Several of the pipefitters that I work with down here in Texas are quite interested in politics. One of our discussions was on guns and gun control, an issue very close to the hearts of Texans. At the time of the argument I hadn’t really formed an opinion on gun control. To me, the issue seemed unimportant compared to the many other issues facing our society. Apparently this wasn’t a satisfying answer for JT, who insisted on taking me shooting to show me how fun guns can be. Having never been to a shooting range (i shot my grand father’s .22 caliber rifle when I was younger), I decided to go.
I had fun, or atleast it was an interesting experience. JT’s plan to get me to love guns kind of backfired. After talking to some of the guys there and seeing some of the weapons people had (assault rifles, high powered rifles, enourmous hand guns), I am now in favor of gun control. One of the guys explained to me that should someone break into his house, he has a shotgun under his bed loaded with a kind of ammo that will spray shot over a large area. He then has a high powered revolver which he will use to kill the intruder. I think that’s a large part of Texas’ infatuation with guns; they all think that someone is going to break into their house with a gun and try to kill them. I tried to argue that most people breaking into someone’s home are doing so to loot the house and that they don’t have the intention to kill you. But they didn’t work.
I am not sure if JT was mad or just disappointed that I didn’t fall in love with guns. Anyway, here are the pictures:
Shooting range outside of Beaumont, Texas
Although it was a kind of run down place on the side of the highway, at least they were taking safety seriously. I don’t mean that sarcastically, they did really take it seriously, as did all the guys at the range including JT and Randy, the two pipefitters I went with.
Shooting range outside of Beaumont, Texas
Randy firing some hand gun. I don’t remember the names of the guns we were shooting. They were all hand guns.
Shooting range outside of Beaumont, Texas
JT shooting. The gun he is holding and the two guns on the table were his. He also brought his high powered rifle which was so strong JT was black and blue all over his shoulder.
Shooting range outside of Beaumont, Texas
Even though the target was really close, I couldn’t hit anything. Guns are heavy and hard to shoot. It’s not like in the movies at all.
Shooting range outside of Beaumont, Texas
JT tired helping me get some consistency in my shooting, but with no success. It’s hard to shoot a gun.
While there, JT told me about a movement to let students have guns on campus. After all the shootings that have gone over the past few years, there is a movement afoot to let students carry guns on college campuses to protect themselves. I am not going to go into a lot of detail about why this is the craziest idea I have ever heard. But I will point you to their website: ConcealedCampus.org
Some highlights from the website are:
Argument: The answer to bullets flying is not more bullets flying.
Answer: Actually, the answer to bullets flying is almost always more bullets flying. That’s why the police bring so many guns with them when they respond to a report of ‘shots fired.
Argument: It is inconceivable that any logical person would believe that the answer to violence is more guns.
Answer: One might have just as easily told Edward Jenner, the man who discovered in the late eighteenth century that the cowpox virus could be used to inoculate people against smallpox, ‘It is inconceivable that any logical person would believe that the answer to disease is more viruses.
Sorry this post is short, but I have been busy. Anyone else have any good reading on gun control?
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