I’m speechless. I don’t understand how anyone thinks like that about their well-adjusted children. It isn’t like she has a history of violence or instability. 
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Did you ask why she feels that a handgun should be part of her lifestyle? Perhaps an ex-boyfriend is causing problems or other types of crime (drugs, gangs, etc.) are increasing in your city. Why are you so paranoid about an intelligent responsible young lady who has a firearm?
Red Arrow
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Articles like this gall me. Even if we assume this is a real situation Amy has a clear bias and no understanding of the subject matter.
We can get mad about stuff like this or we can try to change the equation. I sincerely doubt I’ll hear back from her but I wrote Amy and offered to educate her on the subject so that if she ever chooses to respond to another letter on the subject she might go in armed with knowledge rather than simply an anti gun bias and ignorance.
Here’s what I wrote her.
Dear Amy.
I’m not going to chastise you for your entirely prejudiced and ill informed response to this father but I am going to offer you an opportunity to learn from it if you are willing.
Let’s start with some basics.
Hollow points are not “exploding bullets”. That is a completely inaccurate depiction of them foisted about by anti gun activists.
Your closing shows not only a clear bias but ignorance. We have over 100,000,000 law abiding gun owners in the US and less than 1% of them will ever do anything unsafe with a firearm that results in harm to anyone.
You’re obviously an intelligent and at least fairly well educated person so I’m assuming that you would like to have some basis for your replies in the future on the subject of firearms.
Yes I’m quite irritated by your response to the father but I’m extending a willing hand to educate you to whatever degree you’d like to be educated on the subject. I am a certified USCCA and NRA Instructor, NRA Range Safety Officer and Chief Range Safety Officer as well as State Certified Texas License to Carry instructor. I have been a civilian instructor since the 70’s, a Military Instructor and have worked with numerous Police Agencies as well on everything from basic safe firearms handling, to the highest levels of self defense and combat shooting instruction.
Let me help you write better responses and articles in the future. CR
Now all that aside let’s address the father. It’s his house and he’s perfectly within his rights to forbid his daughter from having a gun in or on his property.
What this story tells me is that if it is true he needs to do some serious work on his relationship with the girl because it’s obvious there’s some real problems. Why was his first reaction to write a histrionic letter to some newspaper columnist rather than sitting down with his daughter for a good long talk to understand what is going on in her life?
Both Amy and the father are acting solely out of bias and emotion and making zero attempt to understand the situation or learn anything.
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I’d encourage others to write her similar responses.
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I looked for a link to reply a few days ago but all I could find was the syndicated news posts. If you have the link handy, share? I’ll play.
I’m going to make a statement that the group may disagree with.
Amy gave good advice to the parent in regards to sticking to his ultimatum. Despite the irrational fear, stereotyping, and outright false information…at the end of the day…it’s the dad’s house…and the daughter is an adult. If you don’t like my rules (regardless of how irrational they are), then don’t live under my roof. If you want to live under my roof, then you need to abide by my rules. Period. This is exactly why kids need to leave the house once they turn into adults (IMO).
I hope the daughter packs up her suitcase and handgun, finds a great apartment, takes a few training classes to become proficient and a range regular, buys a couple more handguns and an AR and/or shotgun, finds a loving husband at the range she goes to, goes to the range 2 weekends a month as a couple, and has two adorable babies that grow up to love shooting sports, respect handguns and have an appreciation for the 2nd Amendment that their “irrational Pa Pa” apparently has such disdain for. And I’m doing a little jig to celebrate one more responsible gun owner in the Country.
But the final advice for the father to stick to his ultimatum, I think is fine. Although, I do question choice#1 since he seems to have zero knowledge about guns, what makes him feel safe with it in his possession? Like I said, irrational, but his right all the same.
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I went to her website and used the contact email address.
askamy@amydickinson.com
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@WildRose thank you, all I could find was her Twitter account, and I don’t Twit.
I’ll post after I reply, and keep you updated on anything I get back.
While he’s certainly within his rights to issue the ultimatum he’s completely wrong in his approach and all he’s doing is damaging any hope of a good relationship with his daughter in the future.
When you react out of fear, ignorance, and emotion odds are it’s going to hurt you in the future and that’s what he’s doing.
He’d be far better off reconsidering his own position, getting educated on the subject, and learning to communicate with the daughter.
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Tweeting is for twits and those who have no choice because it’s a job requirement.
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I clicked on the thumbs-up button, but I want to like it more than just once!
@WildRose , these are for you. 
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I don’t disagree, with anything you wrote there. That would be a better approach.
However at the end of the day if that’s still his position on guns, then he should stick to his guns (pun intended) about rules in his home.
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You know if the girl was a teenager I’d probably agree but in this case they are both adults.
That being the case he should at least be open to talking with her and maybe she could set him on the right path.
In the end, it’s his house and his rules but any reasonable adult should be willing to reconsider a position based solely on ignorance and prejudice and be willing then to change if they can be persuaded by a logical, factual argument.
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sadly, I think there’s only one reasonable adult in this situation, and it’s the daughter.
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Hey now, I use twitter! 
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And your boss makes you do it!
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All the more reason for the daughter to move on out. Why subject yourself to that?
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Sometimes we’ll put up with a lot and go beyond what’s “reasonable” to get along with family members and maintain peace.
I have my doubts that this story is even true but assuming it is, this is a father and daughter who will still be family after this is resolved.
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I am not so sure about that. A gun issue has put a permanent wedge between my sister and I. I will not go into details as it is a personal matter (and you would only be hearing my side of the issue) but I can safely say there is less then a 1/2 % chance we will ever talk again.
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