Why guns?

Well, why not?  I really don’t understand why there even has to be a discussion.  We are surrounded by things that can be construed as dangerous, including the car in the garage and the propane tank next to the grill.  If it isn’t anybodies business how many chef’s knives I have in the house, then it isn’t anybodies business how many guns I have in the house, or what kind.  Just sayin’.

But, seriously, why have I decided to learn to shoot at this time? Several reasons.  First, it’s something I believe that you need to do right if you are going to do it, and when I had a 4 hour a day commute for work I just didn’t have the time I felt was necessary to practice and learn.  Second, I live in an area where police response time can be in the 15 to 20 minute range.  I seriously doubt the bad guys are going to want to sit and have a cuppa and conversation while waiting on the local deputy.  So home defense is on me.  And really, why shouldn’t it be?   To me it’s part of the pro-life ethic.  Life is a gift, including mine, and I have a right and a responsibility to protect it.  Third, I’m watching a situation develop in this country that I think can go south very fast once certain things come together:  a weak dollar driving fuel costs up, and that in turn driving all other costs up.  An entitlement mentality and a lack of fear of God.  Heat.  End result, civil unrest.  That’s the polite way of putting it.  Baltimore, D.C., Detroit, and God only knows how many other cities could see an explosion of rioting and destruction, see their centers burn to the ground, and I live close enough to major cities to be concerned about roving gangs out to do whatever mischief they can do.  You can say that we have the National Guard for such things, but my personal protection and the protection of my community is up to me and to others willing to pick up a gun and make it clear that we aren’t having any of it.  The National Guard will have its hands full in the cities.

And, yes, it’s fun.  Fun to find out that I’ve still got some eye-hand coordination.  Fun to handle well made guns.  Relaxing to sit and clean them afterward.  And I could so easily end up collecting – I love wood and steel that have been well handled and have become smooth with use and care.

I hope I never have to pull a trigger anywhere outside of a range.  But situations often move very fast – too fast for thought or discussion.  So if it ever happens, I don’t want to be fumbling around trying to remember step 1 step 2 step 3… It needs to just happen and happen right.  Discussion will have to wait until later.