Against owning a gun...

[RachelMarie]

(I didn't know where to put this, so if it's needed...feel free to move this)

Yesterday was the first time in YEARS handling and shooting a gun(THANK YOU....you know who you are). As some of you know, I'm new to the *gun* scene. I've been researching now for a few months.

To get to the point, my family isn't exactly happy (by family I mean Mother and Sister). I'm hearing a lot of negativity about the possibilty of me purchasing a gun for self defense. What I hear most is, "you are more likely to be shot by your own gun". I'm really getting fed up.
I'm not sure how to handle this. I feel very strongly about purchasing (and carrying) and I dont want to hear the crap lines they are feeeding me.

I'm not sure the reasoning behind their comments. Maybe it's because I am the baby of the family, and at 25 they refuse to think I am grown up. Or if it is because I went through a rough adolecent time. I wasn't the best behaved teenager and was in and out of trouble until I met my husband. I've had my life on track for almost 9 years now, so if that's the issue...it's old news.

What am I supposed to do here? I want my family to be okay with it. But at the same time, if they are not.....I'm still going to do this. Not for any reason other than protecting my child. I just dont get it. I want them to be as happy as I am...even my husband (who is a bit more excited for me). I seriously counldn't stop smiling yesterday after leaving the range. I finally felt that *I CAN DO THIS*....(I had a good teacher who was patient and willing to let me learn from him.)

Does anyone have advice for helping me through this situation? I just want them to believe in me. I want my daughter to be protected...hell I want to protect my husband....But I also think it is just one hell of a hobby.

I'm looking for facts/statistics. I want to print out some info to give to both my mother and sister. Info that will help them understnad why exactly I want a gun. My family tends to think that guns are for men. My mother has said to me "Why in the world would you want a gun...you're a woman"...which just makes me want one MORE, to prove to my family that it isn't a mans sport anymore




TIA to all that offer up some help. I'm irritated....

 

[melensdad]

Gun Facts - Your guide for debunking gun control myth

 

[RachelMarie]

AH HA...That's what I'm talking about!

 

[JosephR]

Women are only shot by their own firearms on the Lifetime Channel. I hate this mentality...

 

[melensdad]

Yup, that website has TONS of great information.

FWIW, don't bury your family with pro-gun information. But better yet, just counter each of their points with the facts for that point. And keep doing it. Every little quip they make can/should be answered. And each time you refute their statements ask for them provide supporting evidence NEXT TIME they make an anti-gun comment to you. Eventually they will shut up. Sometimes, if you are lucky, after you refute their statements enough times, they may start to see the light.

 

[RelicHound]

Yup, that website has TONS of great information.

FWIW, don't bury your family with pro-gun information. But better yet, just counter each of their points with the facts for that point. And keep doing it. Every little quip they make can/should be answered. And each time you refute their statements ask for them provide supporting evidence NEXT TIME they make an anti-gun comment to you. Eventually they will shut up. Sometimes, if you are lucky, after you refute their statements enough times, they may start to see the light.

 

[jennybird]

Or, show your mom and sister this...

Your mom sounds like mine. She wants me to be all pretty and feminine... I simply say. "Fine mom. I'll buy a PINK gun!"

Hon, there comes a point in your life where you realize that what other people think doesn't matter. They do not define who you are. But for what it's worth, I think you're AWESOME!!!

 

[Dogman]

Just because your a woman doesn't mean you shouldn't try and protect yourself and your family. Even cops have had their guns taken away and killed with them, but at least they died fighting. I would rather my wife carry a gun and be able to at least try and protect herself and me than be a willing victim.
I think one reason she decided to carry is that she knows I had a guy sit outside my house once waiting to ambush me when I went to work.
Remember your family loves you so be patience and take it one step at a time with them. And perhaps it'll be one of those things that you just can't talk about with anyone except your husband......oh and us.

 

[redneckmedic]

Sounds like a case of....."I love you, mind your own business, and shut the hell up!" Of course it always sounds better in your head, when it comes out like, but..but.. OK Mom, fine!

 

[Dogman]

Or, show your mom and sister this...

Your mom sounds like mine. She wants me to be all pretty and feminine... I simply say. "Fine mom. I'll buy a PINK gun!"

Hon, there comes a point in your life where you realize that what other people think doesn't matter. They do not define who you are. But for what it's worth, I think you're AWESOME!!!

I love that theory!

 

[RachelMarie]

Thank you for all the advice. It's really starting to get to me, but I'm trying to think positive.

I try not to drown them in pro-gun comments. But they try to drown me in anti-gun comments, so I kind of feel like just letting them have it. lol. Seriously though, they are so quick to judge me.
And Jen, I too agree that what people think shouldn't matter. But for me, when it comes to family...it DOES matter. Only because they've went thru hell when I was young, HELL. I feel like I almost owe them something. I will throw them the PINK gun idea and see what reaction I get.....but I kind of hope they dont like that idea....because I DONT WANT pink gun...LOL.

Oh...and you seem to be one bad a$$ chick yourself!

I think my best bet is to research and learn as much as possible. And just continue to throw out FACTS. I have NO problem NOT talking to them about it, but I feel it will be a problem if I can't carry around them.

AGAIN...Thanks for the replies!

 

[Dogman]

but I feel it will be a problem if I can't carry around them.

AGAIN...Thanks for the replies!

That's why God created... CC, IWB.

 

[kludge]

The whole "you are more likely" BS came from a mathematically flawed, statistically and academically suspect study done by Kellerman, and if you put "Kellerman" into google you can find a bunch of stuff.

The worst part is that most of the examples in the study were suicides.

Also in some of the cited cases the gun used in the crime was not owned by the person living there... think drug deals gone bad, and similar stuff.

Here's one:
Kellerman Debunked!

Also, there was no attempt to find examples of where a gun was used to protect, for which estimates range from 1 million to 2.5 million times per year in the US.

 

[jennybird]

Thank you for all the advice. It's really starting to get to me, but I'm trying to think positive.

I try not to drown them in pro-gun comments. But they try to drown me in anti-gun comments, so I kind of feel like just letting them have it. lol. Seriously though, they are so quick to judge me.
And Jen, I too agree that what people think shouldn't matter. But for me, when it comes to family...it DOES matter. Only because they've went thru hell when I was young, HELL. I feel like I almost owe them something. I will throw them the PINK gun idea and see what reaction I get.....but I kind of hope they dont like that idea....because I DONT WANT pink gun...LOL.

Oh...and you seem to be one bad a$$ chick yourself!

I think my best bet is to research and learn as much as possible. And just continue to throw out FACTS. I have NO problem NOT talking to them about it, but I feel it will be a problem if I can't carry around them.

AGAIN...Thanks for the replies!

Yeah, I don't want a pink one either. I'm of the opinion that if I am in a position in which I have to protect myself from someone, I will want it to be perfectly clear to them that I am holding a lethal weapon, not a giant wad of strawberry taffy.

I wouldn't classify me a badass by any means, but thanks... that makes me feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside.

As for feeling like you owe your family something... I dunno... maybe you do. But I have a suspicion that what you owe them is more along the lines of "thank you for putting up with me I appreciate it and I'm sorry for putting you through hell" kind of thing. I don't believe you owe them an explanation for every choice you make as an adult and every constitutional right you believe in.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I'm just waiting to use:

"if it's so easy for someone to take my gun away from me to use against me... Then I'll just take it right back from them. We'll play take-away until the police arrive"

-J-

 

[CopperWires]

I like the gunfacts website but some people just won't look at it. Instead of force feeding them the gunfacts information, maybe just ask them to cite some sources for their info. They might just get online to research their argument and find out otherwise! That way they feel like they discovered it on their own and it wasn't a "I'm right you're wrong" moment.

 

[CulpeperMM]

Not only the defense stuff, which is the real reason you want the gun, but you'll have fun. Tell them you ENJOY it.

My wife did not think she'd like shooting. She took it up as sort of a duty to protect herself. Now she loves the fact that she is a natural marksman (markswoman?) and is a better shot than i am with stuff with less recoil (its like she has no pulse). She called my 10/22 "her rifle" after showing me her target in comparison to mine. Fine with me. I like that it is something we enjoy together. (as long i get to keep the center fire rifles )

A few things to share with antis:

thousands more people are killed by doctors than guns each year in America, even though there are millions more guns than doctors.

thousands more people are killed by cars than guns each year in America, even though there are millions more guns than cars.

thousands more people are killed by swimming pools than guns each year in America, even though there are millions more guns than swimming pools.

Lastly... It is your natural right not to be a defenseless sheep, and a firearm is the most effect form of defense for you.

 

[Root]

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[jason conley]

Don't take this wrong but only a women would be so concerned with what there mother/sisters say, you are exactly like my wife. My wife got me to buy her first gun maybe you can talk your husband in to it. Don't buy a wather ppk you won't be able to pull slide back and load or unload gun. Your mom and the police won't be able to help you when you need it most, buy a gun today.

 

[PhantomJ]

....... My mother has said to me "Why in the world would you want a gun...you're a woman".........

Another point which could be made, the very reason you want a gun, is because as a woman with a gun you are equal to any threat aligned against you. Sort of the old line "God created men, but Sam Colt made them equal." I don't know how many black belts you own, how much you bench, and I'm not trying to start a "Men are physically superior to women" threadjack. I think generally speaking men are big and stronger than women and can physically dominate them. When firearms come into play this advantage goes away. Just my YMMV