My Thoughts on the Second Ammendment

Amendment II

A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.

How many of you support gun control? Why? I must admit that despite much knowledge on the subject, I was probably one who would have voted for some form of gun control if the proposal had ever been presented to me. I never owned a gun, aside from a classic 410 bolt-action shotgun that was passed down to me from my father, that was passed down to him from his father. I never had any interest in shooting a gun much less owning one, and due to that ambivalence and/or ignorance would have more-than-likely supported legislation that limited the rights of ordinary citizens to own and/or carry a gun. (As I age I become more and more aware that ignorance and apathy are primary resources that so many people use to form their opinions and beliefs). Sorry, I digress.
So here's a short story to illustrate my conversion to a strong defender and supporter of the Second Ammendment. Last year my home was broken into. (My community is quiet, middle-class, working families with some retirees) My girlfriend came home in the afternoon and walked in on the burglary-in-progress. She walked in to the bedroom and the there were two adult males in the room with a pillowcase (my pillow case by the way) full of our stuff. Thank goodness they walked out peacefully without laying a hand on her, but they still took their bounty with them and they were not caught. So I installed an alarm system. Fast forward to the present. Several months ago my nosy neighbor that lives upstairs from me, and is often home during the day when the majority of the resident are away at work, notices a 20ish aged male lurking near my front door, holding a basketball. (She has never seen this guy anywhere in our community) She observes him knock very lightly on my door, then proceed to sit on the steps outside my door. Unbeknownst to me at the time, he had just watched my girlfriend as she left for work(2 hours after I leave for work), prior to knocking on my door. My nosy neighbor came out as he sat on the steps outside my door, and asked him who he was looking for and what was he doing. He stated that he was there to see the lady that lived in my condo, my girlfriend, whom he had just watched leave for work. (I came to know this because when my girlfriend came home from work that night and the neighbor filled us in, my girlfriend said she saw him sitting on the steps when she left for work, but she just assumed he was a friend of someone else living in our complex). So the nosy neighbor asks him what is the name of the lady he is looking for and several other questions which he has no answers for. My neighbor calls the police and he disappears. I never thought I would be so grateful to have a nosy neighbor!
This incident, combined with the previous burglary, changed me. I refused, at that moment, to be a victim. I understand that both these incidents happened when I was not at home, but my girlfriend was... both times. Next time it might be at night when we're all home. Maybe it will never happen again, but at that moment I made up my mind that I would be prepared if maybe ever happens again. So I started reading magazines, I bought and read a couple books, I found some forums on the web and learned, over the course of about 4-6 weeks, as much as I could about handguns, shooting, home-defense etc. I purchased a gun after much education, went to the shooting range and started learning how to shoot. I am not afraid to admit that I was quite apprehensive throughout the whole process because of my lack of experience and exposure to guns. My first trip to the range was nerve-racking. There were about 8 people inside shooting, many shooting quite large, very loud guns. Not only was I nervous being so close to that amount of live ammo, but I was also nervous as to my own abilities to safely and correctly handle my own gun and ammo with so many other people around. I had read a lot about the proper things to do but this was my first time actually doing it. My neighbor joined me at the range so that helped. Soon after we started shooting I became much more comfortable. A fellow shooting next to us realized that we were amateurs and offered us multiple tips, instructions, demonstrations etc. I have come to learn that experienced gun owners love to teach rookies what they know. The more you educate yourself, the better you are at deciphering good advice from bad advice, but then that is true in all aspects of our lives. I ended up being a pretty damn good shot for my first trip and I left the range exponentially more comfortable and confident around my new weapon. I actually enjoyed myself so much that I think I have found a new hobby.
So about 2 weeks later I wake up abruptly, eyes wide open, at 4:15 in the morning. (This is on a Wednesday, a work day and a school day). I'm obviously not fully awake and unsure as to why I so suddenly awoke, but through the fog of sleep, I'm sure I heard my doorbell. I sit there about 20 seconds then decide to go and investigate. I peek through the peep hole in the door and peer out the wavy glass window next to the front door but I see nothing. As I am walking back to the bedroom I hear a buzzing noise coming from the kitchen. I walk in to the kitchen and realize that the buzzing is coming from the doorbell! My doorbell button almost always sticks in when it is pushed, and after the initial ding,(which is barely audible), it makes a buzzing noise until it becomes unstuck. I am now completely awake and alert. I look out the kitchen window and am unable to see anyone in the dark. I go back to my bedroom, grab the pistol and sit in the living room in the dark for 45 minutes. After about 3-4 minutes, the doorbell button unsticks itself and dings once more as it releases.
After the previous events that I described, I cannot express how much comfort that pistol brought for those 45 minutes. It was worth every single penny that I spent and more! I never want any legislator, unknowledgeable citizen, or whomever to be able to take that comfort and safety away from me and my family. In a perfect world none of us would have guns. Since the bad guys have them, I am unwilling to place my safety, and that of my family, in the discretion or will of the bad guy with a gun. The legislation of gun control will only limit their availability to responsibile, law-abiding citizens such as myself. The bad guys will never obtain them through legal means anyway because they don't want the gun traceable back to them. I had to pass a background check and the serial number on the gun is linked to my name! People who purchase guns through this legal means, do so for sport, and/or self-defense, not to commit crimes. Criminalizing or limiting gun ownership only improves the criminal's chances of not facing oppostion to his/her crime and will only embolden his or her actions.
I would rather have a gun and never have to use it, then to need a gun and not have one. If you choose to never hold, shoot, or own a gun, that is completely acceptable and o.k., afterall, that had been my position for the past 34 years. If you do decide to own, please educate yourself and practice shooting. A gun in the hands of someone who has never shot is the same as not having a gun at all. If your choice is not to own a gun, please continue to support the Second Ammendment, and protect the rights of those of us who legally choose to own.