The Proper Shooting Position

By Kellene Bishop
While far too much emphasis is put into which caliber a person should carry, an issue significantly more important is the one that deals with the shooting stance. This article isn’t intended to be an exploration of all of the various stances that have been put out there by one camp or another, instead it’s written with the intent to ensure you put everything to your advantage as possible should you ever need to defend yourself.

Should You Apply for a Concealed Carry Permit?

By Kellene Bishop

I am frequently asked how I feel about letting the government know I have a firearm. Folks seem to be a bit concerned for my well-being when they learn that I’ve applied for a concealed firearm permit. They are concerned that doing so somehow puts me on a list and now the government can know where to go to take my firearm. Well, that’s one way to put it, Ladies, but I see it very, very differently than that.

It’s Always a Good Day to Teach a News Reporter How to Shoot!

So, yesterday morning I got up at “stupid-o-clock” so that I could hook up with a female news reporter from our local ABC news morning show. The premise was that she was discussing ways for women to better defend themselves and her research came across the fact that in 2009, National Shooting Sports reported a 73% increase in women buying guns! (yes, Obama–he really is the world’s best gun salesman, isn’t he?)

We met up at the range near my home in Provo Canyon amidst snow and sleet. But this gal was undeterred. It turns out that it was her very first time to ever shoot a firearm and she actually had been wanting to do so for some time. Unfortunately for her though, she discovered that there are very, very few FEMALE firearm instructors. Was she ever happy to discover that one of the few female instructors in the world is right here under her nose.

So after a little bit of safety, grip, and other procedural info we were to go live! Bless that gals heart! She shot a firearm for the very first time live on camera. She did awesome too! 13 years ago I would have broken down into the ugly cry after my first shot. Even more important, after less than 20 minutes of training, she was able to consistently hit a the targets. I was really impressed with her!

Here’s the link of the short clip they were able to show.

Women and Guns

 

She was sure to take the milk carton that she obliterated several times–as a souvenir. I’ve never seen someone so happy to be taking home a dirty milk carton! *grin*

Copyright Protected 2011, Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

 

Media Hype or Firearm Facts—You Decide

by Kellene Bishop 

Everyone has the right to defend themselves.

Fact:

100% of ALL firearm “accidents” occur as a result of someone violating one of the four most critical safety rules in the ownership and use of a firearm.  Firearms don’t kill people as the media would have us believe, any more than pencils are responsible for making spelling mistakes.  Your ability to STOP an firearm accident is strengthened by your knowledge of a firearm.  In contrast, if you are not familiar with the workings of a firearm, you may actually encourage a deadly accident if you encounter one in the hands of an unauthorized person.  That said, why don’t we ever hear a news report that says something like “There are over 80,000,000 gun owners in the nation today, and only 5 accidents were caused as the result of error on the part of the gun owner”?

  

Fact: Every person in the U.S. has the right to defend themselves, their family, and their property.  Fit or fat.  Blonde or brunette.  When a drug-crazed criminal has a gun point at you, your political affiliations do not lessen the impact on your body or your mind.  A bullet will sufficiently kill you.  So how you supposed to fight back under such circumstances? 

  

Fact: According to FBI statistics, over 5,500 violent crimes are PREVENTED EVERY DAY by the mere presence of a firearm.  So why are our newspapers and television screens only reporting the horrific scenes of crime and bloodshed at the hands of “crazed gunmen”?  All we ever hear about are the terrible and criminal uses of firearms – school shootings, gunmen clipping off innocent bystanders one by one in a mall or a neighborhood, or gangs who murder and plunder with guns.  Why aren’t we being given a clear picture of the use and importance of firearms in America?  Why aren’t we hearing the real stories from the media – like the 83-year-old woman who shot a would-be rapist in her home.  Or the woman who was raped, then given a rifle by a friend, and when the rapist RETURNED to her home she was able to defend herself and killed the rapist.  Or about the female convenience store employee that was able to save her fellow co-workers from abominable acts at the hand of a robber by grabbing for the gun, and shot him.  Or when a concealed-carry permit holder was able to thwart a massive shootout between police and a liquor store robber because he was willing to draw his gun and shoot the body-armored gunman squarely in the skull.  Violent crime rates have fallen dramatically in right-to-carry states.  

Why do we only hear about the terrible encounters with firearms?  Because blood and sex sells.  And it can’t simply be just anybody’s blood.  No, it needs to be the blood of an innocent person, not a violent criminal.  Yes, the so-called education of the facts of gun use for self-defense in America is being steered by money and mindless sheep, plain and simple.  

The media often fail to portray good examples of self-defense photo c/o abovethelaw.com

Why aren’t we hearing about the real firearm stories from the media?  Follow the same money that goes abundantly to the media and you will see that many members of our government fear the legal possession of guns by its citizens.  Why?  Because the government has committed acts in violation of the U.S. Constitution and thus have reason to fear reprisals from its citizens.  The majority of the media act as mindless minions to our government.  And since the government has trampled mercilessly on the freedoms and liberties guaranteed to us through the U.S. Constitution, left to their own designs with no accountability required from the media, it is clear that the media is a willing accomplice in these acts.  Violation after violation have occurred at the hands of each administration that have stripped many of our Constitutional freedoms in a clandestine manner, and yet the media and entertainment industry have failed to produce any headline which even questions such acts.  Do the media even know what’s it like to actually be courageous Americans anymore?  Or do they merely write about it in hopes that it earns them lauds of glory from their peers? 

Fact: Having a firearm and knowing how to use it does not make you a violent person.  In fact, you will find that responsible gun owners are peaceful, law abiding individuals because they are able to function without fear hanging over them.  Yet firearm owners are never portrayed such an image in the national news.  

Instead we hear the irresponsible and oppressive mantra of, “Don’t resist.” “Don’t fight back.”  “Just give them the money, it’s not worth your life.”   What they forget it that while money may not be worth your life, the freedom to be free IS worth your life.  Ironically, what Thomas Paine and his associates did to the king of England to protect free speech (particularly of the media)  is actually being used to give us a false education and thus strip us of other freedoms because of the false and criminalized picture of gun owners that we are confronted with every day. 

According to Thomas Jefferson, history has proven time and time again that the option for citizens to arm themselves is what ensures protection against a “tyrannical government.” 

  

“The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.” (Thomas Jefferson Papers p. 334, 1950)   

You see, not only can this type of “preservation of property” give you peace in your ability to defend yourself against violent acts, but it also gives you peace in defending your nation against the loss of freedoms as well.  

 

  

Firearm training gives you peace of mind

Forty years ago, when the resolution of enslaving America was formed in Great Britain, the British Parliament was advised… to disarm the people; that it was the best and most effectual way to enslave them; but that they should not do it openly, but weaken them, and let them sink gradually, by totally disusing and neglecting the militia…” (In Virginia’s Ratifying Convention, Elliot p.3:379-380) 

• “The militia may be here destroyed by that method which has been practiced in other parts of the world before; that is, by rendering them useless – by disarming them.” (Elliot, p. 3:379-80)  

The men and women of America are not only the sole stewards over their own lives and that of their families – they are also the sole guardians of the Constitution.  In the ultimate act of freedom, specifically for the women of our nation, I say that we must take on a more proactive stance in order to fulfill our roles appropriately.  With the increasing numbers of women raising families single-handedly, the extended hours our husbands are forced to work to sustain us, the increasing threat of brazen crimes being committed against women and children in broad daylight, the consistent attacks which are made on our freedom, for all of these reasons, women need to become informed and skilled in the use of a firearm—not just in matters of self-defense use and safety, but also as a Constitutional right.  We cannot relinquish our safety, our lives, or our freedom to the hands of strangers who may or may not be available to defend us when the need arises.  We must take this responsibility for ourselves.  After all, when all of our liberties are gone, there will be nothing left to protect. 

 Copyright 2010 Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Women of Caliber and Kellene Bishop. 

2nd Amendment Rights for Sale

By Kellene Bishop

Are your 2nd Amendment rights for sale? Photo c/o highdesert

Are your 2^nd Amendment rights for sale? If they were, would you sell them for as little as $10.50, $3.50 or even 99 cents? Well, there are sure a lot of us doing that right now as we give businesses who CLEARLY object to your 2^nd Amendment rights and yet provide you with NO alternative to protecting yourself in their environments. I’m sure that if you thought about it, you would refuse to give your business to those who actively provided criminals with drugs, cash, prostitutes, and other props they need for their crime sprees, right? Then why would you think of supporting these same businesses in providing criminals with pools of defenseless citizens as well? Drugs or defenseless citizenry. It’s all the same. It benefits the criminals and leaves the law-abiding citizens punished for a “crime” of honor and responsibility.

2^nd Amendment Rights for Sale: Case #1 — AMC, Cinemark and Regal Theaters. I noticed yesterday when I went to a matinee that they now post a sign on one of their entrance doors barring any firearms. Needless to say, I don’t care for the scenario of being in a dark, overcrowded room with people I don’t know, whose lack of consideration for others has depleted dramatically in years past. I’ve seen fist fights break out over something as simple as saved seats. In addition, each of these theaters have donated heavily to anti-gun campaigns. PAH=LEEZE. They have pimply faced teenagers in charge of “security” at these places. I don’t trust them to protect me and my family in any way shape, or form. I assure you if push comes to shove, they are the first ones hitting the deck to save their own bacon. And if the Supreme Court has ruled that even your local police department is under no obligation to protect the citizens, what makes you think that a non- living/breathing business entity will do so? (Oh, and if you need any more fodder, read my article on how the movie theaters have little regard for your health as well—flu season be damned.) In this case, your 2^nd Amendment rights are sold for the cost of a movie ticket.

You may want to check with the laws in your state. In some states it’s meaningless for a theater to post such a sign. In other states, such signs have some very strict criteria, i.e.: how big they have to be, where they have to be placed, etc. But I’m telling you. All of this garbage makes the dollar theaters and Netflix look a lot more attractive to me.

2^nd Amendment Rights for Sale: Case #2 — Blockbuster Video. Don’t be surprised if you see a sign posted on a Blockbuster Video also prohibiting you from entering their “private property” with a handgun. Regardless of whether you’re legally carrying it or not, they would prefer to only show violent movies instead of having you prevent violence in your family. Do a search on “Blockbuster Video shooting” and “Blockbuster Video Robbery” and see just how safe you may feel in this unconstitutionally established gun-free zone. Is your life really worth the price of renting a video? Folks, you can pay a buck to Red Box and not surrender your rights of self-defense. Heck, if you do a search for “Red Box Code” you can even get your movie for FREE! Surely your safety is worth more than the price of a 2-hour entertainment escape. Netflix and Red Box keep looking better and better, folks. “Announcing: 2^nd Amendment rights purchased for the cost of renting Cinderalla II.”

2^nd Amendment Rights for Sale: Case #3 — Google is vehemently committed to being anti-gun. (What do you really expect for a couple of guys who never had to pay a real price for success?) Google liberally allows an unbridled range of pornographic ads and also takes no responsibility for the veracity of their postings, but hey, when it comes to posting ads for the sale of guns OR ammunition, they draw the line. Wow. I’m sure their mothers are proud. Use the alternative search engines such as AskJeeves.com, Yahoo.com and Bing.com. Well Google, since you don’t verify the factuality of anything, allow me to point out to all of my readers that you are a BEHEMOTH contender when it comes to funding international anti-guns and anti-self-defense propaganda.

2^nd Amendment Rights for Sale: Case #4 — McDonald’s. Not only does McDonald’s refuse to use meat produced in the U.S. where it has significantly better health guidelines than the “Grade G for Garbage” meat it purchases from South America, McDonald’s is decidedly against you being able to defend yourself in the vicinity of one of their locations. This is quite disturbing to me since so many Americans are drawn to take a break at McDonald’s along their long road travels throughout the U.S. I believe that when traveling long distances, one is especially vulnerable to criminal encounters and thus should indeed have the protection that the 2^nd Amendment ensures them. McDonald’s doesn’t stop at just publishing their anti-gun agenda. They also put their money where their mouths are and have donated over $500 million to anti-gun organizations over the last 15 years!! By the way, they also support many anti-hunting initiatives as well as anti-fishing. So much for thinking there’s REAL fish in the Filet-o-Fish fillets. Wouldn’t you rather support a local fast food place where you know they don’t have the money and power to buy tainted South American meat? I personally have fallen in love with a place near me called Emmett & Ethel’s. Not only is everything fresh, but they don’t even freeze their meats! The fish, the burgers, the fries, the hand-battered onion rings all make my mouth water. When is the last time McDonald’s made YOUR mouth water? Really. Your 2^nd amendment rights are definitely worth more than the price of a Happy Meal. (Oh, and by the way, they have less “meat” in their “meat” than even Taco Bell! See here🙂

There is a litany of many more businesses that I could address for you, but that’s not really the point of my article. My point is that if you care about your ability to defend yourself, check up on the businesses that you give your money to. Otherwise you’re unknowingly sending your money directly to the criminals and anti-gun groups. As for me, I refuse to PAY these kinds of businesses to take away my 2^nd Amendment rights. Let’s stop complaining about the government taxing us when we willingly allow these businesses to rape and pillage away our freedoms voluntarily.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

Warning to Home Invasion Criminals

By Kellene Bishop

Photo c/o guns-n-stuff.blogspot.com

I’m sure I won’t win any popularity points with the liberal media and its adoring admirers with this comment, but here’s a warning to home invasion criminals: if you come into my home uninvited, you better plan on having a current will drawn up and have repented of everything else in your life. (Sorry, you can’t repent of the breaking and entering just before you do it. It just doesn’t work that way.) I say this because chances are very high that you’re going to meet your Maker relatively soon after you pass through my homestead threshold.

Many would argue that punishing someone who breaks into your home with possible death is un-Christian, archaic, and even “murder.” To be perfectly blunt, such thinking is wrong. It’s not only wrong, but it’s dangerous to the safety and peace of all Americans as it perpetuates an invalid amount of doubt and hesitation which could cost someone their life. Here are some questions I would ask of those who would break into my home. A little something for the “other side” to consider.

1) What part of the U.S. Constitution do you not understand? Did you read the 2^nd or the 4^th Amendment? If not, I assure you that ignorance does not absolve you of a crime.

2) Did you expect me to give you a full interview first to determine whether or not your initial illegal action was intended to lead to other illegal acts?

3) If I did interview you, am I supposed to frisk you as well, or simply take your word for it?

4) A burglary isn’t just about “losing your stuff.” Sure, a lot of stuff can be replaced. But I’m 100% certain that peace of mind, virtue, and life cannot be replaced if it’s taken from me or my family. 

Bottom line, if you walk through my door uninvited, I am not under any obligation to read you your Miranda Rights. I am not under any obligation to read your mind or evaluate your motives. I have every legal right to defend my home and the persons and property therein. So home invasion criminals, consider yourselves warned.

Sign c/o guns-n-stuff.blogspot.com

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

An AK-47 for Home Defense?

Hmm… worth considering.

See the full article at http://patriotroom.com/article/outstanding-2d-amendment-defense-smackdown-of-cnn

U.S. Senate Rejects Thune-Vitter Gun Proposal

Senators Reject Gun Proposal: July 22, 2009 from ABCNews.com

• The U.S. Senate voted against a proposal to allow certain gun owners to bring concealed weapons across state lines.
• The Senate’s 58 to 39 vote fell just short of the 60 votes needed to add the amendment to a defense policy bill.
• The gun debate was not an issue that cut down party lines.
• Many new Democrats from conservative states are supportive of gun rights, like Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., who voted in favor of the amendment.
• Author Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., said, “The visitor must comply with the restrictions of the state they are in.”
• For example in S. Dakota, he explained, concealed weapons are prohibited at schools or anywhere that sells alcohol.
• “It is not, as some have suggested, a preemption of state laws,” Thune said.
• Only two states not slated to be part of the plan: Illinois and Wisconsin, who do not issue any conceal and carry permits so wouldn’t have been affected.
• The amendment also did not apply to the District of Columbia.
• “Law-abiding South Dakotans should be able to exercise the right to bear arms in states with similar regulations on concealed firearms,” Thune said in a Monday statement. “My legislation enables citizens to protect themselves while respecting individual state firearms laws.”
• Those backing the measure argued that it’s not the people holding permits that Americans need to worry about.
• “Few criminals are going to go down to the county courthouse and file a permit,” said Virginia Democratic Sen. Jim Webb, who said he has a concealed carry permit himself.
• Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., agreed, saying those who take the time to go through the steps required of gun permit holders before carrying a concealed weapon are likely the ones who “understand the responsibility that goes with owning it.”

What is the Thune-Vitter Bill? February 5, 2009 kalb.com

• U.S. Senators John Thune and David Vitter introduced the Respecting States Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act in February 2009
• The bill would allow individuals the right to carry lawfully concealed firearms across state lines, while respecting laws of the host state
• “This bill simply clarifies the rights of gun owners and affords citizens a right that they are already entitled to under U.S. law,” said Vitter.
• “By elevating concealed handgun permits to the same status as driver’s licenses, we can ensure that an individual possessing a legal permit to carry a concealed weapon from his or her home state is afforded the same privilege in another state that already has concealed carry laws.”
• The Respecting States Rights and Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act allows an individual to carry a concealed firearm across state lines if they have a valid permit or if, under the state of their residence, they’re entitled to do so.
• Traveling individuals must follow the laws of the host state, including laws concerning areas where firearms may or may not be carried.

For a full copy of the Amendment, click here.

What are your thoughts on the rejected Amendment?

Is a Concealed Carry Permit a Human Hunting License?

By Kellene Bishop

I often am accused of sanctioning violence by those who would not protect themselves. So those of you who still read my articles—even though you KNOW I’m all about self-defense with a firearm—you may be a bit surprised today to hear what I have to say.

Photo c/o popguns.com

When I first saw the headline on this article, “Concealed weapons permit holder stops would-be robbers”, (see http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6851011) I thought, “Oh good. A concealed carry permit holder finally gets some praise.” Then I read the article. It had me nearly swearing at my computer screen afterwards. Instead of being happy for this article about a concealed carry permit holder, I was yelling, “You idiot! It’s folks like you who make us look bad.”

So, let’s provide you with a little bit of Concealed Carry Permit Use 101 here. A concealed carry permit is not a Human Hunting Permit. Sorry, but chasing down humans and firing shots at them is NOT an authorized seasonal sport. This scenario portrays a foolish, irresponsible, and downright dangerous one.

For starters, it is very dangerous for this idiot to be shooting in the air and shooting into the ground. Basic physics tells us what goes up must come down. A round shot into the air comes down and you have NO idea where it lands. Causing a hail storm of rounds is not safe and just plain stupid. (Which is why you see it in the movies quite frequently.) Shooting rounds into the ground is ALSO unsafe. They could ricochet, hit you or someone else—or at least something else. Again, another dumb move you see in the movies.

Running with a Gun photo c/o johnnyringo.net

Additionally, shooting at a firing range is NOT the same as shooting on the run, or even a slow walk. Very, very few individuals actually practice shooting this way. (Although I highly recommend such practice.) I’m willing to bet some major donuts that this guy did not practice shooting on the run. I’m quite certain that his shots were more about misses than warnings. And frankly, it’s a good thing. While I’m not an attorney, I would venture to bet that if this concealed carry permit holder had lethally hit one of the criminals, he would have been charged with manslaughter at the very least since he was proactively chasing them.

Let me be perfectly clear. As a person who is defending their life you are entitled to pull your handgun. However, you are NOT permitted to chase someone down with it. Now, having said that, could he have chased down the criminals who attempted to steal his stuff? Absolutely. And then IF they put up a physical resistance and threatened his safety, then, and only then, would he have been justified in unveiling his firearm.

Once again, having a concealed carry permit is not a hunting license.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved. You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Kellene Bishop.

What It Really Means to be “Anti-Gun”

By Kellene Bishop

Photo c/o katrinabrownelondon.com

A few days ago I sent an e-mail to a list of my family and friends who subscribe to my emergency preparedness blog, Preparedness Pro.  The most recent blog posted was on the necessity of firearms and ammo (along with necessary skill and practice) for a properly prepared state.  Unfortunately, my message was not well received by one of my friends.  He sent me back a message that simply stated “I’m anti-gun.  Please take me off of your list.”  While I can perfectly understand why a person is not comfortable with the subject of firearms for self-defense, I was certain that my friend was not fully aware of the ramifications that invoking such a vow as being “anti-gun” truly entailed.  In my work I find that the majority of individuals who are “anti-gun” are women.  And thus I felt that addressing this topic was appropriate for our Women of Caliber audience today.

What does it really mean to be “Anti-Gun?” I’m convinced that a person who makes such claims does so based on the following misinformed or incomplete reasons.

1-     Fear of the power behind the tool.  Yes, a firearm is deadly.  Thank goodness.  Because I do not know of any other tool I can reasonably employ to defend myself against a alcohol and drug-crazed, 6’4”, 280 pound man who’s intent on harming me.  I can’t run fast enough.  The police can’t respond fast enough.  I can’t talk my way out of an encounter.  And I can’t rely on my physical strength and skill to properly combat them.   Self-defense is an equal opportunity freedom.  We all should be entitled to defending ourselves regardless of our medical history, weight, physical fitness, etc.  That’s why I often refer to my firearm as the ultimate equalizer.  What I do know is that I can have easy access to my firearm, pull, point, and shoot to effectively stop a would-be attacker. 

Photo c/o bebo.com

There are plenty of other valuable tools in our world that are dangerous if used incorrectly.  Medicine, exercise, transportation, food and farming equipment to name a few.  All are very powerful for good.  Yet all of these can be misused to even cause death to ourselves and others.  Fortunately for us though, the media, Hollywood, and our government don’t typically have agendas to vilify these types of tools.  And yet there are many others who occasionally promote misinformation on these tools as well.  Nothing is without some controversy or a difference of opinion.  But differences of opinion never alter the truth.  Only statisticians do that.  

2-    Belief that only criminals (thugs, drug dealers, bad guys, etc.) have guns.  Just because criminals have guns does not mean that those who have guns are criminals, anymore than the fact that a plane has crashed means that all planes will crash, or that 500 high school students killed per year playing football means that football should be banned.  For every thug out there who carries a firearm, there are hundreds of thousands of guns owned by law-abiding citizens.  Out of over 4.7 million crimes committed in the U.S. in 2005, less than 10% of them involved the use of a firearm.  Even among homicides, where one would assume a firearm was always used, less than 67% of them involve the use of a gun.  (http://www.ojp.gov/bjs/guns.htm)  Consider the opposite side of things.  Over 2.5 million crimes per year are STOPPED by the use of a firearm in the hands of citizen.  (John Lott, More Guns, Less Crime)  You’ve got less than 6% of 4.7 million crimes involved a gun, and yet you have over 50% more of those same kinds of crimes being prevented BY a gun.  Sounds like there’s a skewed perception there, folks.  Don’t you think?

Photo c/o zimbio.com

3-    Fear of the safety for our children.  This is a very strategic propaganda put out by the anti-gun supporters, knowing full well that no parent in their right mind would put their children in danger.  And then of course, on those rare circumstances when a child is tragically killed by a gun, the media runs the story over and over again as if it was an announcement of Armageddon.  It’s a highly emotional, and unfortunately successful angle used by our national manipulators.  But the real facts don’t lie.  Children are less likely to be killed by one of over 300,000,000 million guns held by 94 million gun owners than they are to be killed by an automobile, drowned (in a bathtub or a pool), burned in a fire, or suffocate on plastic!  In fact they are at least 6 times more likely to die from any of these causes, and in some cases as much as 40 times more likely.  (Kids and Guns, 2000, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)  Now think about this.  Out of all of the crimes that were stopped as the result of a firearm, how many children’s lives were saved as a result, or better yet, allowed to remain normal with a loving parent still alive as the result of the use of a firearm.  If someone is “anti-gun” do they really realize that they may just as well be stating that they are against protecting their children, loved ones, friends or communities at all costs?  Do they realize that they might as well be saying that they are “Pro-Crime?”  While you may think this is an audacious leap of logic, the statistics are there to support such a claim.  Unfortunately, those who truly are “anti-gun and to heck with the consequences” really don’t care about the truth.

For more on children and guns, click here. 

4-    The absence of a passion and understanding of freedom.  During the monumental Revolutionary War, there were plenty of individuals who took up arms who were unskilled and uncomfortable in their use.  After the war, they recovered thousands of rifles in which multiple wads were found stuffed down the barrel, but never fired.  Why?  Because although these men believed in fighting for their freedom, they found it very difficult to actually aim and fire upon another human being.  They would go through the motions of loading the firearm, lifting it to point, but never pull the trigger. And then in their confused and panicked state they would go through the motions again and again until their lack of firing caused their death.  Harming another human being purposefully goes against our peaceful grain, of course.  And I thank God for that “sensitivity chip.”  It’s a mental fight that has been prevalent through the ages.  But going through the motions is also what gets people killed and no longer able to live their fulfilling life and provide for their family.  Even police officers struggle with firing on a human being.  They practice with silhouettes, not live targets, of course.  So the mental preparation to completely defend themselves is oft times missing.  (As a result, many police departments have begun using more realistic looking targets in order to help law enforcement with this vital mental preparation.) 

Photo c/o conservapedia.com

What does this have to do with freedom?  When I hear someone is “anti-gun” I cringe to think that they are the very persons who would have permitted the British, the Romans, the Japanese, the Germans, and any other enemy Freedom has experienced through the ages, to take everything—and I do mean everything—that they hold dear.  It nearly brings me to tears to hear that “anti-gunners” would hold the defenders of our freedom in the same light as criminals in our day.  Freedom is not fought just on a battle field.  It is fought every single day, even in the sanctity of our homes, restaurants, our parks, our streets.  The only reason why our Freedom has not been utterly destroyed is thanks to the 94 million gun owners who are still willing to lay claim to its merits.  Somehow it just doesn’t seem fair that those same 94 million gun owners are the very reason why anti-gunners have the freedom to attempt to lay neutral on this issue and still have some semblance of safety.  To put it plainly, “anti-gun” is clearly a member of the “anti-freedom” camp.  

5-    Naïveté.  I agree that life would be a whole lot better if I didn’t even have to consider the horrific “what-if’s” that exist out there.  I would much rather live in a community where I could leave my door unlocked, trust that my children and family members would never be violently harmed, and that the world was one solely of peace and happiness.  Unfortunately, the stark reality of the presence of sheer evil interrupts that fantasy.  It’s also naïve of me to believe that my husband will always be there to protect me.  Or that simply by owning a firearm, I will instinctively know what to do with it under threat of violence or death without any concerted practice.  It’s naïve of me to believe that in an earthquake all of the criminals will stay securely in their jail cells, or that the most well organized and violent gang in the U.S., MS-13, will never invade my peaceful neighborhood.  It’s naïve of me to believe that a 9-1-1 call will result in my immediate safety.  I could go on and on with the naïve thoughts I have entertained in my younger years.  Instead I choose to face reality.  And the reality isn’t so much the horrors that are out there as it is that I’m STRONG, CAPABLE, AND COMPETENT.  As such I can ensure my own safety and the safety of those who are important to me.  I need not be fearful.  I need not be paranoid.  I simply need to be armed with the proper tools and skills necessary.  I don’t walk around with a gun because I’m paranoid.  I walk around accompanied by real peace and practical awareness because I carry a firearm.  I’m friendly to those around me because I do not fear their violence.  I’m happy because I do not fear becoming a victim with no justice to balance.  I’m more confident because I know I am an active and beneficial participant in the safety of my community.   

Photo c/o http://www.opposingviews.com

To all you self-proclaimed anti-gunners, I implore you to forsake your fear, rekindle your patriotism, get knowledgeable in the facts, and eliminate naïveté from your life.  There are countless benefits in doing so that will last a lifetime.  In the meantime, you only make yourself more vulnerable to the harmful realities that inevitably await you as you leisurely bask in your ignorance.

Copyright 2009 Kellene Bishop. All rights reserved.

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