Nice arguments for gun ownership?

[Czechnology]

I was just thinking, why should there be a 'nice' argument for gun ownership? Shouldnt reality bare down upon the nature of this line of thought and provide a sober reasoning rather than a jovial excuse?

I will as usual stick to 'my guns', and keep my archive of humanities worst as probable cause for the best defense in mind

Because some people are so violently afraid of the idea that bad things can and do happen, that they cocoon themselves in disbelief. Breaking through that cocoon with the idea that firearms are not inherently dangerous, and are in fact useful for self-defense, forces the thought that one might actually need to defend themselves in their daily life. This then forces the thought that something bad could happen to them, which causes a violent rejection of the entire concept, and condemnation of anyone who accepts it (usually as "morbid" or "crazy") because that would mean that they'd have to accept that they or their loved ones might get hurt. They FEEL safe so long as they don't think about it. I saw it firsthand this past weekend, and it's the reason I go out of my way not to use the phrase "Feeling safe". Either you are or you aren't your feelings have no impact on reality.

It's very much a "First World Problem", but it's quite real. Maybe when you spend 147 years without a major military conflict on your soil, your standard of living is ranked with the highest in the world, and crime rates have been dropping steadily for the last 22 years... people start to think that they're safe so long as they ignore the fact that they aren't.


ETA: To further answer the question, if one broaches the subject in an innocuous, non "OMG YOU'RE GONNA GET RAPED IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GUN" you essentially go through the back door of their mental block, and once they get comfortable with the concept of guns as a recreation/sporting activity, the fear associated with them declines as well, and they start to seem like a practical precaution, since they aren't merely totems of death and fear anymore.

[duodecima]

I was just thinking, why should there be a 'nice' argument for gun ownership? Shouldnt reality bare down upon the nature of this line of thought and provide a sober reasoning rather than a jovial excuse?

I will as usual stick to 'my guns', and keep my archive of humanities worst as probable cause for the best defense in mind

Because you catch more flies with honey!

Of course you're not morally required to have a "nice" argument. You're not actually required to have an argument about this at all, it's legal, end of story. But the OP's trying to help people, who sound like they have a gut-level anti-gun reaction, to reconcile him (as a presumably not-crazy friend) with the idea of CC. The idea that someone who's had a positive (eg making steel plates ring) experience, might start loosing that negative gut reaction, is a pretty good one. (ie, exactly what Czech just put in his edit!)

When the OP said "nice" argument, I sort of assumed he meant useful and effective (and not too long), rather than "feel-good," positive, or funny.

[Doctorr Fabulous]

The above. I think "nice" might have been better replaced with "rational, calm, non-nutso." I've been shopping for a pistol this week and realized that some of the people who sell the most guns in my area are the most obnoxious and borderrline nutso people I've ever met. Each place I wen, one person there "knew" that I was looking for the wrong gun with the wrong ammo and holding it wrong.

I don't think the OP was as worried about legal or moral issues, as explaining to people why he carries and owns guns without devolving into the spew of namecalling and ragefaces that normally occurs.

[PackLemming]

^ You guys,

These last three responses are good healthy food for thought. Sleep well ladies and gents.

[DannusMaximus]

I've been shopping for a pistol this week and realized that some of the people who sell the most guns in my area are the most obnoxious and borderrline nutso people I've ever met.

"Those People" do more harm to the gun rights movement than any anti-gun politician ever could. That's one of the reasons the in-your-face open carry people irritate me so much, but I digress.

I try to talk about guns (at least around non gun people) with the same level of enthusiasm as I would talk about a hammer or a rake. They are merely tools, used for self defense if the need arises. No need to get excited, no need for any histrionics, no need to attempt to overwhelm them with jargon and statistics. I save that for when I'm around fellow gun lovers...

I also tend to be very blunt if somebody asks me why I NEED a gun. I usually respond with "In case I need to shoot somebody" stated very matter-of-factly. No need to sugar coat it as far as I'm concerned. If they want me to elaborate I'm happy to, if that freaks them out then they probably aren't ready for a calm discussion.

Not sure who said this, but I like this quote when it comes to things like religion, politics, gun rights, etc.:

For non-believers, no amount of proof is enough. For true believers, no proof is necessary.

[Doctorr Fabulous]

I talk about them the same way people talk about cars. I buy parts to make them run smoother, sound different, and I use them on weekends as a hobby. I keep mine because I shoot paper, gongs, and animals, but I also carry mine in case someone else intends violence upon me or mine.

[Niblick]

It may not be the best strategy, but if I'm being criticized, I relate the story of a friend of the family that felt similarly. Her husband bought her a gun but she refused to learn how to use it or keep it around. She was stabbed to death for her purse.
I usually only go to that one if someone is calling me crazy or being unreasonable to begin with.

[Rev]

Show them this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y9R25xv ... ure=relmfu

That was disheartening.

[Kutter_0311]

It may not be the best strategy, but if I'm being criticized, I relate the story of a friend of the family that felt similarly. Her husband bought her a gun but she refused to learn how to use it or keep it around. She was stabbed to death for her purse.
I usually only go to that one if someone is calling me crazy or being unreasonable to begin with.

I may have to relate this to my wife...

[Czechnology]

It may not be the best strategy, but if I'm being criticized, I relate the story of a friend of the family that felt similarly. Her husband bought her a gun but she refused to learn how to use it or keep it around. She was stabbed to death for her purse.
I usually only go to that one if someone is calling me crazy or being unreasonable to begin with.

I may have to relate this to my wife...

Mine was immune to scary stories until something happened to her that made her wish she had a pistol.

[nimdabew]

I was just thinking, why should there be a 'nice' argument for gun ownership? Shouldnt reality bare down upon the nature of this line of thought and provide a sober reasoning rather than a jovial excuse?

I will as usual stick to 'my guns', and keep my archive of humanities worst as probable cause for the best defense in mind

You can't use logic and critical thinking for someone that is basing an argument off of an emotional response.

[PackLemming]

I was just thinking, why should there be a 'nice' argument for gun ownership? Shouldnt reality bare down upon the nature of this line of thought and provide a sober reasoning rather than a jovial excuse?

I will as usual stick to 'my guns', and keep my archive of humanities worst as probable cause for the best defense in mind

You can't use logic and critical thinking for someone that is basing an argument off of an emotional response.

Depends though, ever heard of the term emotionally drained? I digress, really all it depends upon is how keen one is to provide the intellectual stimulation rather than ongoing attempts to emotionally hijack another into point of surrender.

[squinty]

Some people do relax when they see people behaving responsibly with firearms, and handle firearms themselves and dicover they don't instantly become reckless maniacs when the gun is in their hand. Exposure to decent, "normal" people who own and use guns is a great cure for some anti-gun prejudice.

Not for everyone, though. I know of one woman who is an avid handgun shooter - and quite a good shot - who nevertheless keeps her handguns unloaded and trigger locked at home, and has expressed the opinion that noone needs to keep a gun in the home. She'd be fine keeping her guns stored at the local range, becuase shooting is just a fun pastime for her.

I've also read some accounts by anti-gun people who described their first time shooting as a real heady "rush" - actress Sigourney Weaver talks this way - that made them feel a wee bit out of control. These are people who don't trust themselves with firearms, and assume nobody else is trustworthy with them. SOme people, you just can't win.

Lot's of people in this thread have already given advice along the linesw of "be a good example of responsible gun ownership" or "be a good ambassador for the gun community." I wholeheartedly second that advice.

But I'll also recommend discretion. If gun ownership isn't common in your family or social circle, don't spread it around too much and become "that guy with the gun." WHo needs that?

[cv66er]

Haven't seen this yet, but try taking them shooting?

My wife didn't like guns, and was uncomfortable with the ones I had around the house. Every time I took them out, she'd stare at them, like they were some kind of dangerous animal. She'd tell me how nervous it made her to have "those deadly weapons lying around" (put up out of reach, locked in a gun case, lying around).

This came to a head one day, when we were hiking in North Carolina. The subject came up while we were deep in the woods, talking again about how nervous they made her, then she suddenly says, "If you are going to keep them around the house, I should probably learn how to handle them". I pulled out the 32 I was carrying, and said "how about now?" She almost fainted.

You can be ready without advertising it, in fact, you're probably better off not advertising it. I had heard there were some feral dogs in the area, and been carrying every time we hiked.

So how did things turn out for me? She's a better shot than me now.

[Kutter_0311]

So how did things turn out for me? She's a better shot than me now.

That, sir, is a win in my book!