LA Times Article - Do you love your guns?

[razorduc]

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/01/are-guns-evil-or-is-it-our-trigger-happy-culture.html

Don't know if this is worth writing in to. Or if it's a piece that's trying to make gun owners seem like nuts.

[Nevermore]

I'd probably point out that it's not so much the gun, as the ability to own and use a gun that's worth loving.

[kertong]

[Dark Paladin]

At least she took the initiative and went to a range to at least try things out. Much to said for that than the 99% other columnists who write about things they have zero clue about.

[yellowfin]

My posted response:

Many of my fondest childhood memories involve my grandfathers, great uncle, and my dad and the occasions with their guns, some of which are now mine. It's one of the few things you can pass down in your family for 100+ years that's just as good as the day it was made even through decades of use and like many heirlooms has a nostalgia to it that is imbued with the memory of the people who had it before . Many are true American art,with beautiful wood and shimmering blue steel which reflect craftsmanship, precision engineering, and a certain artistic spirituality. Many tell the story of American history in a unique tangible way no other artifact can, from the west of the 1890's, the first and second World Wars, the Roaring Twenties, the post WW2 American Renaissance, the Cold War, and today's modern era. I myself and my family have some of all of such periods. I fully intend to pass such legacy to my descendants, as it is their family birthright.

In times of joy or times of trouble, in times of plenty or times of need, our guns have kept our freezers full, kids well behaved so they can go to the range or the field with Dad or Grandpa, homes secure and on our person while traveling or in daily life, our weekends happy, and our spirits full of pride to be Americans.

I know of no other that can do the same.

[Glock22Fan]

Mind you, any 28-year old who is "fooling around" with a real firearm, whether it is loaded or not, in a locker room, deserves to be labled mentally deficient. At least it shows serious disrespect of his weapon.

[Maltese Falcon]

My response:

Ms. Banks --

I have for several decades been a firearm owner. One of the main aspects of my ownership is that my ability to protect and defend my loved ones and myself is truly my responsibility. I do not need to call or wait for anyone to come to my aid. Although I will call 911 in a life threatening situation, those precious minutes between the call and the arrival are crucial.

I have practiced to become proficient and can handle all my firearms safely. I know the law in use of force and proper transport.

Secondarily, it gives me great satisfaction to handle well a very powerful tool in a skillful manner, i.e., target shooting... and yes we do love our tools.

I personally do not hunt, but I would have no problem doing so.

I find it extremely distressing that so many people abdicate or surrender their Constitutional rights as Americans to other entities and take little initative to be prepared for come what may.

Gilbert Arenas is an idiot and is not indicative of the vast majority of law abiding firearm owners.

[BananaTyrant]

My comment;

One of my earliest memories is of my family camping, and my parents showing me and my siblings how to use their handguns. Both my parents come from police families and grew up around guns, so they started teaching us early to be both responsible and safe with them. At the time we were too small to do anything but have our parents hold the gun steady for us and we pull the trigger, but it was still a lot of fun. Unfortunately a run in with the law a few years later made it so that we couldn't have firearms in the house anymore and I lost one of my favorite things to do while camping.

However now that I've moved out I'm slowly beginning to return to the hobby. I currently own a small caliber rifle that I have used to reacquaint myself with firearms and will be teaching my gf how to handle soon. I'm also in the process of buying a small handgun from a friend for both home defense and range trips. I feel safer just having a firearm in the house(even if small caliber) as I will then be able to defend myself when no one else is available to do it for me.

Remember;
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

[Aegis]

I am surprised the LA Times is still in business.

[DJ Skillz]

I said:

"I like guns. I like the way they look. I like the shiny steel and the polished wood. I don't care if they're big or small. If they're for sale, hell I want 'em all. I like guns. I like guns. I like guns."



JK

[kertong]

I said:

"I like guns. I like the way they look. I like the shiny steel and the polished wood. I don't care if they're big or small. If they're for sale, hell I want 'em all. I like guns. I like guns. I like guns."

[Dirk Tungsten]

I said:

"I like guns. I like the way they look. I like the shiny steel and the polished wood. I don't care if they're big or small. If they're for sale, hell I want 'em all. I like guns. I like guns. I like guns."



JK

Ok, now post the link to the song....'cause it's awesome.

[BananaTyrant]

She finally approved the comments. Also I just noticed, the name of the article is "Do you love your gun? Tell me why," but the URL reads "are-guns-evil-or-is-it-our-trigger-happy-culture." Interesting...

[five.five-six]

I am surprised the LA Times is still in business.

:LOL, you have a point


here is my contribution to the artical

Thanks for taking the time to try shooting out. No, I don't love my guns, I love god, my family, my close friends, and on most occasions, my country. I would much rather talk about any of my loves, but you are asking about guns. First off, like taking out the garbage or smashing bugs with way to many legs, it's a guy thing.

My introduction to guns was not unlike a Native American boy's introduction to a bow and arrow, or a medieval boy's introduction to a wooden sword. I received a ruger 10/22 on my 14th Christmas. It was the central to many rugged afternoon with my father, who learned to shoot from his father. I still have that gun and, while it seldom see's use, it's cleaned and oiled every year so it can be handed to my son in the same pristine condition it was handed to me.

In a more practical sense, it gives my wife a sense of security that dialing 911 never could, knowing that I can protect our family from anyone that might threaten us.

Finally as an American, it gives me pride to exercise the god given rights enumerated in our constitution, to freely speak my mind, worship as I wish, to arm and protect myself and be free from the tyranny of government

Do I love guns? No, but I do love life and firearms are part of my life

[Jamez]

I enjoyed this :-)