ReaganSauce

written by MLM

"How do you like these bear arms?"

My dictating personal belief is that personal opinions should never be laws.  Some people refer to me as a liberal in this sense but I view it as a true conservative statute.  This world is too politically sensitive and incredibly selfish especially in this new Obama era.  Citizens are demanding bailouts for just about anything, discounts for their torn up old cars that they chose not to maintain, free healthcare, and to top it all off lower taxes (oh the irony!).  When one person views something is bad they seem to automatically drive to the notion that it should be illegal.  Abortion, Gay Marriage, and Political Activism as a proposed hate crime are just a few of the current and ongoing popular topics.  I wrote a piece in early of 2009 on the election of Barack Obama and the sale of guns titled “Daddy’s got a gun”.  Now, my father was the inspiration for this piece as my parent’s gun collection grew from antiques to actual working guns.  These purchases were driven by the thought that Obama would repeal the second amendment right.  Now, I know you’re thinking Maeghen you are all over the place right now, what point are you getting at?  But don’t worry it will all be tied together shortly.  

Last week, I took a stress vacation from my life in New York City back to my comfy and beautiful DC suburb and found myself at a gun range.  I have always stated that guns terrify me and I wish not to have one in my home.  A lot of people have given me grief over this view and fear so when my father asked my brother to go to the gun range with him last Friday night, I decided why not I give it try?  My brother was hesitant in my tagging along saying that a) I do not like guns and b) I am often too silly in situations where I feel uncomfortable and worried about me in that type of serious environment.  I laughed it off and said “giggles and a silly outlook on life should not be prohibited from a gun range.”  

When I arrived at the gun range and started to walk back, the shots were firing off like fireworks and it was not an enjoyable light show.  For the next 15 minutes I jumped at every shot, I was laughing uncontrollably with slight tears all the while trying build up the courage to maybe touch a gun.  I kept saying “give me a minute” and was hoping that I would overcome my fear and hate of guns.  Thirty minutes later it was time to leave.  The entire time I stood in one spot with my jacket still on, if you were on the outside looking in you would have thought I was in a freezer; I was a total ice statute.

Later that night my brother said to me “Maeghen, well how did it feel to be the nerd at the dance for the first time in your life? You locked up the moment we walked in there.  (Begin high pitched mocking tone) But I don’t know how to dance!”  From that comment, you can tell it is completely out of character for me to not try new things especially things that I see as challenges.  This fear of guns that I have I do not know where it comes from, maybe too much Law and Order, but I view it as a challenge.  So where is the point of this whole story?  I hate guns.  I hate guns so much that I was a totally different person around them.  I hate guns so much that I will not even touch an unloaded one.  But you know who is a supporter of the NRA and an even bigger supporter of the Second Amendment?  I am.  I believe in the people’s rights and I believe that guns are a necessary part of our society (well, when they are in the right hands).  Just because I do not like something does not mean everyone should be stripped of it.  I ask you to evaluate your views and how they affect you personally.  Then look at how they affect society.  You might find some of your opinions may just be personal, fears that you might have, but to others they aren’t fears they are necessities, they are their life.

You can read her previous related article 'Daddy's Got a Gun' here: http://www.reagansauce.com/apps/blog/show/976224-daddy-s-got-a-gun