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Publius · 07-05-2004, 04:08 PM

Pro-gun/anti-gun, such a black & white choice isn't it? What about those of us who end up somewhere in the middle, like me for instance. Growing up in a very rural region of the mid-west I grew up with guns in my house just like everyone else that I knew as a kid did. Reflecting back on my childhood, though, I’ve realized something. When you grow up with guns in the house, you learn how to treat them with a great deal of respect and learn the proper do’s and don’ts of gun ownership (like never point one at anything you don’t want to kill, whether it is loaded or not). Like most kids I knew, I took gun safety courses and training exercises from our local chapter of the NRA and became quit a good marksmen too.

But herein lies the problem, many gun owners have never taken a gun safety course or ever been properly trained in gun ownership. Now, I share the common sentiment that most pro-gun people have, that any responsible adult should have the right to own arms, per the 2nd amendment. The problem I have is with the word “responsible” because as it is there is no real way to gage just how responsible a person will be with their guns. This is why I am in favor of gun handling training in all of our public schools, if nothing more then to teach people what to do if they happen to find a weapon lying around, and some form of gun “drivers licence” that shows that a person has satisfactorily completed a gun ownership safety and usage course (preferably one that is well established like those offered by the NRA). If a person is unwilling to take such a course then I don’t think that they should be allowed to own a gun because they have not demonstrated that they are a responsible citizen (just like people who don’t bother to resister shouldn’t be allowed to vote come election day). Would this be an undo burden upon gun owners? I don’t believe so as most people would be able to pass the course easily, and some of them could probably use a refresher course in gun safety anyway (I have met more then a few actually who I have wanted to smack upside the head for mishandling their weapon). So what does this make me? Pro-gun or Anti-gun? How about pro-gun for those willing to demonstrate that they are responsible enough citizens to exercise their 2nd amendment right.

07-05-2004, 04:08 PM	#60 (permalink)
Publius Crazy Location: Never Never Land	Pro-gun/anti-gun, such a black & white choice isn't it? What about those of us who end up somewhere in the middle, like me for instance. Growing up in a very rural region of the mid-west I grew up with guns in my house just like everyone else that I knew as a kid did. Reflecting back on my childhood, though, I’ve realized something. When you grow up with guns in the house, you learn how to treat them with a great deal of respect and learn the proper do’s and don’ts of gun ownership (like never point one at anything you don’t want to kill, whether it is loaded or not). Like most kids I knew, I took gun safety courses and training exercises from our local chapter of the NRA and became quit a good marksmen too. But herein lies the problem, many gun owners have never taken a gun safety course or ever been properly trained in gun ownership. Now, I share the common sentiment that most pro-gun people have, that any responsible adult should have the right to own arms, per the 2nd amendment. The problem I have is with the word “responsible” because as it is there is no real way to gage just how responsible a person will be with their guns. This is why I am in favor of gun handling training in all of our public schools, if nothing more then to teach people what to do if they happen to find a weapon lying around, and some form of gun “drivers licence” that shows that a person has satisfactorily completed a gun ownership safety and usage course (preferably one that is well established like those offered by the NRA). If a person is unwilling to take such a course then I don’t think that they should be allowed to own a gun because they have not demonstrated that they are a responsible citizen (just like people who don’t bother to resister shouldn’t be allowed to vote come election day). Would this be an undo burden upon gun owners? I don’t believe so as most people would be able to pass the course easily, and some of them could probably use a refresher course in gun safety anyway (I have met more then a few actually who I have wanted to smack upside the head for mishandling their weapon). So what does this make me? Pro-gun or Anti-gun? How about pro-gun for those willing to demonstrate that they are responsible enough citizens to exercise their 2nd amendment right.