My New Analogy

[SpringerXD]

This thread was inspired by all of the "My Wife Doesn't Want me Carrying" type of threads.

I know a few anti-gun people. In fact, I have a few liberal-leaning folks in my late wife's family whom I see regularly. I generally don't bring up the topic of guns, but when it gets brought up I stand my ground. No real arguments, per se, but just a general disagreement.

So anyway, my new analogy is:

"A gun is like an airbag in your car. With any luck, you'll go the rest of your life and never need it. The problem is that if you do need it, you need it badly and you need it right now."

My former brother-in-law, for example, sneers at the entire "gun-totin'" concept. I took him to the range a couple of years ago because he was 30 years old and had never fired a handgun. He told me once, "I might get a gun someday, but I'll leave it at home." Gee, that'll sure help when you get attacked somewhere.

I really don't want to look upon people I love with contempt in any way, but it also concerns me how clueless they can be sometimes. I mentioned home invasions to him on the phone a while back. He responded with, "Sure, you hear about those things, but who do you know that has ever had that happen to them?"



Well, nobody until it happens to them.

They just can't seem to understand that crime usually strikes without warning. I can talk until I'm blue in the face, pointing out actual cases where a gun would have most likely saved lives, but it doesn't seem to apply.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[JonInNY]

I have a non-toting, non-believing sister-in-law. Once when we were out to dinner, the conversation came up, and I said that I was indeed carrying a gun at the time.

She then asked, seriously, "Yes, but is it loaded"?

I'll never forget that one!

[retsupt99]

I know someone with experience in home invasions. This same person was in the home without a weapon...when police arrived (and they did arrive quickly), the 'intruder' pointed a gun at the arriving officers...he was immediately shot and killed on their kitchen floor.
This was enough 'action' to get these people thinking about being armed, but that soon wore off...still sheep as of this day.baaaaa, baaaaaaa, it'll never happen again.

[SpringerXD]

I know someone with experience in home invasions. This same person was in the home without a weapon...when police arrived (and they did arrive quickly), the 'intruder' pointed a gun at the arriving officers...he was immediately shot and killed on their kitchen floor.
This was enough 'action' to get these people thinking about being armed, but that soon wore off...still sheep as of this day.baaaaa, baaaaaaa, it'll never happen again.

Wow. Just....wow. So let's break this down. Not only was the perp willing to brazenly break right into their home, he then aimed at uniformed police officers. Yet, these folks still went right back to their "it only happens to other people" stance.

Yeah, those are some serious sheep.

[chrise2004]

+1 on the airbag analogy.

But sometimes no matter what kind or how good the analogy is people won't every understand until something happens to them and sometimes not even that will work. See Ret's example above.

As long as you and your family is safe that's all that matters.

[tiwee]

Good analogy. I will use it. Air bags have been known to injure. Wonder why those folks don't take their airbags out and sell them.

[SpringerXD]

Air bags have been known to injure. Wonder why those folks don't take their airbags out and sell them.

I plan to use this aspect of it, as well. "An airbag can actually knock you unconscious when it pops. Why would you want such a dangerous object anywhere near you???"

[automatic slim]

Don't look at them with contempt, but with sympathy. They just don't know better.

[Patti]

He responded with, "Sure, you hear about those things, but who do you know that has ever had that happen to them?"

It happened to my parents.

[grady]

The airbag is a good analogy.

As for those who really don't get it, maybe they'll skate through life and not be impacted, but maybe not. It's a case of you knowing you're right, but not being able to convince the dunderheads. They'll meander on through life, maybe getting lucky, maybe not. Although I'm sure you don't hope for it, at some point they may be the victim of a crime whereupon they'll suddenly have a change of heart.

For some, that realization only lasts a few moments before they die.

You're right and he's wrong, but he may never realize it.

[SpringerXD]

It happened to my parents.

I'm very sorry to hear that. Are they okay, I hope?

[ccw9mm]

"A gun is like an airbag in your car. With any luck, you'll go the rest of your life and never need it. The problem is that if you do need it, you need it badly and you need it right now."

That's perfect logic. It cannot be sidestepped. That's exactly the nature of something needed immediately, when it's least expected. And, like a seatbelt or airbag, a defensive, life-saving tool might well safe your life. Can't use what you don't have. It is that simple.

My former brother-in-law, for example, sneers at the entire "gun-totin'" concept.

And yet, he almost certainly doesn't sneer at the car insurance concept, or the seat belt concept. He's letting the fact that it's a "gun" get in the way of his brain. For an otherwise intelligent person, that's fairly unintelligent.

I mentioned home invasions to him on the phone a while back. He responded with, "Sure, you hear about those things, but who do you know that has ever had that happen to them?"

I've had my home broken into. Rear door was kicked in. I happened to not be there at the time. Luck of the draw.

A couple of friends have had the same thing occur.

Nobody I know closely has had invaders come while they were home, though a couple others I know have. But, a year's worth of newspapers in any major metro area is full of instances of exactly this. The trend is toward invasion crimes in broad daylight, when most folks happen to be at work. I've just been luck enough to not yet have it happen while I was there.

Today, I had a big, two-ton truck beside me suddenly decide he needed to be in my lane. Never saw me. I'm fairly alert and quick in a car, so I was able to avoid being struck (@ 60mph, BTW). How I didn't end up flipped in the center area (between the sides of the four-lane highway), I'll never know. Had I been naive enough to claim, last week, that I could save money via skipping auto insurance or health insurance, then I might well have been hung out to dry if that truck's driver had come just another two feet closer to my car. All it would have taken was a couple more feet, luck of the draw, and my prior stupidity/naivete.

They just can't seem to understand that crime usually strikes without warning.

The naive choose not to. They DO, with insurance, spare tire, spare water/blankets in the winter during a hard mountain crossing. They REFUSE TO, when it comes to defensive, life-saving tools such as knives, firearms, OC spray. It's naive and dangerous. Worse, such stupidity is going to likely get others harmed, those for whom they are responsible, should anything happen and (by choice) they fail to be able to do anything about it.

[Spec]

+1 on the air bag. I'll be sure to use it next time.

[kccad]

Great analogy. No one but my immediate family is aware that I carry. No problems with them, but if I were to have someone start grilling me over it, I would tell them that I respect their decision to not own a firearm and I don't want to discuss it anymore. I personally don't care what some rigid anti-gun person who has never carried a firearm thinks. He or she may never understand the great weight we have on our shoulders to make sure we use our firearms lawfully and without loss of life to innocents. Nor will they understand that I have no desire to take another life and my use of my firearm will be only after I've exhausted all other means of avoidance/de-escalation of a conflict involving great bodily harm.

Unfortunately, some will paint you as some hick redneck that can't wait to shoot someone and be a hero no matter what you say. Still, I think your analogy would give even the most hard core anti-gun person pause. As for the folks on the fence, I think it could sway them to at least go shooting with you at the range.

[justherenow]

I use the smoke detector or fire extinguisher or seat belt analogy. They are all there when you need them, but you never plan it happening today.