Gun Shaming

[CAL.BAR]

Exactly. You wanna go around telling everyone what you own, you are just asking for it.

I heard gay people say the EXACT sort of thing. What are you hiding? Do people with nice cars go around hiding them?

[Merc1138]

I heard gay people say the EXACT sort of thing. What are you hiding? Do people with nice cars go around hiding them?

What is with you and wanting to compare gun owners to closeted gay people? The comparison you're trying to make, doesn't make a bit of sense. Unless there's some new thing going around where gay people are at risk of their "gay" being stolen.

BTW, no one just leaves a ferrari parked in the middle of the ghetto either. Sane people keep nice cars locked up in garages.

You might only own a hipoint or whatever, some of us on this forum have tens of thousands(some even more so) invested in their guns and do not want people getting ideas of where expensive unattended(because we have jobs) items are, since whether you like it or not, burglaries are a reality. Living in a nice neighborhood doesn't make you safe either if criminals know what you have, since criminals like to visit the nice neighborhoods because that's where the expensive stuff is. It's the same reason if you have your safe in your garage, you keep it hidden from view of the street when the garage door is open(at least 1 calgunner had a friend with a safe in the garage that got cut apart last year).

Protecting your property by keeping it from becoming public knowledge is not a new concept, isn't specific to gun ownership, and has nothing to do with being in the closet.

edit: Maybe you're one of those people who just doesn't understand that not everyone posts every aspect of their lives on facebook?

[readysetgo]

cal.bar can speak for himself and it's not my intention to step in for him, I don't particularly like the specific analogy BUT...

I think you're both misinterpreting each other. As a matter of practicality it's obviously wise to keep your cards close to your chest. As a matter of ideology/philosophy it's a terrible thing to do.

It's a stigma thing, it needs to be de-stigmatized if we ever want to stop pouring so much effort into defending something so fundamental.

merc1138 is right, of course, about this specific instance where a "friend" opens their mouth about what someone else owns. It's not good etiquette and is potentially dangerous, so caution was not ill advised.

eta: It should be mentioned that cal.bar walks the walk and isn't just suggesting you do what he's unwilling. He hosts monthly shoots for Calguns and in that capacity put's himself out there quite extensively. Is it a risk? Probably. Is he some sort of fancy pants glutton for punishment or ignoramace? Not even close.

It's not for everyone, if it were we wouldn't have nearly as much problems fighting anti 2a's as we do but everyone is different and that's OK by me.

[pilote]

i own guns but i am not a "gun nut". i don't ever bring up a conversation regarding guns. if i fall into one i just move away. i never reveal i own guns, not even to other gun owners, unless they bring it up and it's a private (not group) conversation...

bringing up the 2nd amendment issue is just a firestarter for a heated discussion and most often has you pegged as a gun zealot. i just don't have the time or interest in the discussion/argument. if i did have a friend who was seriously anti-gun, we wouldn't be real friends to begin with; that type of personality is a waste of friend time in my world...

...and quite frankly, a lot of gun enthusiasts are not the most interesting people to talk to to begin with lol...if all you have to talk about is guns, ammo, caliber, ccw etc., well you're no better to talk to than a video gamer...

[Merc1138]

merc1138 is right, of course, about this specific instance where a "friend" opens their mouth about what someone else owns. It's not good etiquette and is potentially dangerous, so caution was not ill advised.

Exactly. There's a huge difference between you telling someone what you own, and having other people running their mouths telling random people what you own. If they're running their mouth to people you happen to know, who knows what they're saying to people you don't know. Those aren't friends, those are busybodies that cause problems.

Even if I were to decide to tell a random person that I happen to be a gun owner, that also doesn't mean I'm going to automatically include what I own, and where it's at. However because it's me handing out information about myself, I can control the amount of information as I see fit based on the situation. Obviously I could go to the range with a buttload of guns and have someone follow me home to see where I live, or mention something at the gun shop. That's not quite the same context as someone willing to tell a random person, who might tell someone else, and so on.

[Packy14]

Personally I've been trimming the herd of sheep friends in my life, not worth it.

[Sojournertruth]

simple self-esteem issue

desire for approval and inclusion is a natural weakness for many humans

"gun shaming" would tend to be more an issue of the person feeling the "shame" which is an emotion very much connected to a persons need to judge themselves by comparison to others. work on weak self esteem would be needed, rather than having less or more guns.

freedom is an internal experience you can learn to give yourself

[readysetgo]

That's not quite the same context as someone willing to tell a random person, who might tell someone else, and so on.

You'll get no arguments from me.

OP has seemed willing to learn from the experience and responses so hopefully he will take caution in the future and maybe an elbow to the ribs of the guy who discloses info.

I get the feeling their both young and so, hope there's still plenty of learning to be done for both.

simple self-esteem issue

desire for approval and inclusion is a natural weakness for many humans

"gun shaming" would tend to be more an issue of the person feeling the "shame" which is an emotion very much connected to a persons need to judge themselves by comparison to others.

I think you're spot on BUT it needs to be pointed out that those doing the "shaming" are almost certainly aware of this tendency and are trying to use this to their advantage.

Not an excuse not to improve the self esteem thing but at least that is correctable.

[omgwtfbbq]

^ ^ ^ I was reading this and it occurred to me that it could be applicable to damn near any social/political topic - on both the right and the left. Although I doubt the poster was thinking in those terms. Good comment in any case.

Thanks Gem. I would apply the same steps to any topic socio-political topic.

[AntiScreed]

I'd make sure to take them to a range that people are actually friendly.... Not all of them are.. especially Angeles. I have found the Oaktree in particular as most friendly people that Exist in the gun world.

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[maylebox]

I recently got involved in a similar discussion with some anti's about gun ownership. I don't have a lot of stats to support a debate and will happily leave that to others who might enjoy educating the uneducated. I just told them what was true for me. I have enjoyed many hobby's and pursuits but far and away the shooting sports are my favorite. We all have the right to own guns, you choose not to and I choose to do so. When one asked me if I kept a loaded gun in the house I said "Of course I do. I value my life and my family's life and if someone breaks in my house with intent to harm I'm more likely to stop them with my .45 than harsh language. That's it." Then I offered to take them to the range but so far they have not accepted my offer. Oh well, more ammo for me.

[NastyNate]

This thread was actually the catalyst for my recent thread asking for positive gun statistic contributions.

If you have any positive stats from credible sources, please follow this link and contribute to my thread. We need to start putting all the data, stats, factual evidence together so that we can win these types of arguments.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=934622

[SharpAsABall]

And now more thanks, as you guys have given me some more to think about in terms of who I tell that I own firearms. I've been reluctant to mention it to friends mostly because of the stigma that comes with owning firearms around where I'm from. I failed to make the analogy of equating them as valuables like cash and jewelry that are targets to theft. I actually sound pretty stupid now that I think about it.

This thread was actually the catalyst for my recent thread asking for positive gun statistic contributions.

If you have any positive stats from credible sources, please follow this link and contribute to my thread. We need to start putting all the data, stats, factual evidence together so that we can win these types of arguments.

I'll be sure to reference your thread as it gets updated as a way to check out personal research and as a good starting point as well. Good luck in your endeavor.

[Ocguy31]

Offer to take them to the range on Saturday and move on.

Ignorance is fear's womb, and as you can see by some responses here, gun owners are part of the reason for so much ignorance.

[Mitch]

If I was actually ashamed of my guns I wouldn't own them. But since I do own them and I am unashamed, I honestly don't care who knows about them. Everyone who knows me knows about my guns, and that includes most of my neighbors.

The day all urban and suburban American gun owners come out of the closet and proudly discuss their passion with friends, neighbors and colleagues is the day gun control will become a quaint and curious idea from the past for the exclusive study of political science students and social historians.