Saoirse's Primal Journal page 210

[Danielfire]

Dare I ask if it it iodised salt? No, I shouldn't, it might bring a whole world of crazy from that crazy thread into your journal.

It is hard to understand your defence of guns, living in a society where guns are rare. I don't have a position and don't mean to sound like I am saying that because I do, I just cannot understand the debate. It was a tragedy.

[Saoirse]

Lol, no not iodized salt. Here's the mineral analysis of the salt I use if you're interested:
http://www.celticseasalt.com/PDF/Salt-Analysis.pdf

WRT guns: It's okay if you don't understand. People have different viewpoints and that's okay. It was a tragedy, but political groups like to use the tragedy as an opportunity to bypass the public's intellect and appeal to their emotions to pass legislation. I sleep better at night knowing that if someone broke into my home, as long as i had a 15 second lead on them, I could have the upper hand (element of surprise+loaded firearm). This would not be the case if I was restricted from owning guns. I certainly do not relish the thought of harming another person, even in self-defense. But I sleep easier knowing that I could if I was put into such a position. I think of it as another form of life insurance.

[justyouraveragecavemen]

Danielfire, tangent rant here, I don't understand why the media can't distinguish between the different types of guns. Just because it goes bang bang bang and has a magazine coming out of it doesn't mean it's an AK-47. My MIL is in security and carries an AR-15 assault rifle and a 9mm handgun at work. She also has one of each at home to practice with, along with hundreds of rounds of ammo for each. I can honestly say I've never been afraid of either weapon killing me when I go to her house. I've never seen either do anything on their own.
/tangent rant

[Saoirse]

I've fired an AR-15 multiple times, they're quite fun.

I've never seen either do anything on their own.

lol. orly???

[justyouraveragecavemen]

I've fired an AR-15 multiple times, they're quite fun.

Me too, I likes them a lot.

lol. orly???

No seriously. Even the ones in my house just sit there, for days, weeks, months on end not shooting anyone. Maybe I buy nicer guns than most? *shrug*
I've got several guns in the house, out of the reach of curious hands, but not in a safe or anything. I'm with you on making me feel better about burglars.
I think it's D.C. that says homeowners can own only shotguns for home protection and they have to be stored with a gun lock. Picture yourself in that scenario, scared to death, someone in your house, kids down the hall and your trying to unlock your gun.
Not me homie, not me.

[Saoirse]

yeah, no comment on the lock. let's just say that i like to keep them handy, but certainly out of reach of children. years ago, we dropped into a neighbor's house to say hi. She had a revolver just sitting on her counter. i didn't notice it until we were about to leave and my son asked if it was real. She, of course, was extremely apologetic that she had left it out. WRT kids and guns, the best prevention is education. you could have your guns locked tightly (or ban them from your house altogether), but is your child going to be safe at a friend's house? Not unless they know what to do if they see a gun and understand the importance of acting accordingly. I hear news stories of a 10 year old or a 13 year old "accidentally" shooting a sibling, and I have a hard time believing it was an accident. Everyone knows what a gun does. are these kids THAT detached from reality?

[drssgchic]

are these kids THAT detached from reality?

When your nanny is a video game where you get shot and just get up and try again . . . possibly.

[justyouraveragecavemen]

Everyone knows what a gun does. are these kids THAT detached from reality?

Yeah, I think some are. I think they're so sheltered by helicopter parents that they don't understand basic things. Going up we had guns in our house, not out of the reach of curious hands, with ammo right next to said guns. I knew how to load them and how to shoot them at an early age, early as in maybe 8 or 9. By 11 I was rabbit and squirrel hunting by myself and killed my first deer at 12, all by myself.
I think with mine, once they get old enough to understand the weight of the conversation, I'll show them what a gun shot does to an inanimate object and let that sink in.

[Saoirse]

Each kid is different, some will understand the gravity of the situation and others will just think it's really cool to see a watermelon (or any other inanimate object) "explode." When my eldest was just a few years old (3ish), we took him out to the range with protective goggles and child-sized ear "muffs". He got to watch us take turns target shooting various firearms. Then my husband carefully held a .22 rifle and allowed my son to pull the trigger a few times, instructing him in the cardinal rules of firearm safety. We also had him pull the trigger on each of our pistols (unloaded) to see if he had the strength. At the time he didn't. We've done this once or twice with my daughter as well. They know what to do if they see a gun (run and tell an adult) and what to do if another kid has a gun (don't try to get it away from him, just run and tell an adult). They know the rules (if you're not sure if it's a toy or real, assume it's real and run and ask an adult; even if a gun is unloaded, never point it at anyone; always keep your finger off the trigger until the gun is aimed at what you want to shoot). Sometimes I take out a pistol, check that it's unloaded, and soberly let each kid handle it while reminding them of the gun safety rules. The kids never really play "guns" unless they have water guns or Nerf guns. The 5 and 8 year olds get it, of course our toddler is too young to understand.

[cori93437]

No seriously. Even the ones in my house just sit there, for days, weeks, months on end not shooting anyone. Maybe I buy nicer guns than most? *shrug*
I've got several guns in the house...

Mine too!
Imagine that...
I have no 'small hands'.
Thus things are infinitely easier for me now, and very, very accessible when husband is not home.
(When husband is home... he has his accessible, and mine is handy too.)

Being sick and disabled I can't necessarily run and grab something, so it stays where I can get it quickly.

Shotguns are great for home defense.
The DC lock ON it thing... umm. Yeah. "Of course it was on it... I unlocked it then fired." Just sayn.