Why I Carry a Gun

From time to time, I mention firearms on this blog. I have described the struggles I went through, relearning how to shoot, in my 50s, to achieve what I could easily do 20 years ago. I've published pictures of my targets, most recently showing nice centrally-placed shots on the bulls-eyes.

And, inevitably, I get e-mails: "How can you, a man of the cloth, (or a Reverend, or insert-your-own-variation), justify the possession of/use of/wearing of a gun???"

It's easy. This has been widely published before, but allow me another repetition:

Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take a beating.

I carry a gun because where we live in Alaska, there are predators which are bigger, stronger, and scarier than me - and some of them have four legs.

I don't carry a gun to kill people. I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people. I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid. I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil. I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government. I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry. I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone. I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man. I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate. I carry a gun because unarmed and facing one or more armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it. I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

"Police Protection" is an oxymoron. Free citizens must protect themselves. Police do not protect you from crime; they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

h/t Syd at Front Site Press & Brigid, for supplying his name [The line about Alaska was inserted by me, because it's true - Paul]