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My 87 year old Dad decided he wanted to learn to shoot. In MA, you cannot buy, own or possess a gun or ammo without a permit. To get one, you first need to pass a State approved handgun course. So we signed Dad up.

 

The first night, I drove him to class and waited in the parking lot. The stream of incoming students was an eye-opener. First, there were 25 folks in the class - and this was at a small gunshop in a rural area. When I took the same class at the same shop almost 10 years ago, there were fewer than 10 students. Second, the people came from a wide political spectrum - one couple, in their late 60's, arrived in a Prius, covered with left-wing political slogan bumper stickers (if you're from MA, you'll get the picture when I tell you that they had a Gov. Deval Patrick sticker - our Mini-Me version of President Obama). There were several other women, all alone, and all over 50. The men ran the gamut from young to old, blue collar to executive type.

 

Range day was another eye-opener. This class uses my club's range, so I took Dad, and set up one alley over, so I could watch the action and shoot a little myself. Dad did fine, much to my relief. The Prius fella showed up in a tie-dyed T-shirt (unrepentant Hippie), and shot like a pro; his wife (lucky to hit 90# soaking wet) struggled, but even tried a .45. Overall, these folks were serious, intense, and determined; no clowns, no survivalists, no punks. I was impressed.

 

I find all of this interesting because this is a rather tough state in which to be an avid shooter. There are a fairly restrictive set of laws in place regarding licensing, possession and use of guns and ammo; there are more and more hunting limitations; there is a certain social stigma attached to guns, especially in urban areas; and there is a palpable level of unreasoned fear among the uneducated public. But watching this class gave me some hope. A wide cross-section of folks, drawn across all class and political lines, all working toward the same goal - legal exercise of their 2nd Amendment rights - despite the hurdles thrown up in their paths by the government.

 

It's a trend that I hope continues to grow.

 

LL

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Interesting reading, thanks for taking the time to put it online for us. For someone coming from a state without such restrictive gun laws, the description is a bit chilling. However, like you, I hope the trend toward people in your state legally, safely and seriously exercising their rights continues. Of course, I hope it continues in the other 49 as well.

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I wonder how many anti-gun liberals who have taken courses have changed their minds about gun control. It's been my experience that they tend to think it's okay for them to own one for their personal protection, but not the rest of the unwashed citizenry.

I had a conversation with one guy who thought it was fine for him to have a gun to protect himself from the "gun nuts". He didn't see the hypocrisy at all. :wacko:

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I wonder how many anti-gun liberals who have taken courses have changed their minds about gun control. It's been my experience that they tend to think it's okay for them to own one for their personal protection, but not the rest of the unwashed citizenry.

I had a conversation with one guy who thought it was fine for him to have a gun to protect himself from the "gun nuts". He didn't see the hypocrisy at all. :wacko:

 

Back in 92 many were outraged that California's (then) 15 day waiting period (now 10 days) applied to them when they rushed out to buy guns at the start of the Rodney King Riots. Obvious discrimination when such superior and sensitive souls couldn't buy handguns on the spot in order to protect themselves from the great unwashed masses.

 

I think a lot of that attitude is projection. They don't really feel that they can trust themselves with firearms, and since they feel that such superior beings as themselves don't have the self control and self discipline to be safe with firearms and use them in a reasonable fashion, then obviously all us lesser beings simply can never be trusted with them.

 

ADDED:

 

It isn't all bad though. I've taught quite a few to shoot, and once they got over their fear of guns they allowed that not only is shooting fun, but learning to shoot well helps build self control, self discipline, and self-esteem. And is kind of meditative, like Zen and archery.

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When we talk about hypocrites, the name of anti-gun Senator R.C. Soles immediately comes to mind. He was the guy who shot the intruder who had broken into the Senator's home. Yep, it's okay for him to have a gun to protect himself, but not okay for us. :angry:

 

 

2nd Amendment

Anti-Gun Senator Shoots Intruder

Uploaded on February 14, 2011

 

Anti-Gun Senator Shoots Intruder

 

State Senator R.C. Soles (D - NC) Long time Anti-Gun Advocate State Senator R.C. Soles, 74, shot one of two intruders at his home just outside Tabor City, N.C. about 5 p.m. Sunday, the prosecutor for the politician's home county said.

 

The intruder, Kyle Blackburn, was taken to a South Carolina hospital, but the injuries were not reported to be life-threatening, according to Rex Gore, district attorney for Columbus, Bladen and Brunswick counties.

 

The State Bureau of Investigation and Columbus County Sheriff's Department are investigating the shooting, Gore said. Soles, who was not arrested,declined to discuss the incident Sunday evening.

"I am not in a position to talk to you," Soles said by telephone.

"I'm right in the middle of an investigation."

The Senator, who has made a career of being against gun ownership for the general public, didn't hesitate to defend himself with his own gun when he believed he was in immediate danger and he was the victim.

In typical hypocritical liberal fashion, the "Do as I say and not as I do" Anti-Gun Activist Lawmaker picked up his gun and took action in what apparently was a self-defense shooting.

Why hypocritical you may ask?

It is because his long legislative record shows that the actions that he took to protect his family, his own response to a dangerous life threatening situation, are actions that he feels ordinary citizens should not have if they were faced with an identical situation.

 

It has prompted some to ask if the Senator believes his life and personal safety is more valuable than yours or mine.

But, this is to be expected from those who believe they can run our lives, raise our kids, and protect our families better than we can.

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Montana is very strict when it comes to buying a gun.I bought my 1st on when I was 12.Put it on lay a way at the Coast to Coast store and picked it up when it was paid for.Still have it....a Colt Frontier scout 22LR.Can't do that anymore;gotta be an adult now to buy a handgun.Now if someone wants a gun,they go to a dealer and have to have a background check run before they can get it.Takes about 5 minutes of shooting time out of a person's day.Glad I don't live in MA or CA.

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My daughter is a high school English teacher. One assignment she gave out was to pick a subject and write your view on it. One student wrote her paper on GUN CONTROL. As my daughter was handing back the papers, she told this student, "I guess you won't like what I bought my son for Christmas" . The whole class went "GASP" :o

 

 

TF

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While it's true what a few others have said about some that think it's OK for them to have a gun but not the "unwashed masses", (A few hollyweird types come immediantly to mind).. I meself have noticed that it seems a lot of folks are finally starting to pull their heads out of the sand..Good to hear it's happening in MA..Let's hope this is a trend that will continue to grow!

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While it's true what a few others have said about some that think it's OK for them to have a gun but not the "unwashed masses", (A few hollyweird types come immediantly to mind).. I meself have noticed that it seems a lot of folks are finally starting to pull their heads out of the sand..Good to hear it's happening in MA..Let's hope this is a trend that will continue to grow!

 

Agree.

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Good news from Mass.

 

I know several politically very liberal people who own guns and have concealed pistol licenses. One of them is a long-time competition pistol shooter.

 

There is no necessary correlation between liberal politics and an anti-gun stance, although certainly it is more commonly found among such than among conservatives.

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Good news from Mass.

 

I know several politically very liberal people who own guns and have concealed pistol licenses. One of them is a long-time competition pistol shooter.

 

There is no necessary correlation between liberal politics and an anti-gun stance, although certainly it is more commonly found among such than among conservatives.

 

True statements. And I would bet that most people here know liberals who are also gun owners. Nothing wrong with that so far as it goes. Unfortunately, they will tend to vote for liberal candidates who often toe the line of the anti-gun agenda. Not because those voters are anti-gun, but because they see other issues as more important than the protections of the Second Amendment.

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I often tell folks that I am a liberal, and I mean it. To me it means Isaiah Berlin in political philosophy, Reinhold Niebuhr in religion, and Jack Kennedy in politics.

 

On the other hand, I do not have a progressive bone in my body.

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