constitution guarantees our right to bear arms. I have no quarrel with that concept. I don’t spend any time pondering what the founding fathers had in mind or wondering about the presence of the famous comma. But gun ownership is a lot like owning and using a car. With both comes the enormous burden of responsible use. Cars used irresponsibly can cause damage, injury and even death. Just like guns. Of course with a car you sometimes have a chance to hit the brakes and/or swerve to avoid an accident. But once a bullet has left the barrel, there are no brakes or swerving to be done. It stops when it hits something. Or someone.
Over the course of the last few months I’ve attended several Carry Concealed Weapons (CCW) classes. A friend is the instructor and asked if I’d care to join other students. Probably because he wanted to give me a different perspective on gun ownership. I’m glad he did. The class was informative, well taught and quite an eye opener. He covered the effectiveness of the different firearms, in relation to self defense, from rifles, shotguns to pistols. He discussed the stopping power and the practical and legal use of those firearms. I won’t go into detail as to his recommendations, that’s for another day.
What struck me about the students, gun owners, was the utter lack of knowledge of the four basic gun safety rules. The mentality that because someone has been shooting for years that they are competent enough to own and safely operate a gun. The “I learned how to shoot from my Uncle” thinking. Equally disturbing, it appeared that many of the guns hadn’t been cleaned in years and I’m guessing that the majority of the students wouldn’t even know how. Yet, they can and do legally own as many guns as they can afford. It’s their constitutional right.
I don’t have a quarrel with the Second Amendment. So be it. But if you own a gun, for crying out loud, get to a gun safety class. And take everyone in your family, especially your children and grandchildren. Forget about what you think you know about shooting; forget about what some friend or family member taught you. Go learn about that gun, rifle, shotgun or whatever firearm you may possess. Take a gun safety class, preferably one that includes practice on a firing range. Don’t worry about the cost. What is preventing a fatal accident worth? And learn about proper maintenance. You won’t be sorry.