pandagirl Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Though my boyfriend is an intellectual and graduated from an Ivy League school, he likes guns. He likes hunting. Me? I am afraid of guns and am a vegetarian. I don't mind if he hunts, but he recently said he wants me to learn how to handle a gun. I've shot a shotgun before at a shoot range, but in terms of having guns in a home? HELLZ NO. Especially if there are children around. But maybe my stance on guns is close-minded since I grew up in the city and am a super pacifist. Is owning guns more common than I think?
threebyfate Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 I don't see this as a dealbreaker. My husband supports gun control and I don't. If it were legal, I would pack a concealed. He finds this appalling. No biggie.
skydiveaddict Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Though my boyfriend is an intellectual and graduated from an Ivy League school, he likes guns. He likes hunting. Me? I am afraid of guns and am a vegetarian. I don't mind if he hunts, but he recently said he wants me to learn how to handle a gun. I've shot a shotgun before at a shoot range, but in terms of having guns in a home? HELLZ NO. Especially if there are children around. But maybe my stance on guns is close-minded since I grew up in the city and am a super pacifist. Is owning guns more common than I think? LOTS of people own guns. LOTS
Author pandagirl Posted March 26, 2010 Author Posted March 26, 2010 I don't see this as a dealbreaker. My husband supports gun control and I don't. If it were legal, I would pack a concealed. He finds this appalling. No biggie. Ha! I love it, TBF! Would it have mother of pearl on it? (btw, I'm glad your scare with the bebe turned out to be fine!)
Star Gazer Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 BF has guns (like...6? 7?), and even has a gun safe! And he doesn't even hunt! They're for "protection," and we live in suburbia! What are we going to do with all those guns? It's like he's waiting for Armageddon! I think it's silly to have anything more than a handgun and shotgun. But his gun ownership doesn't affect me at all, so it's nowhere close to being a dealbreaker.
Author pandagirl Posted March 26, 2010 Author Posted March 26, 2010 Interesting, I guess owning guns is a lot more common than I thought! But, would you be comfortable raising children in a house with guns?
VertexSquared Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 The only gun any woman would have to worry about is the one in my pants. Every girl should learn how to handle one. More seriously though, I think learning to handle weapons is a good way to learn how to respect power and force in terms of using it wisely.
Star Gazer Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Interesting, I guess owning guns is a lot more common than I thought! But, would you be comfortable raising children in a house with guns? Sure. That's what the safe is for. Keep in mind, many homes of your childrens' friends will also have guns... nothin' you can do about that.
Johnny M Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Though my boyfriend is an intellectual and graduated from an Ivy League school, he likes guns. He likes hunting. Me? I am afraid of guns and am a vegetarian. I don't mind if he hunts, but he recently said he wants me to learn how to handle a gun. I've shot a shotgun before at a shoot range, but in terms of having guns in a home? HELLZ NO. Especially if there are children around. But maybe my stance on guns is close-minded since I grew up in the city and am a super pacifist. Is owning guns more common than I think? Yes, your stance is extremely close minded. You sound like a typical brainwashed liberal (guns = evil). There is nothing wrong with owning guns for sport or protection, as long as you are a responsible - meaning that you know how to handle guns safely and keep them away from children (which is not hard to do - just lock 'em in a safe). Gun ownership is pretty common in your country. I remember reading that there are 80 million gun owners in America.
VertexSquared Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Interesting, I guess owning guns is a lot more common than I thought! But, would you be comfortable raising children in a house with guns? Absolutely. My roommate and I had this discussion the other day. When she was little, her dad taught her how to use the guns and taught her everything about handling/loading/storing/etc. If she needed to, she knew where to run, get the weapon, load it, and be ready to defend herself in a matter of seconds. It taught her a heightened level of responsibility from an early age. I think guns in the house can be great for children if you teach them how to properly handle that kind of power, but they can also foster irresponsibility and danger if you yourself are irresponsible with how you handle the weapons (leaving them out in the open/not teaching proper usage/etc).
carhill Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Don't go hunting with him. Problem solved. Most gun owners/collectors that I know personally have locked gun safes and trigger guards on their handguns, just as an extra measure of safety. The guys who do their own loading have a separate safe for ammo out in the shop or garage where they do their loading. Ammo and weapon meet at the range or on the hunt. Your guy sounds like this kind of gun owner from what you've told about him. Yes, gun ownership is quite common. I don't shoot but have a small vintage firearm collection and dabble in gunsmithing. It's fun.
Author pandagirl Posted March 26, 2010 Author Posted March 26, 2010 The only gun any woman would have to worry about is the one in my pants. Every girl should learn how to handle one. More seriously though, I think learning to handle weapons is a good way to learn how to respect power and force in terms of using it wisely. This is what my boyfriend said: "I'm going to teach you how to handle a gun." I said: 'Why would I need to know that?' Him: "Everyone should know how to handle one!" REALLY?
VertexSquared Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 This is what my boyfriend said: "I'm going to teach you how to handle a gun." I said: 'Why would I need to know that?' Him: "Everyone should know how to handle one!" REALLY? I'd have to agree with your boyfriend, here. I think it's a huge plus to know how to handle a gun.
Star Gazer Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 This is what my boyfriend said: "I'm going to teach you how to handle a gun." I said: 'Why would I need to know that?' Him: "Everyone should know how to handle one!" REALLY? Yes, really. BF has been begging me to go to a full-on SWAT course held outside of Vegas. THAT is a bit extreme, but I'd go to any range/course. (That said, I'm already a damn good shot.)
threebyfate Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Ha! I love it, TBF! Would it have mother of pearl on it? (btw, I'm glad your scare with the bebe turned out to be fine!) Nope, compact, light and deadly! Thanks. It's such a relief!
carhill Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 If someone was uncomfortable with handling weapons (I have been with live-firing certain military-type weapons I've been exposed to), the owner should respect that and not try to 'convince' them. If OP is interested in gun handling, take a professional gun safety/marksmanship course. Learn in a controlled environment from a professional. My stbx could drive a car like a banshee but my tractor scared her to death. No reason. Just how it was. I didn't push it. IMO, that's healthy.
txsilkysmoothe Posted March 26, 2010 Posted March 26, 2010 Originally Posted by pandagirl Though my boyfriend is an intellectual and graduated from an Ivy League school, he likes guns Surely you aren't suggesting that if one is intelligent and educated, they will dislike guns. I would be very wary of having guns in a home with children. It's so easy to forget to put it away, forget to close the safe, etc.
Pizzaman81 Posted March 27, 2010 Posted March 27, 2010 I figure, if the person has mental illness and is abusive and psychotic, you'd be afraid he owns a pair of scissors.
Author pandagirl Posted March 27, 2010 Author Posted March 27, 2010 If someone was uncomfortable with handling weapons (I have been with live-firing certain military-type weapons I've been exposed to), the owner should respect that and not try to 'convince' them. If OP is interested in gun handling, take a professional gun safety/marksmanship course. Learn in a controlled environment from a professional. I think my boyfriend would want me to at least learn how to handle a gun, which I would be fine with. But he would never pressure me beyond that. I don't even like knives!
sweetjasmine Posted March 27, 2010 Posted March 27, 2010 My SO has a few firearms - two of them are rifles (one from WWII) that are mostly collector pieces. He keeps a Remington in the bedroom, and, yes, it has come in handy, more than once, though he's never had to fire it at anyone, ever. The ammo he keeps is birdshot so if he had to fire, it probably wouldn't kill anyone. TBH, guns make me nervous, but over the years, I've started to understand why some people own them. I'd be extremely paranoid about having firearms in the house with kids. But I've spoken to people who have done it, and educating kids about firearms works much better than not saying anything about them. If you're going to be around firearms, even if you don't use them, it might be a good idea to learn basic gun safety rules, just in case you ever have to handle a loaded firearm (and by handle I don't necessarily mean fire).
ufo8mycat Posted March 27, 2010 Posted March 27, 2010 I really don't understand gun ownership but I have noticed attitudes are different in the US. I only know one person who owns a gun and he is in the police force. I would never have a gun in my house and I wouldn't be comfortable with a partner who had guns in the house. Others clearly are but it just isn't my thing. I live in the city so I have no idea what I would need a gun for. It is pretty common for farmers to own guns, my uncle who lived bush had a shot gun but just the one.
tami-chan Posted March 27, 2010 Posted March 27, 2010 My ex has a huge collection of guns. He even gave me a .380 colt automatic with mother of pearl grip as a birthday present with shooting lessons(and accompanying paperwork to actually be able to own it) when I turned 21 years ago. My first thought was, "is HE suicidal?" . Guns don't bother me. But you should not have to "live with" guns if you are not comfortable with them.
JustJoe Posted March 27, 2010 Posted March 27, 2010 Guns are tools, dangerous tools. If you can't or won't learn the safe handling of them, you shouldn't have them. If you are uncomfortable with your SO having guns, then you must decide if the relationship is worth the angst or not.
OndaChin Posted March 27, 2010 Posted March 27, 2010 Nothing wrong with gun ownership! (As long as the person doesnt have mental issues or is abusive and "practices" safe handling always) *Yes, you should learn how to use a gun, too!!! A little story for all you people who say- "Why do you need a gun in Suburbia"? -Remember the Watts Riots AND Rodney King in Los Angeles?? Civil disorder is a REAL THREAT. Just because we in the good old USA seldom see it- doesnt mean it won't happen. I've done work (security) in many sh*t holes around the world (African Congo/ Iraq, etc) and people get whacked all the time (families butchered, women raped and the like) and it's a gun that stands between you and eternity oftentimes. When we had the riots in L.A. back in the mid 90's- there wasnt enough police to protect the civilians in the looting zones! Civil disordered lasted DAYS!!! People who didnt have guns were AT THE MERCY of rapist and robbers!!! (Think about that) If we ever have a MAJOR castasrophic event- there wont be police there to help you! You better have a gun (OR SEVERAL) and plenty of ammo... or else you might find yourself in a very bad situation.
OndaChin Posted March 27, 2010 Posted March 27, 2010 Lots of people enjoy the sporting aspect of guns. Would you be afraid of someone who enjoyed archery? A hunting arrow will put a larger hole in a person than any bullet. Wrong..... I got a .338 and .50 cal rifle (I can hit targets at nearly a mile) that'll blow an ARM OR LEG clean off the body. No arrow is EVER going to do that.
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