The Right To Arm Bears

Not many members of the wild kingdom own guns. I think a coyote was busted with a large stash a while back but I digress. The most common owner of a gun is you or me. Hunting or personal protection are the most common reasons one would own guns. Let me say right off the bat that I have no problem with responsible gun ownership. How we define responsible is the query I am considering.

Police officers must go through training. Hunters take classes as well. Those who wish to apply for a concealed carry permit must also pass some stringent tests. The everyday person though only need wait the required time before they take possession. Mental health issues aside how can we be sure that these gun owners know just how to use it?

A number of issues come to mind. How the gun is stored and maintained is important. It must also be secured and the ammunition kept separate from it. When it is used and for what reason must be considered. Assuming a gun owner has these bases covered there is still one fact that we take for granted. Not all who own a gun actually know how to shoot it.

Most people think that it is simply a matter of aiming and firing. Unless your target is directly in front of you there is a good chance you will miss. Some guns must be cocked before firing. Do all owners know how to un-cock a gun if they choose not to fire? We may not think of these things until it is too late. Those who know their gun inside and out may not visit a gun range very often. If practice makes perfect this must be the best reason to do so.

Despite all the precautions one may take, such as using a gun lock or locked gun storage, youth still manage to get their hands on Dad's firearm. When it is used by whomever there are still plenty of examples of bystanders being shot and killed. In some counties and states it is not clear just when one can shoot a burglar for instance. Even when defending one's home one can be charged with a crime. Some laws exist to prevent what is seen as overkill when an assailant only has a knife or bat.

Gun owners have every right to keep and bear their arms. This right should not be infringed. There are some limits that I think are necessary though. Semi-automatic weapons are not necessary to hunt. Bambi is not packing heat and is really no threat. If in the course of firing a weapon an innocent is shot or killed there should be a strong punishment waiting for those who pulled the trigger.

So much time is spent trying to limit gun ownership by law-abiding citizens in an effort to reduce their sheer number. Take the guns from the gangs who have no business carrying them and rely on decent people to use theirs with discretion and reason. We will not bring back the days of the wild west if good people are allowed to protect themselves against the bad ones.

Gun ownership is a right guaranteed by our constitution. It was a good law then and it is a good law now. The protections in place and the precautions taken when selling guns are good ideas. We should stop assuming that just because you have the cash you also have the necessary knowledge as well. We must learn about what the laws require and exactly how this deadly weapon works; inside and out. Nothing can offer us full security. Upholding our rights though is a damned good place to start.