I am given a lot of thought to the gun controversy in this country. I cringe every time a gun is used to commit a crime and the media grabs it. I have written some of my thoughts down and if you gave the time, maybe you can comment. It is long, sorry.....I think a lot! 
My name is (Deleted for anonymity). I have owned and shot all kinds of guns. My parents gave me my first BB gun when I was 7. A Daisy Red Rider like in “A Christmas Story.” I shot that gun in our basement with a heavy blanket as a back stop. 2 years later I got 2 more BB/ pellet air guns for Christmas (1964). A pistol that used CO2 cartridges, it looked like a Colt 45, and a Crosman 176 pump type air rifle. I also received a nice steel target box with moving targets inside. More time spent in the basement! We moved to a new home in 1966 that included 6 acres of land with a small pond and woods. Beyond our property there was swamp, prairie, and more woods. I enjoyed using my guns outdoors. My father bought a 22 caliber rifle and he had a 12 gauge shotgun that I was welcome to use. That Christmas I received a 20 gauge shotgun of my own. My friends and I enjoyed hunting, shooting at targets, and trap shooting. I would often go hunting after school. I would walk through our property and keep on going, often for another mile or 2 through the woods and prairies. I loved being outdoors summer or winter. I sometimes exited the woods more than a mile from home and hitched a ride back. I even got a ride from a County Sheriff once in a marked car! No one saw any problem with me using a gun or walking home on the street with one after I unloaded it. Imagine doing that today!
Now I am 58. Times have changed. I am an NRA member. I joined because they fight for the 2nd amendment. I am also an ordained Deacon in the Catholic Church. I have a Lifetime License to Carry a handgun in the state of Indiana. I never carry a concealed weapon, but I believe that individuals who are not criminals or mentally challenged should be able to do so as law abiding Americans. I am proud that Indiana has allowed this privilege to continue. I have lots of handguns, a 22 rifle, my dad’s old shotgun, and a cool looking gun that is a lot of fun to shoot. It is a S&W AR15-22. Yup one of those “assault” rifles that some would like to ban. It is a 22 caliber and is very low cost to shoot. I take it along with other guns to a range on a regular basis. I have friends who join me there. We can spend a couple of hours together and enjoy the weather if we are outdoors. One buddy brought his 20 year old daughter along. Her first time shooting and she loved it! Some of the wives have joined in the fun. We are not cowboys, gang members, or criminals. We enjoy our sport as much as those who bowl, play bingo, or golf. There are many of us who enjoy the shooting sports. Hunters, skeet and trap shooters, and guys like us who like the feel of a well made gun. Hitting a target can be a competitive challenge.
So what’s my point in this? America is seeking answers. How to stop the killing? Yes guns are often in the hands of criminals who do not value life as we do. The right and left are battling to decide if I can keep my guns, buy more, or continue to shoot. I believe that some compromises need to be made. We have had to give up a lot of rights in the interest of safety since 9-11. We are subject to searches in airports, schools, federal and municipal buildings. We need passports now even if we are going to Canada. Perhaps gun owners will need to lose some of their rights, too.
The real problem is that guns are getting into the hands of criminals and crazies. With this in mind, a background check makes sense. A background check, through the FBI, insures that the person has no criminal record. This procedure is used when you purchase a new gun. I have no problem with this rule. There are ways around this. A seller who is not a dealer can transfer ownership of a gun without a background check. This is a loophole that should be closed. I should know that the person I am selling a gun to is not a criminal.
The next problem we face is the fact that many guns used by criminals are stolen. I believe that every gun owner has the obligation to keep his gun or guns locked up when not in use. I have a gun safe where I keep most of my guns. I have 1 gun that is reserved for self defense of my home and family. This gun is kept in a small safe in a drawer where it can be reached in an emergency. None of my guns are accessible without the key codes that my wife and I share. Our grand-kids are safe. The guns are safe. All guns come with a trigger lock to prevent unauthorized use. This will not keep a gun from being stolen. Gun owners should lock their guns in a safe place. A cabinet or safe is not that expensive. Any gun that is stolen should immediately be reported to the police. Keep a record of the serial #s. I have pictures of each gun that I own along with the serial #s and make and model.
The last point that I wish to make is I am not a criminal! I stated this earlier. I and the gun makers and sellers should not lose the right to own, use, purchase, sell, or carry any gun that is legal today! Assault weapons are rifles and handguns that have moveable stocks, extra hand grips, and often larger capacity magazines. They are simply different looking guns. The problem is that we see these used in movies and video games where many people are killed. Maybe it is time for our entertainment industry to step up and limit who can see these movies or play these video games. They have a huge affect on young minds.
Limiting access to the guns by law abiding citizens is not the answer! New taxes and ammo limits won’t fix the problem either! We cannot legislate what a criminal will do! They don’t follow rules!
I live in NW Indiana near Chicago. I watch the news from Chicago and the killing is sickening. You cannot legally have a gun on your person unless you are a law enforcement officer in the city, yet hundreds of people are shot there every year. What if you could carry a gun legally in Chicago? Would the criminals be so quick to shoot? Statistics say no! Chicago has a huge problem with gangs and drugs. The only way to stop the killing is drive them out or off of the streets. The best method to drive them away is harassment! Yes, stop anyone suspected of criminal intent. Standing on a corner, driving a car, you don’t look right, the police will stop you. Pat them down, check for warrants, take them in for ANYTHING! Littering, loitering, spitting on the sidewalk…take them in! Sure they will be back out tomorrow, but the message will be sent. We are watching your every move. You cannot do business on our streets. We will search you and your car every time we stop you! Not legal you say? The police usually find a way around this. I thought I saw drugs in the car. I smelled alcohol. The suspect was acting suspiciously. They will get the message! Law abiding citizens have nothing to worry about. I would not mind being detained for a few minutes if I knew that the police were doing their job. This type of enforcement has worked elsewhere. It will mean that the police have more work to do, but this is their job! They are getting paid to do this. A few months of this police work will result in fewer criminals on the street and a safer place for law abiding citizens to live.
These are my thoughts. They are not going to make either side happy, but I believe that they make sense. Maybe it is time be sensible and stop arguing!
Thoughts from a Gun Owner to Gun Haters
My name is (Deleted for anonymity). I have owned and shot all kinds of guns. My parents gave me my first BB gun when I was 7. A Daisy Red Rider like in “A Christmas Story.” I shot that gun in our basement with a heavy blanket as a back stop. 2 years later I got 2 more BB/ pellet air guns for Christmas (1964). A pistol that used CO2 cartridges, it looked like a Colt 45, and a Crosman 176 pump type air rifle. I also received a nice steel target box with moving targets inside. More time spent in the basement! We moved to a new home in 1966 that included 6 acres of land with a small pond and woods. Beyond our property there was swamp, prairie, and more woods. I enjoyed using my guns outdoors. My father bought a 22 caliber rifle and he had a 12 gauge shotgun that I was welcome to use. That Christmas I received a 20 gauge shotgun of my own. My friends and I enjoyed hunting, shooting at targets, and trap shooting. I would often go hunting after school. I would walk through our property and keep on going, often for another mile or 2 through the woods and prairies. I loved being outdoors summer or winter. I sometimes exited the woods more than a mile from home and hitched a ride back. I even got a ride from a County Sheriff once in a marked car! No one saw any problem with me using a gun or walking home on the street with one after I unloaded it. Imagine doing that today!
Now I am 58. Times have changed. I am an NRA member. I joined because they fight for the 2nd amendment. I am also an ordained Deacon in the Catholic Church. I have a Lifetime License to Carry a handgun in the state of Indiana. I never carry a concealed weapon, but I believe that individuals who are not criminals or mentally challenged should be able to do so as law abiding Americans. I am proud that Indiana has allowed this privilege to continue. I have lots of handguns, a 22 rifle, my dad’s old shotgun, and a cool looking gun that is a lot of fun to shoot. It is a S&W AR15-22. Yup one of those “assault” rifles that some would like to ban. It is a 22 caliber and is very low cost to shoot. I take it along with other guns to a range on a regular basis. I have friends who join me there. We can spend a couple of hours together and enjoy the weather if we are outdoors. One buddy brought his 20 year old daughter along. Her first time shooting and she loved it! Some of the wives have joined in the fun. We are not cowboys, gang members, or criminals. We enjoy our sport as much as those who bowl, play bingo, or golf. There are many of us who enjoy the shooting sports. Hunters, skeet and trap shooters, and guys like us who like the feel of a well made gun. Hitting a target can be a competitive challenge.
So what’s my point in this? America is seeking answers. How to stop the killing? Yes guns are often in the hands of criminals who do not value life as we do. The right and left are battling to decide if I can keep my guns, buy more, or continue to shoot. I believe that some compromises need to be made. We have had to give up a lot of rights in the interest of safety since 9-11. We are subject to searches in airports, schools, federal and municipal buildings. We need passports now even if we are going to Canada. Perhaps gun owners will need to lose some of their rights, too.
The real problem is that guns are getting into the hands of criminals and crazies. With this in mind, a background check makes sense. A background check, through the FBI, insures that the person has no criminal record. This procedure is used when you purchase a new gun. I have no problem with this rule. There are ways around this. A seller who is not a dealer can transfer ownership of a gun without a background check. This is a loophole that should be closed. I should know that the person I am selling a gun to is not a criminal.
The next problem we face is the fact that many guns used by criminals are stolen. I believe that every gun owner has the obligation to keep his gun or guns locked up when not in use. I have a gun safe where I keep most of my guns. I have 1 gun that is reserved for self defense of my home and family. This gun is kept in a small safe in a drawer where it can be reached in an emergency. None of my guns are accessible without the key codes that my wife and I share. Our grand-kids are safe. The guns are safe. All guns come with a trigger lock to prevent unauthorized use. This will not keep a gun from being stolen. Gun owners should lock their guns in a safe place. A cabinet or safe is not that expensive. Any gun that is stolen should immediately be reported to the police. Keep a record of the serial #s. I have pictures of each gun that I own along with the serial #s and make and model.
The last point that I wish to make is I am not a criminal! I stated this earlier. I and the gun makers and sellers should not lose the right to own, use, purchase, sell, or carry any gun that is legal today! Assault weapons are rifles and handguns that have moveable stocks, extra hand grips, and often larger capacity magazines. They are simply different looking guns. The problem is that we see these used in movies and video games where many people are killed. Maybe it is time for our entertainment industry to step up and limit who can see these movies or play these video games. They have a huge affect on young minds.
Limiting access to the guns by law abiding citizens is not the answer! New taxes and ammo limits won’t fix the problem either! We cannot legislate what a criminal will do! They don’t follow rules!
I live in NW Indiana near Chicago. I watch the news from Chicago and the killing is sickening. You cannot legally have a gun on your person unless you are a law enforcement officer in the city, yet hundreds of people are shot there every year. What if you could carry a gun legally in Chicago? Would the criminals be so quick to shoot? Statistics say no! Chicago has a huge problem with gangs and drugs. The only way to stop the killing is drive them out or off of the streets. The best method to drive them away is harassment! Yes, stop anyone suspected of criminal intent. Standing on a corner, driving a car, you don’t look right, the police will stop you. Pat them down, check for warrants, take them in for ANYTHING! Littering, loitering, spitting on the sidewalk…take them in! Sure they will be back out tomorrow, but the message will be sent. We are watching your every move. You cannot do business on our streets. We will search you and your car every time we stop you! Not legal you say? The police usually find a way around this. I thought I saw drugs in the car. I smelled alcohol. The suspect was acting suspiciously. They will get the message! Law abiding citizens have nothing to worry about. I would not mind being detained for a few minutes if I knew that the police were doing their job. This type of enforcement has worked elsewhere. It will mean that the police have more work to do, but this is their job! They are getting paid to do this. A few months of this police work will result in fewer criminals on the street and a safer place for law abiding citizens to live.
These are my thoughts. They are not going to make either side happy, but I believe that they make sense. Maybe it is time be sensible and stop arguing!
I am up for suggestions.
Probably
