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GUN FOR YOU?
The technology of the past century affecting, for example, travel; from Ford's Model T to space travel...even a drive on the moon, is no more radical a change and improvement to that particular technology than flintlock pistols in the 1820's to the first semi-automatic pistol with a large capacity magazine used in Europe and America beginning in 1896. I can verify from research for my writing that the sheriffs and marshall's and the families of 150 years ago were using the same firearms to keep the peace and protect themselves that the crooks were using to break the laws and take over sections of a frontier town. And, it hasn't changed one single bit in our day. From my first-hand experience as a cop I've used the same type and make of pistol against a crook that he had in his hand ready to use against me. And, I've taken the same type and make of pistol from a citizen/business owner for later ballistics testing that the man had used against an armed robber as we took from the hand of a D.O.A. crook in his attempt to rob and kill the owner. Guns are a part of America, and they're not going away. And, why should they. They're as much of our history as a gas combustion engine that first began in a four wheeled carriage before it was put into that Model T. At least, when a debate about firearms takes place between people who have no political agenda or personal vendettas, seldom does either side voice an extreme position. Extreme positions like ban handguns as some very angry people and opportunist-seeking political candidates have advocated or the other extreme; to require citizens to own a firearm for safety and police "back up" as one small town tried four years ago. Sadly, the debate over the constitutional rights of gun owners versus those who long for a gun-free society looms over our next national election. But, even worse than sad is what this extortive political agenda will do to our ability to get along with "each others freedoms". The fight over guns will be every bit as intense and angry as the fight over abortion has been for a quarter of a century. Well, here at home let's consider something just as important: if you are one of America's 80 million gunowners (as I am), and if gun ownership for you includes protection as well as sport (as it does for me), we have an obligation. Being armed with a gun must include being effective and safe too. Most of us are! But, a few will benefit from the "The 5 Criteria Before Loading" I lay out here for you. Frankly, a few gun owners believe that buying the gun, loading it, pointing it, and pulling the trigger is enough—that the gun will then take care of business. They're as wrong as the people who believe guns are the source of violence. Guns cannot in themselves protect people from violence any more than they can initiate violence. An attorney told me, (a single mom) "I have a gun at home, but I've never shot it—would you show me how?" We met at the firing range, and she shot thirty to forty rounds. I suggested we talk about what it would take from her to, at close range, use it against a man. She didn't want to discuss it. She's an armed woman due to fear, and to her credit, doing something about it, but unless she's done more than that one hour on the range, she's not safe and effective, too. With that limited experience, no one can be ready to kill a man at close range. The gun owner with protection in mind fires thirty or forty bullets from a fifty-bullet box of pistol ammunition who then goes home, loads up, and believes they're ready for a gunfight in their living room is kidding only themselves. We can't discuss protection against home intruders without discussing "home guns." In this story, the homeowner is a cop. A cop's oath of office directs him to react against serious crime far differently from a citizen. That's why many policemen, including the one in this story, don't try to escape when trouble confronts them. I'm including this account to emphasize how dangerous confronting an armed intruder can be—even for a cop.
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America
awakened to the sound of gunfire almost two and one-half centuries
ago. From that time to now, firearms have been used for good and
bad.