"Why do you need a gun if you don't want to kill?"

I'm sort of in the same boat. My mom didn't really care with regard to my gun ownership, never really said anything with regard to me concealed carrying. Being fairly young myself (26 years old) and a bachelor she likes to visit me in SC from VA. Last summer she decided to have my niece and nephew visit her at home in VA. Her plan was to pick up my niece and nephew in Jacksonville, FL and drive them back to VA. Since SC is in between she decided to stop at my place in Charleston to avoid having to drive ten plus hours back to VA.

The only problem with that is that I was not at home at the time. I travel a good bit for work and the time when she was planning on stopping was in the middle of one of my trips. So being a single I don't secure my weapons in a safe and my loaded carry weapons are left in my nightstand drawer. She doesn't know how to safely handle my guns and now she is bringing kids into my house. So I ask my roommate who also owns guns to go into my room and unload all my weapons and lock them up in their cases. He also put all the cable locks on my long guns to include my AR. My Mom is very OCD and will clean my house and rearrange things to her liking if she gets a chance. Because of that she discovered my AR and suddenly started to have issues with me owning guns.

So now almost everytime I talk with her she tells me that I need to sell my guns and that only bad things happen with guns. This does not bother me primarily because of how I know how stubborn she is and thinks that only her opinions are right. She is so set in her ways that she still thinks the only way I will ever be successful in life is if I go to Med school and become a doctor. So anytime she brings up the getting rid of my guns and going to med school I just tell her no I won't and don't even try to argue with her.

Her sudden antigun thoughts were only brought out when she saw my "scary black rifle" as a result of an irrational fear she has with "military looking rifles".

RugerSRGuy I feel for you, although my Mom has never gone and thrown a temper tantrum with regard to my guns. All I can say is if you don't live at home and you are supporting yourself then she really has no right to tell you want you can and cannot do and you do not need to justify exercising your rights. In my Mom's case 99% of the stress in her life is stress she brings onto herself through constant worrying (not including my guns or lack of urge to go to med school).

After Christmas of course, demand that they get rid of their car. I mean, they must plan on killing someone with it right? :rolleyes: Some people just don't have a good perspective on certain things. And BTW, no wonder she's your fiance. :hand9:

the best answer i've heard to your 110% against guns family member is a slight variation on what fellow DC member MamaMaria said in another post ("your best 'One Line Defense'"):

do you think any unarmed survivor of a criminal assault ever said to themselves afterwards, "Boy, i'm sure glad i didn't have a gun"?


and for the record, i think your family member who said that to you doesn't have a clue what they're talking about.

RugerSRguy,

Stick to your principles and keep your guns. The Anti-gun types will all cool down in a little while and everything will more or less get back to normal. Your Mom sounds like she may have gone off the deep end a little bit, but she's your Mom so stick with her, even if she is wrong about this stuff. Time heals all wounds.

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Originally Posted by CDW4ME

I have had concealed carry for about 20 years, fortunately I have never needed it.
I also wear a seatbelt when I'm in a vehicle fortunately I've never needed that either.
I have a fire extinguisher in my home and it has fortunately remained unneeded.

If a life threatening situation should unfortunately happen it is my sole responsibility to try and ensure my survival.

Anybody who feels like they don't need a firearm to protect themself in the event of an emergency is betting their life using a "head in the sand" philsophy.

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Not really. They are just betting with the odds. Something we all do in many areas of our life. Many people prepare for the possible that is likely rather than the unlikely simply because it is possible. Heck, I did not start carrying a gun until I was 61 years old. Seems that I did not know that I was supposed to be afraid of going around unarmed all that time. Now I know differently although it still seems strange that almost everyone on gun forums has never fired a shot in anger, at least in enough numbers to show that the odds are more than tiny to need one. In fact, I have never known or met a person who needed a gun and neither have my friends. I guess all the violent crime is in other people's neighborhoods. :) Those of us who have used a firearm to kill humans tend not to hang out on forums as for some of us it took years to get over the aftermath of what killing another human does to you. I have not even talked to my own parents about what happend in Vietnam. Only my wife knows what it did to me as I used to wake up at night and attack her thinking she was the enemy sneaking up on me. Back then they did not have a name for it and we were left to work it out for ourselves. Some did and some did not. So although I carry a gun, mostly because I collect them and like to have them with me like a watch from my watch collection, I know that sometimes it is better to be take the small risk of being a victim of violence than to live with the aftermath of using your gun and taking a life no matter how you think you will feel sitting at home without the emotions and feelings that come with it that you will not be prepared for. So I do not think "Hiding their heads in the sand" is the correct description for those who do not carry as I think it takes more courage to go through life unarmed than armed.

Simply put, its not necessarily having a need/want or any other type reason. Truthfully the question should not be asked nor answered. If those asking would read the 2nd amendment the "answer" lies there.

".... the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." Their asinine rhetoric questions are to attempt to get others on their side since on the surface they seems to make sense. The second amendment right needs no explanation except maybe to recite it to the anti guy questioners .

This message was sent via my "Ma Bell" rotary phone......

I have carried for over 38 years (Since i was 21 and could get a permit.). I Have never had to use my weapon in self defence. I hope i never have to as the legal outcome is concerning.

Mothers usually don't like the sons choice of spouse. Keep in mind who you are living with. Stick to your beliefs and ignore others.

When i was 22 I was carrying a M16 in the Army. LOL

Many of these anti gun people live in a world they think is made of peaches and rainbows. And nothing you say otherwise is going to change that. Unfortunately

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Originally Posted by CDW4ME

I have had concealed carry for about 20 years, fortunately I have never needed it.
I also wear a seatbelt when I'm in a vehicle fortunately I've never needed that either.
I have a fire extinguisher in my home and it has fortunately remained unneeded.

If a life threatening situation should unfortunately happen it is my sole responsibility to try and ensure my survival.

Anybody who feels like they don't need a firearm to protect themself in the event of an emergency is betting their life using a "head in the sand" philsophy.

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^^^This makes perfect sense^^

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Originally Posted by Bish

Where do you conceal carry that AR15?

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

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^^^^^^^Hopefully you are just joking^^^^^

We don't need that type of childish response here if you aren't.

To the OP.

Your mother sounds like she has her head so far in the sand, Not much we can do there.
Here is a website for you to share with friends/relatives who are on the fence about firearms.
Make a choice

Here are a few more.
The Shootist: One Man Got Involved. The Perry Stephens/George Temple Incident Perry Stephens incident
Officer Down: The Peter Soulis Incident - Below 100 - LawOfficer.com
PoliceOne.com - Will to Win: Jared Reston
These will make your stomach turn. channon-christian-christopher-newsom-murders
Channon Christian, Christopher Newsom murders News for Knoxville, TN from Knoxville News Sentinel
Murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Medical examiner describes victims' torture in Cobbins trial
And the Petit family, which you are all too familiar with.Petit Family Killings News - The New York Times
Gruesome Petit Trial Testimony: Suspects Snapped Photos During Assaults - ABC News

They are given as examples that there are evil people in the world, who will just as soon kill you, as look at you.
Your friends and family just have not run into these people yet.
Those that would offer up themselves and their family as sacraficial lambs, they are called Pacifists, they are fools.
The members of your family who ask you why you need a gun if you really don't want to kill anyone, give them a sharp pointed stick, and ask them if someone was trying to rape/rob/shoot them, or one of their loved ones, which would they rather have to repel that type of evil.

its hard to argue with a lib,they are mean and closed minded...I have several in my family back in NY and
they think im the redneck. The truth is most I have talked with have never shot a gun nor wish too because
of the danger involved as the media have made up their minds for them . I used to be one of these people till
I moved away from that mindset of people,im convinced CCW holders are more level headed than un armed folks
They seem to be more polite and generally more informed about the law and safety in general - that phrase
of an armed society is a polite society is pretty dam accurate as the folks I meet in and around firearms are
overly polite....So now I dont argue i just do my think

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Originally Posted by GunByte

Not really. They are just betting with the odds. Something we all do in many areas of our life. ...

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I agree, GunByte, but would add that it's good to bet 'eyes open' rather than with one's emotions. I do not carry at work because I'm betting the odds of criminal attack and the fallout for my family are lower than the odds of losing my job and their being in a world of hurt because of it. So I disarm, recognizing the comparative risks. I also occasionally travel through California, by choice: sure, it's risky, but the risk is pretty low. But I'm not denying that the risk exists.

Hm. Just realized that your observation that we do this in many areas of life is quite true: my advice to bet with eyes open rather than one's emotions would save a lot of buyer's regret when making car payments... or child support... or alimony... or (my problem) stepping on the scales.

I have never understood the rationale behind voluntary victimhood, but do understand that many ascribe to it. I do not, and will not join those who do. I have family members who are adamantly anti-gun, and I refuse to engage them in their red-faced hysteria. I simply do not have the conversation with them.

Well odd advice but I'd move out of your state. I won't live in states with high gun control laws. We had a chance to move to Northern California but I passed it up because of the gun laws. I used to live in Los Angeles and hated the fact it was so difficult to own a gun. As far as your mom I think she'll get over it. Show her some statistics on how crime is lowered because of legal law abiding citizens owning firearms are growing. That sucks she took the ol' tree down! She must have been really irate! And I'm working towards the same goal you are as becoming a police officer. I'm workin towards my associates in criminal justice. I just can't figure out if I want to work for a local department or the sheriffs department. Good luck! And Merry Xmas!

With some people, especially those who despise the firearm, simply live in the world of denial. They have never been the victims of a violent criminal so they cannot associate with the victim they just live with the fallacy that they live in a perfect world and evil will never darken their doorway.

I have also talked to anti gun people and they have the same mentality. You could ask them why they would want to own a knife because that too could be used to kill someone, but they will come up with the apples & oranges theory because only guns kill and no other objects such as knives, baseball bats, hammers, screwdrivers, automobiles and rocks will kill as well. It's only those evil guns.

I had this same conversation with my friend in Jacksonville, FL the other evening on the phone. He is a Police Officer and is pro-gun to the max, likes concealed carry people, and has no problem with them at all. I said that most anti gun people think that we gun owners wake up every morning and say "I hope I get to shoot someone today." It's that mentality towards rational, law abiding firearms owners that keeps being put out to demonize us and the guns we own. If you keep telling a lie often enough sooner or later, it becomes "truth."

Would I want to shoot someone? Heavens no. I pray that I never have to, but push come to shove in the face of a violent criminal who has no qualms about killing me or a loved one, then I will make certain the criminal gets rehabilitated forever.

That is why I have a gun, not because I hope that I get to kill someone with it.

There comes a time in life when parents and family have to realize, your a grown up and capable of making decisions. Hate to say this, but your mothers reaction was childish, it's probably a good thing there are no firearms around her. In fact I'd be very concerned if there were. Do what you need to do for your safety and don't worry about what others think. They won't be the ones to protect you if something bad happens.