It’s a start

A
Democrat Walks Into a Gun Range…

I object to her instructor starting her out with a “baby-Glock” in .40 S&W. A .22 pistol would have been better. But she does fine:

Shooting is fun, y’all. I am not even going to lie. It’s a visceral rush each
time you pull the trigger. But, really, it is terrifying. It’s an extreme
responsibility, and one that I wish people didn’t take so lightly.

I think more trips to the range are needed:

I’m still terrified, I still support gun control, strongly. I’ve never witnessed
one of these Baltimore murders, and I hope to God I never will, nor be a victim.

But now I’ve asked the questions for myself and taken the time to do my
research. I hope others are able to do so. Don’t ever say you haven’t tried to
walk in everyone’s shoes.

And she shouldn’t worry so much about people finding out she is a Democrat.

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9 thoughts on “It’s a start

  1. I ask all of my “I support gun control strongly, guns are dangerous, etc.” friends if they’ve ever (at any point of their life) been to a range. I’m yet to meet one that says “yes”. Not even to observe. Even when I offer to take them with me, they refuse.

    To accept that your beliefs all this time were nothing but lies, smoke and mirrors is a tough pill to swallow I guess.

  2. “It’s an extreme responsibility, and one that I wish people didn’t take so lightly.” Who exactly takes the responsibility lightly, I wonder? I’m glad she went to the range and all, but it seems she is still hanging on to some assumptions…

  3. Thanks for reading my post, guys. I really appreciate the comments, Joe. W/R/T starting out on the baby glock, I believe it was a matter of what he had on hand.

    I will probably make more trips to the range, I have yet to try everything that’s out there.

    I’m not going to get into my beliefs about gun control here – I think we each have our own opinions and are unlikely to change each others minds. But again, thank you for the discussion.

    – Molly

  4. Molly,

    Please don’t bother to explain your beliefs. Just go and have a good time.

    If you have questions or want to talk about any aspects of shooting (competition, defensive use, politics, literally anything) send me an email or leave a comment here.

  5. Joe,

    I agree on the starting lineup! Starting with the subcompact and snubbie… Whew… I think plastic trainer –> .22 –> full size service revolver or semiauto works better with a new shooter.

    And Molly — good for you for trying something new outside the comfort zone. If they offer them near you, you might want to consider a handgun course. My wife took a lady’s handgun class and learned a ton (more than I’ve been trained in the military, for sure). She’s a better pistol shot than I am now!

    I don’t know if the instructors are any good but there are three pages of courses in Maryland from NRA-affiliated instructors (all politics aside — the NRA does do a lot for training, range safety, etc.):
    http://www.nrainstructors.org/searchcourse.aspx

    Your friend — being a police officer — can probably suggest a reputable local instructor. Anchorage is a smaller city and the guy that trains the APD also gives classes to civilians. Baltimore may have a similar deal.

    Cheers,
    Chris

  6. I find it so interesting the fear that grips people who are unfamiliar with firearms when they are first introduced to them. The heart pounding, oh-shit panic, and sympathetic overload that results just from their thoughts and no external stimuli is so fascinating. It is amazing to see the perception of firearms from this angle.

    As much as I disagree with Molly’s views on gun control, at least she went to the range and tried it out. That is far far more than most gun control supporters I’ve met have done. Good work Molly.

  7. I just wanted to chime in — I’m a friend of Molly’s, also a Democrat, also a gun-control supporter. I, too, have been to a shooting range. Wasn’t too bad at it either! Unlike Molly, I didn’t find it a terrifying experience. I drive a car every day, and that’s just as potentially lethal.

    I would never dispute that going shooting can be a fun time. “It’s insufficiently fun” isn’t the reason I’m for gun control.

    Dave, the people who take gun ownership lightly are not the people who are blogging about gun rights, or taking handgun classes. You guys I trust. It’s the people who are walking around the streets of Baltimore every day. Believe me, they exist. I imagine they’re one of the reasons you want to stay armed.

    I’m pretty sympathetic to the “when guns are outlawed” etc argument… but the current state of affairs is an absolute mess. Responsible gun ownership is one thing. But there are far far too many guns getting far far too easily into the hands of those who are, if you’ll excuse the expression, just going to shoot some shit up.

  8. Before everyone gets the preconcieved ideas about Molly’s thoughts on gun control, we should hear what they are.
    It could be that what she would like to implement is already on the books. There are more than 20,000 gun laws to date.

    In all of the years I have been shooting, I have never heard a person that went to the range say, “I wish I hadn’t done that.”
    To a person they enjoyed themselves.

  9. I would rather people didn’t explain why they hold a belief opposed to something I want them to change. It makes it more difficult for them to change their beliefs.

    There is a reason why jurors are not allowed to talk about the case until all the evidence and arguments have been presented. Once a person has made up their mind about something they will be selective in the evidence they accept thereafter.

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