A Woman’s Perspective: Why I Own Guns
The following article is a guest submission from a female supporter of the Utah Gun Exchange.
Why do I own guns?
I am a mother of four sons and grandmother of two. I am an egghead. I’m an attorney and a writer and, according to society, the least likely person to want to own a gun. So why do I?
I grew up in Detroit, Michigan. I can remember my dad working the night shift at the car company during the race riots when Detroit was burning. I can remember being afraid. But in Detroit, only criminals owned guns. Not reasonable, sane people. I didn’t know a soul who owned a gun or would even consider owning one—even when we were afraid.
I married a man who grew up in Utah. I think he was given his first gun when he turned eight years old. He grew up hunting with his grandpa and his dad. I was appalled. I can remember making a snide comment when we were dating about how he was probably some nut with a gun rack in his truck. I thought I had to deduct ten IQ points because he was a gun owner.
As we had children, I barely tolerated him buying a few more guns. I insisted that we never see them and never touch them. I grew more tolerant as he was the Scoutmaster for 11 years and took the boys shooting each year. But I was never happy about it and would pray mightily during the gun campout each year that all would be safe.
All that changed when I read a book. It was Lucifer’s Hammer—a book about a meteor strike hitting the earth and the breakdown of society that ensued. One story really hit me. A family in the book had stored lots of food. And the minute society was disrupted, hungry people came to their home, shot them dead, and took their food. I was shaken.
We have lots of food. I looked at my four boys and my husband and I had the strongest emotion well up in me. NOBODY was going to kill my family to get at my food. NOBODY.
I went to my husband and asked him how many guns we had and how much ammo. When he told me, I said, “Not enough. Buy more, buy LOTS more and teach me how to shoot.”
This is why I own guns. I own guns because I love my family.
Many of my friends, neighbors, and acquaintances in the community know that we keep a year’s supply of food. And I know that if something happens we are vulnerable. I look forward to helping those in need, but I must be able to defend myself and my loved ones from those who might wish to do us harm.
I do NOT want to live in fear. I am a ferocious momma bear. And if anyone wants to get at my family, they’re gonna have to go through me first. And they need to be warned.
I am a mother and a grandmother. And I am armed and dangerous. Not because of fear, but because of love.
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This is a great story. I have been raised with a similar state of mind and have met many people who don’t understand why I own guns. Love is the best reason there is. If someone thinks they can take from my loved ones it will not be an easy task. I will always be willing to help those in need. Just don’t try to harm anyone to help yourself. Especially me and my family!
Dear FMB (ferocious mama bear),
You, my dear, are not alone. Not alone in your feelings of love for your family and desire to protect them, not alone in your evolution from one end of the gun owner spectrum to the other, not alone in your desire to serve the needy while choosing not to be a victim of those who feel entitled to what is yours and who care only about them selves, not alone in your ability to call-out the FMB when needed.
Thanks for putting our voice out there, you are not alone.
I agree totally with Andrea. When I married, my husband was an Army veteran and he taught me to shoot, first pistols and then rifles/shotguns. When I had scouts my son and one of his friends used to go with us once a month to shoot targets in the desert. They both practiced perfect guns safety at all times, because they knew having any firearm was a big responsibility. After we were done shooting, we would break all the guns down for a good cleaning before they were put away. I look forward to passing those guns to my grandsons along with the others I have acquired through the years. Proper training is the key to gun ownership and as a lifelong NRA member I will defend my rightful gun ownership under the 2nd amendment.
I grew up with a father who owns guns and taught myself and my sisters how to use and respect them. Three of the four of us are gun owners and becoming CCW holders. I am thankful for the knowledge he empowered us with. I would protect my family if needed with my shotgun or my handgun and I am proud of the independent feeling that gives me. Thank you dad for the love you have for us, enabling us to be protected!
When you understand that there is some evil in the world, the conclusion that you need to protect your family from that evil is obvious. Thank you for sharing your conversion story.
Don’t Mess with Mama Grizzly! A 5-minute video about us Mama Grizzlies!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SHYuMe7aFnM
P.S. My friend Darin Hess made that grizzly video for me and my mama grizzly friends. He got up close and personal with grizzlies in the Tetons to make this.
He used to take his guns to high school on the bus, put them in his locker, and go shooting during lunch hour with his coaches. What the heck has happened that we can’t do that anymore? He didn’t shoot anyone and no one freaked out about the guns…and everyone drove around with rifles in their gun racks and didn’t lock their doors when they left their trucks to go in the store.
This was in Shelley, ID. I’ve known Darin since kindergarten.
Darin has awesome nature videos at: http://www.youtube.com/user/wyoridgerunner
And his nature photos can be seen at: http://www.soulshinen.com
The photography…Darin’s hobby.
I love stories like this. I’d love to have a beer with her and her husband and talk.
Seeing as it seems they’re Mormons, I suspect a glass of apple cider or lemonade would be a better offer.
Best story I ever heard. Join organizations like:
Gun Owners of America (GOA)
Jews for the Preservation of FireArms Ownership (JPFO)
Libertybelles
Armed Females of America
SamAdams1776
*Lucifer’sHammer* is an eye-opener all right.
I started with *No Blade of Grass,* John Christopher.
http://www.amazon.com/No-Blade-Grass-John-Christopher/dp/0380480093
Set in England. Around the world grass starts dying off. “Grass” includes wheat, rice, oats, all the grain crops. Amidst famine, can one English family hike up to Scotland and a brother’s potato farm?
Thank you very much for sharing your story with us!
The more women we can get interested in owning and carrying guns, the safer our country will be.
It also helps to be more vocal with our State and Federal Representatives. Please consider contacting them today!
http://www.nraila.org/get-involved-locally/grassroots/write-your-reps.aspx
and now there is Glenn Beck’s new book: AGENDA 21
In response to Janalee’s post about Darin’s high school experience:
I concur – what did happen? I grew up in rural KS. Everyone knew how to use a gun, and 1 of 3 trucks in the high school parking lot had a gun in the gun rack in the back window. No thought crossed anyones mind of those being used in the typical high school fights/conflicts. Guns were used as the tools that they are for killing birds/deer and the occasional ‘yote. High school problems where solved with words/fists and the occasional tire iron threat.
These days if a kid so much as pretends (with fingers) to shoot someone, a suspension seems to be the result. Didn’t we all grow up pretending to be “cowboys” and “indians” or some such. The spirit that won the west is dead. And instead we have kids with no inherent comprehension of what it really means to kill something. (In the “alter reality” world the players always come back.)
I think that educating our children about guns + hunting at an early age may have more benefit than most give credit for. Any kid raised on a farm or in a rural environment already knows these lessons……
I am also a wife and mother that has been enlightened. My husband and I are saving up to get our first guns. I want to start out with a shotgun but I don’t know what type to get. Any suggestions on shotguns or any other type for a beginner?
1st time users? owners? Taurus Judge….. simply the best home protection gun one can own….good luck
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