A Liberal Learns About Guns

I found a fascinating article on Molly Blogs Baltimore about a young woman's first experience shooting a handgun.  Here is what I wrote in reply:

Molly,

I highly commend you on stepping out of your comfort zone to get some firsthand knowledge about guns, recreational shooting, and the people that enjoy the sport.  Most admitted liberals would not risk their preconceived notions by seeking out the experience.

I would like you to expand a little bit on gun control. You saw and experienced for yourself that people can use and enjoy firearms for lawful purposes, but you say you still favor gun control.  What gun control would that be.  there are many different types of guns control laws, and like all laws, they mainly impact the law abiding.

Do you not see that pretty much every gun control method does not work? I am sure that the vast majority of the 1058 murders in Baltimore were committed by felons, all of whom are prohibited from possessing guns, but they found them and used them anyway.

So, what gun controls do you favor?  Handgun bans? "Assault Weapon" bans?  Background checks? Licensing?  Registration?

Here is what I think: the problem is not guns, but violence in society.  I am not disposed to be violent toward anyone with anything, from fists to guns.  But there are others who are predisposed to violence, and it is these people who I want to identify and deprive of firearms.  for this reason I favor prohibiting felons from possessing guns.  I also favor age restrictions. I think training is a very good idea, but I think that it should not be a legal requirement.

Most every other gun ownership requirement, licensing, registration, training requirements, ammunition limitations, carry restrictions, and all measures that intend to make gun ownership so burdensome, onerous, or expensive, that people simply quit.  The gun control crowd wants to slowly strangle the gun culture in America.

Here is a great site, Women of Caliber, that explains all of the above, and much more, far better than I can.  It is worth the time to take a look:

http://womenofcaliber.wordpress.com/

So, Molly, now that you have gotten a taste of shooting, are you going to go again?

We often hear stories about shooters taking a friend to the range, but it is pretty cool to read about the reactions of the visitor to the new experience.