Hypothetical gun owners. What is your opinion on whether anti-rights individuals should be welcomed at the range, in deer camp, shooting events, etc? Do you actively recruit anti-gunners to share your sport/hobby/way of life/past time? Is it fruitful? Have you damaged any relationships, or have you planted a seed of consideration?
Voice Your Opinion
- Thread starter Laufen
- Start date
Depends. For a group that is as "open minded" as liberals, many are far from it.
I'd take someone who is willing to give shooting/hunting an unbiased chance. But I wouldn't take one of these yahoos that is so vehemently against guns that they work for the Brady campaign to a range.
I'd take someone who is willing to give shooting/hunting an unbiased chance. But I wouldn't take one of these yahoos that is so vehemently against guns that they work for the Brady campaign to a range.
You don't advocate for the right to bear arms? You wouldn't invite an anti-gun acquaintance/friend to the range for some real world experience with firearms? If they were curious, why not? Excluding them will simply increase the divide and erode our chances of maintaining and strengthening our rights.
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I've had 100% the opposite experience with people that are 100% against private gun ownership. They've been incredibly receptive and open minded. Using a generalization for such a large number of people might get in the way of gun rights progress.
The delivery of the message might have something to do with it. To me, gun rights equal human rights. The right to not be subject to the violence of an individual bent on harming you is as basic as it gets for me. The right for a man, woman, or child to not be forced into a physical battle for survival is the epitome of a civilized society. That's my message. I have the utmost respect for life.
Of my far left leaning friends I have about 4 that are so against guns they borderline on fanatical. They are the types that go looking for things to cause trouble about when it comes to guns. I have offered to take them shooting and they want nothing to do with it and actually have since tried to sway other mutual friends away from me and my family.
On the other hand I have a lot of "liberal" friends who would probably be more libertarian if they really thought about it who went from being scared of guns to owning a few themselves.
On the other hand I have a lot of "liberal" friends who would probably be more libertarian if they really thought about it who went from being scared of guns to owning a few themselves.
I guess for the same reason I don't invite gay guys to the titty bar, cause I don't want to hear the BS from them.
Poor analogy. I've had some success inviting anti-gun folks. I don't know that I've changed any more than 1-2 minds, but I've given the 2nd amendment a less hillbilly face for association, and have gotten people to think about guns as a mean for preserving the peace and protecting the innocent. It takes some work, but I'm more than willing to do it.
Actually, I agree with his analogy; for those that are strongly opinionated / to one side, I don't think I'd even waste my time. I don't have any acquaintances that are anti-gun, but if they were steadfast in their ways, I doubt a range-trip is going to go far.
Along those same lines, would I sway your opinion of religion if I took you to a Roman Catholic Mass?
I find that with understanding of the machinery people tend to moderate their views more. I've only had one person get more antigun after shooting, but she insisted that the guns I bring out were all the "scary" stuff (mp5, AR15) and thats all she fired. She liked it, but was "more convinced" that people didn't need them. I think she had a case of pre-disposition.
I'd suspect most who are hard-core left or "anti-gun" have a certain pre-disposition to begin with, isn't that a given?
Don't get me wrong, I'd have no issue taking any anti-gun folks to the range and letting them shoot my guns on my dime and teaching them if I knew I might be able to open their minds a bit. But let's be honest here, seriously, If someone was so far to the left and anti-anything, I'd suspect you'd have an understanding of how far off the reservation they are; with that said, would you guys really waste your time with beating your head against a brick wall? Would you not consider the fact that you might potentially be adding fuel to the fire?
Not mine, but I'll bet a number of people have been converted to christianity over the years.
Poor analogy? I'd rather invite an atheist to church and said atheist go and have to explain everything going on than take an anti2M to the range and worry about getting shot while trying to explain why one needs to keep the booger hook off of the bang switch. As for you changing on or two minds, great job keep it up..
Yes, poor analogy. Being hetero or homo is innate, an opinion on firearms is not. Many a jew has been converted to islam, and christian to judaism.
That's the whole idea. Just don't be wed to your ideas. Stay hospitable, stay interested in their opinions, and help them to have fun in a friendly and non-pushy sort of a way. The moment you start to get offended by someone not sharing your opinions, it's over.
I don't get offend, but I ain't babysitting a bunch of leftwing anti 2As either. I'll let you handle that part.
Well, I take who is willing to go. The people that are so far to the anti side that they won't listen, probably won't go to the range. If they will....a door has opened. I just try to not slam it in their face with asshole behavior. Hard to imagine I'm sure.
If you get one to come to the middle, or even to the pro-gun side, they'll be the most powerful ally the Second Amendment could have. They'll have lots of anti-gun friends that will be willing to listen to their reasoning, and they will share a lot of other opinions. Those are the people we need.
It's not babysitting, it's sharing why I love shooting and what interests me about guns. That's a hell of a lot of fun to me, and who knows, it might save their life and save our rights. I'm willing to be a little uncomfortable to accomplish that.
Laufen, bud, ..... can you backtrack any fucking harder?
Seriously man, can you just honestly answer a question truthfully without BS?