There should be a required class in high school and again in college (for good measure) where the students observe a loaded firearm sitting on a table inside a locked room for a year to see how many people are killed with it.
If they cannot get passed that it is an inanimate object then they have to repeat the class until they do.
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Welcome to every new comer and thank you very much.
Please show respect to the Anti-Gun People and be a witness of your hard work, goal setting, training, and your endless practice and high respect of being safe.
Please do not show off your gear or show and tell of firearms, ammo, and please do not continually talk
of the dangers and the ill handling of any firearms from other people, the bad gun fights, and people being arrested for any abuse in any city or state.
No matter how much you share or teach to others, some people just will not agree on any gun owning,
gun training, true safety and safe operations of any firearm, and our wonderful gun laws to follow each
day, we must STOP. Some People know all things, have a lot of pride going the wrong way, and they will
stick their noses in the air and spread condemnation all over you and not being honest to you.
Please show respect and walk away. It is not your fault and you haven’t done anything wrong.
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I have been asked why I carry. I just tell them that I carry to protect my loved ones and myself.
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Had a couple anti gun co workers. I explained the recreational side, the zen, focus, calmness that shooting gives me. Seriously, I don’t much worry about the bad guys and didn’t bring up the self defense aspect. Had to endure the “big man with a gun” and “why do you need…” insults. Well, stuff happened, society turned to crap,these guys got worried, and they got their permits and pistols, Suddenly they’re telling me how fun shooting is…whatever. Gave up on lots of anti gun former friends. Different mindset, and as I didn’t want them to bear my children, nor did I want to bear theirs🤪, I simply decided to work more overtime rather than socialize, something that paid off well.
I just seem to be an in your face friendly happy guy, and think that helps the cause. Cracks me up thinking of the comments from the young women who say “I love your shirt” when I wore my “Winnie the Pew” to work a few times. Guaranteed a punisher skull type of shirt would not have created the same reaction…
Pretty sure the anti gunners turned pistol people I know don’t fight for the cause, but are simply pretty much only concerned about protecting their butts. Perhaps by now that’s changed,one can only hope. Did train and help a few new folks, who were never anti gun. Different mentality.
Now retired, I only hang out with pro 2a folks. Life is good.
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“In their eyes I am the one who is completely misguided, taking too much risk, and in error.”
This statement is so true, I have a sister who thinks totally opposite of me, we have agreed to never discuss anything political.
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I have a sister-in-law in the same category.
We find other things to talk about!
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A few years ago, early in my experience with firearms, I was having lunch with a coworker whom I considered a pretty close friend. We had shared lots about our families and had a really good relationship. Although he was born in an Asian nation, he has been in the States for most of his life and much prefers it there to his native country.
I mentioned that we had a false alarm on our home security system, which caused a Sheriff’s deputy to be dispatched to our house. The deputy checked out the house for my wife (who was home alone at the time), and it turned out to be a faulty sensor. They talked for a bit, and he suggested that we consider getting some training and owning a firearm (or two) to protect our home, in case of an ACTUAL break-in. We ended up taking his advice – although it took over 6 months to FIND training in our (anti-gun) area, schedule the training, take it, and buy his 'n her pistols. (and in the subsequent years, we have acquired other firearms)
In the middle of all that (before my wife and I had bought anything), I mentioned the story about the deputy’s visit to our house and his recommendation to us, to my friend at lunch. His response was flatly, “I don’t think ANYONE should have (or be able to buy) a gun”. At the time, I was flabbergasted. I now have access to far more information (facts) that I can recite in support of our decision, but at the time didn’t know where to go with such a flatly negative response. Honestly, it strained our relationship for years, knowing adamantly disapproved of something that I absolutely knew was a rational, smart choice.
Our relationship has mended a bit, post-COVID, but since that day I have NEVER mentioned firearms to him again. I have never even admitted that we followed the deputy sheriff’s advice. I’ve taken the NRA Basic Pistol, Basic Rifle, and Home Defense courses and had lots of range time (well, lots for THIS area anyway, where ranges are few and far between and all were shut down over the COVID year).
If he ever raises that topic again, I’ll be able to cite some facts, but I know that there’s not a snowball’s chance in Hades of ever changing an absolutely-held position like that – no doubt, nourished by watching crap like CNN and MSNBC. The best I would hope to do is plant some factual seeds that would perhaps soften up his position a bit.
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There is no way you can hope to change someone’s mind if they have an irrational fear or hatred of guns. So… don’t try! The problem lies in their perceived need to prevent you from having a gun because they fear or hate them. All you can do is tell them that you support their right NOT to have a gun and that you simply desire/expect them to support your (2nd Amendment) right to have one! Will that work? Not a chance… but, that’s all you can do! Then, try to change the subject! You’re not going to win!
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I tire easily of the same old, same old, anti-2A talking points. I also know that a debate is going to take time out of my day that I will never get back and change know ones mind so I just simply explain that as Americans we are blessed with many rights, one of them being the the 2nd Amendment. We also have the right to exercise those rights or not. I choose to exercise my 2nd Amendment right, if you choose not to exercise yours I’m alright with that. If they continue with the why, why, why? I simply tell them that my reasons are personal and private; then tell them to have a nice day and walk away. Once they realize I’m not going to engage with them they quit.
On the other hand, if someone is truly interested and wants to have a conversation and not a debate I will give them all the time they want.
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Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force.
If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception.
Reason or force, that’s it. In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some.
When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force.
The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gang banger, and a single guy on equal footing with a car load of drunken guys with baseball bats.
The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.
There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations. These are the people who think that we’d be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for an armed mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger’s potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat–it has no validity when most of a mugger’s potential marks are armed.
People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that’s the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.
Then there’s the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser.
People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don’t constitute lethal force, watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level.
The gun is the only weapon that’s as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weight lifter. It simply wouldn’t work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn’t both lethal and easily employable.
When I carry a gun, I don’t do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I’m looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don’t carry it because I’m afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn’t limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation… and that’s why carrying a gun is a civilized act.
By Maj. L. Caudill,
USMC (Ret.)
So, the greatest civilization is one where all citizens are equally armed and can only be persuaded , never forced.
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The few times I have been directly asked “Why do you have/carry a gun?” , I have answered: “It is a tool to be used as a last resort for defense of life.”
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Because my cordless drill is too heavy to carry on my hip😉
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Speaking effectively with people who hold an anti-gun mindset pre-supposes that they also have at least the suggestion that they may be willing to consider new information which conflicts with their established position. If they hold their position sufficiently “set in stone”, then they aren’t listening to anything you have to say. so “effectiveness” isn’t possible. The only benefit to be gained by speaking to such immovable people is that by your calm and unemotional demeanor, your reliance on evidence, and your willingness to listen, you may at least leave an impression that maybe not all pro-gun people are trigger happy gun nuts.
When you judge that your audience is willing to engage in a rational discussion, then there are some…let’s say “tactics”… which can help.
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Maintain a calm and relaxed attitude. Avoid aggressive body language and facial expressions.
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Really listen to what the other side is saying. Don’t interrupt (unless the other side won’t let you get a word in edgewise) and politely insist that they allow you the same courtesy.
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Base your position(s) on real world evidence, preferably on evidence which is freely available to all. Even if the data is obscure or difficult to find it should be available for anyone to read. Relating personal experience can be useful but only as a secondary support of points based on real world data and the statistics derived from it. The goal is to establish points which are generally true for the majority of people rather than make them appear applicable to certain specific situations. Evaluate the data through objective logic and reason and use the conclusions to form your argument.
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Avoid telling them that their position or opinion is “wrong”. It is fine to correct factual inaccuracies (such as an AR15 being a machine gun), but even then it can be more productive to phrase it as simply correcting a “common misconception”. Remember that a person’s opinion is never “wrong”. Gently pointing out that they appear to have based their opinion on data which has been manipulated, or incomplete, or outright false gives them a way to reconsider without feeling stupid.
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Use your evidence to support your own positions in a positive way. Avoid being seen as always on the attack against their positions. That can quickly cause your audience to fall into a “siege mentality” wherein they must defend their position at all costs. You can shape your statements such that the evidence shows “a”, “b”, and “c” to be true, which supports your position of “d”. Leave it to your listener to realize that the evidence also negates their own conclusion. Anyone is much more likely to accept their error when they come to realize it on their own rather than having it shoved in their face.
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In the end, always be willing to “agree to disagree”. It’s not only a way to end a non-productive conversation but also a principle of free thought. Leave them with an encouragement to examine the data for themselves, and to also consider the source of the data to judge its reliability. Support the idea of them coming to their own conclusion rather than simply changing their mind to agree with you.
Some thoughts on the art of persuasion, subject to change in the face of new evidence.
Cheers.
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Education is the key. Sitting down with your relatives or anyone else that has the same fears - misuse, accidental discharge, etc. Traing to be a responsible Gun owner - just like learning to drive a car, takes time and practice. Also, just like your car is safer in your garage than on the street, your firearm is safest when inside your gun safe. No chance of discharge, or misuse. There are a lot of tools out there, many provided via the USCCA organization. Also being a member provides peace of mind as well. Lastly amd most importantly, using good old fashioned common sense is critical. Keeping politics and those that grandstand for personal gain out of the equation when you are trying to learn facts and proper course of action is what matters most.
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@Beth >>> Why does America fall short of showing that trying to treat a symptom
Will never control the cause. How can you communicate with the parents that lost their children at Sandy Hook Connecticut . Did someone forget to mention these things:question:
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