In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
Options
How would you respond?
spurgemastur
Member Posts: 5,655 ✭✭
I've recently re-established contact with an old friend. After 13 years of no contact, we're getting back in touch. In an e-mail to this friend I described my interest in guns. That would be a novel thing, because we both attended a VERY left-wing college.
Below is my friend's response to my initial "I love guns" e-mail. You'll find stuff in there that doesn't make sense because you don't know the details of my original email. I've decided it's better to let you be confused about the details than to cut sections of the response because I don't want to be accused of taking quotes out of context.
I want to know how you would respond to a message from an old friend that looked something like this:
quote:Very interesting stuff about the guns and the bible. This was from an uncle if I'm remembering correctly? I'm still getting my head around your interest in guns, but I don't mean that to sound judgmental, I live in a city and guns are nothing but trouble in a city. Your environment is quite different. I can imagine they are awesome things to behold, and to actually hold and try out and all that. I haven't really thought about that feeling since childhood... growing up the only girl with two brothers will give you plenty of opportunities to explore your boy side. I remember playing with toy guns.
Below is my friend's response to my initial "I love guns" e-mail. You'll find stuff in there that doesn't make sense because you don't know the details of my original email. I've decided it's better to let you be confused about the details than to cut sections of the response because I don't want to be accused of taking quotes out of context.
I want to know how you would respond to a message from an old friend that looked something like this:
quote:Very interesting stuff about the guns and the bible. This was from an uncle if I'm remembering correctly? I'm still getting my head around your interest in guns, but I don't mean that to sound judgmental, I live in a city and guns are nothing but trouble in a city. Your environment is quite different. I can imagine they are awesome things to behold, and to actually hold and try out and all that. I haven't really thought about that feeling since childhood... growing up the only girl with two brothers will give you plenty of opportunities to explore your boy side. I remember playing with toy guns.
Comments
Get busy and convert that person while there is a ray of hope![:D]
I'm not one to dump a good friend (and she is that) over a fundamental (and this might be that) disagreement. I'm not beyond trying to make her see things my way, and I made my attempt.
The question I'm interested in is: how do you bring this argument to a person you love, so that they will come to understand it the same way that you do? Because that's really my problem.
I made my attempt. It amounted to 'castle doctrine,' and a strict reading of the 2nd amendment, but that's dry. How do you bring those issues alive to a person you love in a way that is effective?
I've converted a girl that by far thought worse of guns then this girl does in her statement at least, and now she has her CCL and never leaves home without it.
Simply take her shooting. She sounds like she's open minded, and with the right handling and proper safety shown you could make her respect guns, and possibly get interested. Show her that guns aren't evil and guns can be a fun and safe activity when used and owned by a responsible owner.
I've converted a girl that by far thought worse of guns then this girl does in her statement at least, and now she has her CCL and never leaves home without it.
Awesome idea, and if it were feasible I'd be all over it. Sadly, I'm on the west coast and she's almost dead-center between west and east coasts.....looooong way away.
Still, I think you're right about this girl. I think that to take her shooting and show her what it's about might change her viewpoint. She might not become an enthusiast, but she's open enough that she might change her views on how guns should (not) be regulated.
If the opportunity comes up, I'll take her shooting. Otherwise it's all talk.
Pete
Simply take her shooting. She sounds like she's open minded, and with the right handling and proper safety shown you could make her respect guns, and possibly get interested. Show her that guns aren't evil and guns can be a fun and safe activity when used and owned by a responsible owner.
I've converted a girl that by far thought worse of guns then this girl does in her statement at least, and now she has her CCL and never leaves home without it.
BINGO
quote:Originally posted by Kodiakk
Simply take her shooting. She sounds like she's open minded, and with the right handling and proper safety shown you could make her respect guns, and possibly get interested. Show her that guns aren't evil and guns can be a fun and safe activity when used and owned by a responsible owner.
I've converted a girl that by far thought worse of guns then this girl does in her statement at least, and now she has her CCL and never leaves home without it.
BINGO
Yah....I've agreed with this post also, and then explained how 2000 miles of separation makes the suggestion infeasible for the foreseeable future.
Bingo's all good....unless you actually read the whole thread.
quote:Originally posted by *_r_done
Get busy and convert that person while there is a ray of hope![:D]
I'm not one to dump a good friend (and she is that) over a fundamental (and this might be that) disagreement. I'm not beyond trying to make her see things my way, and I made my attempt.
The question I'm interested in is: how do you bring this argument to a person you love, so that they will come to understand it the same way that you do? Because that's really my problem.
I made my attempt. It amounted to 'castle doctrine,' and a strict reading of the 2nd amendment, but that's dry. How do you bring those issues alive to a person you love in a way that is effective?
I didn't mean for you to dump a good friend.
All I was getting at is there does seem to be a ray of hope in converting her to a progunner. And you being a good friend would have a better chance of steering her right.
Kodiakk phrased it very well in his post above.
Sounds like she means something to you so I'm sure she's worth the additional effort. Space. Time. Tolerance and reasoning. All the while you explain to her where your head is at and why it's there.
Good luck!
Anything past that I just wouldn't make an issue of it. I do have at least one or two friends that are freedom hating commies, but I've known them for too long to argue when I do get to see them or talk to them.
Look through the site below, to get some "ammunition" as to how other ladies feel about firearms, their rights, etc. or send her there.
Tell her about how the 2nd is the ONLY thing that stands between freedom and tyranny. Sounds like she is worth it.
http://www.armedfemalesofamerica.com/
Over time, about 2 years, I slowly injected discussion of the Constitution into our conversation. Then the Bill of Rights, then the Magna Carta. I sent him a few interesting, non-political books. By the end of these rambling discussions over a couple of yesrs, he went out and bought a Colt 1911A1, and had it tuned by a gunsmith. He started going shootin weekly, and is now politically Conservative, got a CCW - in OHIO - and shoots at least once a week. When I finally visited him, he couldn't wait to show me his collection of about 6 firearms - long and short, and get a couple of his new (shooter) friends together and take me out to blast some paper.
My point is that I think a gentle, non-agressive approach that's not in a hurry is a key toward not only reviving your friendship, but educating people about our Country in General, and shooting/firearms specifically. Smart, analytical people will lead themselves to the conclusions you wish them to make.
I'm am continually amazed at how little of America's history is unknown to otherwise intelligent people.
I really hope that some of what I've said will be helpful.
D.
* edited to insert punctuation
I'm usually home, except from 10AM to 2PM on Tuesdays and Thursday.
D.
* edited to correct capitaliztion
I've recently re-established contact with an old friend. After 13 years of no contact, we're getting back in touch. In an e-mail to this friend I described my interest in guns. That would be a novel thing, because we both attended a VERY left-wing college.
Below is my friend's response to my initial "I love guns" e-mail. You'll find stuff in there that doesn't make sense because you don't know the details of my original email. I've decided it's better to let you be confused about the details than to cut sections of the response because I don't want to be accused of taking quotes out of context.
I want to know how you would respond to a message from an old friend that looked something like this:
quote:Very interesting stuff about the guns and the bible. This was from an uncle if I'm remembering correctly? I'm still getting my head around your interest in guns, but I don't mean that to sound judgmental, I live in a city and guns are nothing but trouble in a city. Your environment is quite different. I can imagine they are awesome things to behold, and to actually hold and try out and all that. I haven't really thought about that feeling since childhood... growing up the only girl with two brothers will give you plenty of opportunities to explore your boy side. I remember playing with toy guns.
friends take you as you are & respect your life, maybe learn a thing or 2..if they got blinkers on..thats there problem..[;)]
Maybe that's what I'm hearing because that's what I want to hear. Anyway, that's what I'm doing.
Thanks for the input all. If goin' shootin' becomes an option I'll try that with her. Otherwise what I'm hearing is mostly just to be what I am and let her draw her own conclusions about that and about guns (i.e. the mellow approach).
Maybe that's what I'm hearing because that's what I want to hear. Anyway, that's what I'm doing.
Do some research, there is most likely a range or club near here that you could buy her a gift certificate to, for like maybe a hour of instruction & some range time with a .22 for a reasonable price?
post up a general area, maybe one of the members can make a recommendation.
Don
I dated a girl for about 9 years, off and on. She was a stone fox,but very liberal. She hated guns and refused to go shooting, or even to learn anything about them. She moved to Hollywood to become a "model/actress". She drove out there by herself, so I gave her a .38 Colt for her protection. Eventually, she move back to New Orleans two years later. After dating her again, I asked about the gun. She told me that a few weeks after moving to Hollywood, she sold the gun for $125.00 because she needed the money. I have never gotten over that, and your friend reminds me of her. You will never change her! THERE ARE GUN PEOPLE, AND THERE ARE USELESS PEOPLE...AND NEVER SHALL THE TWO MEET.
I strongly disagree. This girl shows some interest, and doesn't sound entirely close minded like your ex girlfriend.
Most logical people that use their minds will listen to points of gun ownership and how they are not the bad ones, the people behind them are the bad ones.
I've turned more outspoken gun haters into gun toting responsible owners then the girl he is asking about. Logic is my strongest point.