Good morning. I have the radio on, as I type this, and it occurs to me that there are probably not many other cities where the morning traffic reports include moose warnings.
Well, it's officially the first day of spring, and we have 11 degrees this morning. Regarding the equinox, the time between sunrise & sunset here has been greater than 12 hours since Monday. I guess the equinox applies to folks a little farther south (i.e., Vancouver, Seattle, etc).
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I read Brigid's post this morning, and as usual, it made me think about the times in which we live. Like her, I carry concealed anytime I step out my door. Those who would rather that people leave those "nasty guns" elsewhere are, IMHO, living in denial. With Mexican drug cartels using Anchorage (among other cities) as a distribution point; with bears, moose, and wolves in town, it's just prudence on my part. My safety, and that of my family, are my primary motivation for carrying a firearm.
There is no on-site security for the property I manage, and I assume responsibility for that, as well. I fervently pray that I never have to draw my weapon for any reason other than target practice ... but I will not assume that it won't happen. Sors ventus qui es paratus.
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On the topic of firearms...
A lady I work with has known me for several months now, and we have a great relationship. A couple of weeks ago, she saw my holster sticking out from under the tail of my jacket, when I was retrieving papers from the floor.
She got a little pale, and said, "I hope you don't have a gun in that thing." She went on to say that guns make her nervous.
I tried to keep a straight face while answering that it wouldn't make much sense to wear an empty holster.
I asked her if I make her nervous, and she said no. I gently pointed out that the firearm is an inanimate tool, and that it obeys my commands. While she thought that over, I said, "If I'm trustworthy, then you needn't fear any tool I might use. A hammer or screwdriver, a cordless drill - all could be dangerous, in the wrong hands."
She allowed as how that's true, and then said, "And you were in the military, so I guess it's okay."
Baby steps {sigh}. But at least those steps are in the right direction: I'll take that conversation as one minor victory.
4 comments:
My Grandfather Smith,who I never knew, died at the age of 38yrs. from a rifle shot to the gut.He was my mother's dad.Discharged in the vehicle he was riding in.Three friends getting ready to do some poaching during WW2 for venison.It was a "hunting" accident that could have been avoided by simple firearm safety practices and obeying the law. I heard he was a pretty neat guy. hmmmm. My mom still would go hunting with my dad after they married. She knew Daddy was a responsible gun owner.
I'm sad to hear about what happened to your grandfather. Accidents happen, but that one sounded as if it were avoidable.
Responsibility is the issue. It is my responsibility to see that such things don't happen with my firearms. If I can't handle that, then I have no business owning any. I made a conscious choice to be armed, and made myself responsible for the training and discipline involved.
"And you were in the military, so I guess it's okay."
I would hazard a guess that she's not on the mailing list of Rep. John Murtha, D-PA, or Code Pink, or....
Baby steps indeed. I keep thinking about getting my carry permit. But then I would need to go shopping for a carry gun ( my Super Redhawk in .44 Mag might be a little large for concealed carry...it only needs wheels to be a canon) and then I would have to shoot more and shoot more often and...wait... What's the downside to this?
Hmmm, Super Redhawk as a concealed carry ... now we know why Chester had such a limp on Gunsmoke.
Other than that, I don't see a downside, either!
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