When I answered the phone, the voice of an old friend greeted me. During my years as a Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer Andy and I had patrolled together many times. We covered untold miles both with our patrol vehicles and with our conversations as we passed the uneventful hours of night patrol.
Now Andy was asking if I was interested in dusting off the old duty weapon and showing up at the local range for some friendly competition. I informed him that I didn’t recollect having fired it since retiring two years ago but he assured me that the shooting wouldn’t be all that difficult.
Five old bowling pins were set on a table in front of each shooter. All courses of fire began with the weapon loaded, holstered and secured. The objective was to be the first to clean the table of pins.
As I later recalled the evening events and the good fun had by all, I began to think about the issue of gun control.
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, firearms were an everyday part of life. The .22 always stood in the corner; ready to dispatch any varmint that happened to wander into the farm and on butchering days it was used to kill the hogs. There were a couple of 12ga. shotguns that dad and granddad used to kill a few squirrels and rabbits each fall, adding some variety to the family meals and then there were the deer rifles. Guns were tools, tools that were used for a useful purpose. Gun ownership in our rural county to this day is very high. I have no doubt that guns outnumber the people by a considerable number and yet crime is very low in our community.
Now that is something new to me..LOL
ReplyDeleteYou make an excellent point, Salty...about the low crime rate despite the numbers of guns. The lack of respect for human life is a subject that my walking buddy and I often discuss in the early morning hours. I certainly don't pretend to know the answer, but your point proves that the increased crime rate is a multifaceted problem...not merely one of gun possession.
ReplyDeleteSounds like something my dad would be out doing. Now if you can fit golf into that newfangled game then he would be all set.
ReplyDeleteI agree about the guns issue. It is something that most people don't think about or want to consider. I don't doubt that guns outnumber people. It is the irresponsible and media that really create all of the fuss. I am not belittling the devestation of the violence involving guns but more gun laws are not the answers to the problem.
Sounds like my life growing up. More guns to people with low crime just means that they are law abiding citizens that have the guns. All the gun laws in the world will not stop people from killing people with guns ti will just keep the good people from having them and being able to protect themselves.
ReplyDeleteI have not removed a gun from my gum cabinet for so many years I had to ask my wife if she remembered where I hid the keys. But I still want to keep mine and it is my right.
The bad people will continue to use guns to due crimes, I looked at the Patriot News a few minutes ago and am getting ready to head into the city for my day shift as a firefighter and what did I read, another murder in the projects with a gun. Bad guys will always find a way to get their hands on a gun.
Sorry about that I started rambling, must be because I am still on my first cup of coffee. I don't know what I did before I found a few of these blogs, but keep up the great work Salty, I enjoy reading them.
Interesting post. I would love to have my old M1 rifle back to see if I could hit the side of a barn at 2000 yards. I doubt it.
ReplyDeleteToday (October 25th) in my birthday. I am 74 years old.
Certainly do agree with your firearms philosophy. Curious if the "God and guns" of PA will come out and vote.
ReplyDeleteSalty: Guns were part of life when growing up in PA. It was just an acceptable thing.
ReplyDeleteYou were the random CC site on the front page, You need to get a CC post or a lot of people are going to be confused.
Since I'm behind, I was going to lump a bunch of things into one comment, but had to do this one on its own.
ReplyDeleteI COMPLETELY agree. Eliminating guns will not eliminate crime or deaths. That is a completely separate issue. I have never owned a gun or lived in a house where anything larger than a pellet gun was owned, but I 100% support the right to bear arms.