Do your coworkers or boss engage you in gun rights or gun control debates?

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Zaydok Allen

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Background: I personally feel it is a good thing to be open about my hobbies and interests in firearms. I'm a firm believer that the more gun owners out there who demonstrate a reasonable and friendly demeanor, the better off we are as a community. I know not everyone will agree with that, and that's fine. I tend to be friendly but professional with my coworkers and bosses, and in general I avoid people in my day to day life, but am not shy about interacting with strangers when the occasion arises that is appropriate. I typically wear an HK or a Ruger hat, and gun people notice, but non-gun people have no clue. In fact even gun owners have asked me what HK is. If a coworker asks me what I did on the weekend, and I was shooting or reloading, I tell them and don't really sweat it. In fact it has spurred some interesting conversations over the years.

My career is in natural resource management, so naturally it tends to draw in a lot of hunters, outdoors people, and gun owners. Getting things done during hunting season can be challenging because everyone is out looking for their buck or their elk, or turkey, or lion, or antelope, or................... I also live in a very red state, so guns are everywhere here. In fact I'm guessing there are more guns in my town than people.

Recent Interaction: So the other day I hit and maimed a large whitetail buck, who was on the scent of a doe, with my pickup truck. Or rather, he ran into me and killed himself like an idiot. $5500 worth of damage, and an animal that was dying in agony was the result. So in the interest of not allowing an animal that is clearly suffering to continue suffering, I resolved to put in earplugs and put him down with a shot behind the ear. By the time I walked back across the highway to do the deed, he was already gone. I checked by putting a hand on him to feel for breathing. Not a twitch, so at least he didn't suffer long.

So after walking into work on Wednesday, my boss came and saw me, who is a very liberal woman, and who actually had the nerve to tell me how I needed to vote during the last presidential election. I was blown away by that, and I could have filed a complaint, but I decided to just ignore it. This individual is a loud mothed bag of wind, with an ego the size of Manhattan, and with such poor leadership skills, she couldn't lead a group of starving people to a Vegas buffet. She isn't anti gun per say, but she has the typical flawed logic that comes from non gun owners that some inanimate objects are evil, and the constitution doesn't really matter.

So she asked what happened, and I told her. Then she asked me if I killed it. "No not outright." Then she asks if I shot it. I calmly told her I intended to put him down but didn't have to. She actually said "Good for you, because I couldn't do it." Ok........... I decided not to touch that with a ten foot pole. I just responded "Yeah, it's certainly better than using an axe, or cutting its throat. For me firearms are primarily sporting equipment, but they are a very useful tool when you need one."

I thought that was that, but then she proceeds to say "Well, I'm not anti-gun! I just don't think people should be able to own AK47's. Everyone says the bad guys have them so we need them too, but I just don't agree." I changed the subject immediately because one, I don't feel gun debates belong in the workplace, and two, this woman views every conversation as a debate and confrontation, so I didn't feel the need to waste my time. I got the impression she wanted to continue that discussion. I had work to do though, and really don't like my boss enough to have a personal conversation with her. I am praying she retires.

So it made me wonder, how many people on THR are open about their gun ownership in the workplace, and for those that are, have you ever been engaged by a coworker or boss on a gun rights issue?

I do realize that by being open about my interests that I invite opinions and possible conflict, but in a professional setting, I don't feel debating with a coworker or employee is appropriate about any sensitive topic.

The other side of the coin is that if I choose not to engage with my coworkers on anything but work, then I'm viewed as cold and distant, and I've been told that my business like attitude is intimidating. Umm, so I'm required to share my personal life to avoid hurting the feelings of the warm and fuzzy folks? People difficult.
 
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I'm a retired LEO so no current co-workers but in my previous life discussions about firearms, as you can imagine, were always positive and informative. The only time I can remember a negative discussion is when we were told that revolvers, I carried a Model 27 Smith (pictured left), were being phased out and replaced by the wonder nines. Some of us were "grandfathered" and allowed to carry our wheel guns for awhile but a new sheriff changed that policy a couple years later and put out a new list of acceptable firearms and calibers. Hello Glock 31.
 
Yes. There is one very liberal person, and one who is liberal, but likes guns.
The second one loves to discuss things with me because we both listen to the other guys point of view.
 
We're mostly pro-run around the office and the shop. Any anti gun people around here know better than to say anything :D . I'd hate to guess how many firearms are in the cars in the employee parking lot.
 
I never got into any discussions at my previous job. There was a mix of people there, but some of the liberal people were extremely.liberal and the thought of coworkers with a different point of view would be alien to them.

My current job I essentially deal with staff by email and text. I do occasionally run into people in the field but those encounters too short for complicated discussions. The company is run from a northern, liberal state so I wouldn't get involved in this topic anyway
 
Where I work, guns and hunting is a daily lunch time discussion. There are NRA stickers on coffee cups and desktops, gun related clothing (where applicable, as most employees are required to be business casual, but ballcaps are typically permitted, and union employees wear t shirts and jeans). However, there are certainly Antis around, and the station manager has made it known he will not sign any permits for storing unloaded firearms in cars (which is not a state law in VA like it is in some states, and managers have the right to approve or deny on a per individual basis).

There are some folks who are technically on our side who I won’t engage in conversation, because they openly discuss the possibility of poaching deer after legal shooting hours who visit their backyard in the evenings, chasing deer with drones to their tree stands, becoming an armed bandit if SHTF (I called one out on this, as he is a proclaimed Christian as am I, so he was talking out his rear about either one or the other). I try to just let the convo die when these types of folks join in at lunch.


I guess I will add that firearms are bought and sold from coworkers outside of work, I’ve brought in my Magpul armorers wrench and torque wrench to lend it to several builders, and folks have been known to arrange to go shooting at a coworkers nearby property immediately after work hours.
 
IMHO, the workplace is inappropriate for politics and religious discussion.

When anyone with a strong anti-gun opinion tries to engage me in an argument, my standard response is:
"Sir (or Ma'am) there is nothing that I could say that will change your opinion, and there is nothing you could say that will change my opinion, so let's just agree to disagree."

That usually ends the discussion.
 
I live at the southern part of Vancouver Island. When I was in the military, guns and hunting were common topics (big surprise lol). Outside of the base is whole different story though. There was a museum I worked at that seemed like the extreme left HQ. There was one employee who would put sticky notes on the exhibits promoting the feminist movement. Also, people there got offended so easily. I never opened my mouth once about guns. The one guy I got along with there was this older guy in his 60s who didn't give a damn about anything. If I said any of the stuff he said, I would have been fired. But somehow he was able to get away with it. I don't work there anymore. Good riddance.
 
I'm fortunate to live in the south where nearly everyone is accustomed to firearms being a part of daily life.
Even though its a fairly white collar office, most of us are gun owners and a few are hunters. The boss doesn't hunt, but owns firearms and has a CHCL.

We have one I can think of that would probably be in favor of more stringent regulations, but he doesn't get on a soap box in the office.

Like chevygriz said, if someone attempted to engage me in a debate, I would not participate at work.
 
My last job was working in corrections. The officer entrance had a wall drop safe for firearms. Can't work a whole week without knowing what your co workers carry to and from work. It was far more noticeable who DOESN'T carry a firearm. And those people were offered advice and lessons by co workers.
 
And sometimes sports talk will piss some folks off as well!

I’m a no politics, no religion, no gun conversationalist myself.... unless someone wants to talk guns then I’ll chat. The others I leave alone.

If it turns towards the you’re a gun-nut anti-debate I’ll also use the “agree to disagree” line and I’ll call it right there.

Stay safe!
 
Most cops I've met have been pretty pro firearm and 2nd Amendment so I don't worry about talking guns with coworkers, although I try to stay out of politics in general.
 
Over the decades I have "engaged" with bosses & co-workers on a number of occasions regarding gun control ... but it always involved me taking them shooting and, often, teaching them the basics. :)

Thankfully, during all that time I was never treated to the attentions of a hard-shell, proselytizing Anti as I have never had much interest in discussing the subject. I would be happy to take a friendly Anti shooting, however, as it might be an eye-opening experience for them.
 
Not sure if it is true of all union workers but in my hall if I get through a day without someone trying to debating religion or politics I consider it a quiet day. Discussing guns is actually the much safer subject to bring up as even the most liberal coworkers tend to also be hunters and can at least relate to that. With that being said I'm generally regarded as the authority on guns at work if only because I'm aware of "odd" calibers like 44 special, just wait till I tell them about my 327! There is an open offer on the table to my current employer to show her and her family how to clean their carry pistols, not because I want to spend a second of my free time with those people but the idea of them being "ambassadors" of gun owners is terrifying without a little guidance.
 
Having worked for Les Baer for 21 years, 22 if you count the year we were together at Springfield Armory, we talked about the gun issues a lot, but we were all on the same page. There were never any disagreements.

Now, working at the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, I'm kind of in the same situation.
 
We have a few liberals but they have never said anything specific about guns. When they start talking politics, and most of the time it's just how much they hate Trump, I just walk away.

I work at a blue collar hands on job and the majority are more conservative and into at least hunting and guns.

The few guys I work directly with are into guns just as much as me.
 
My new boss (who's a big dog in the local Democrat party and a retired top-level public school administrator) is going to ask the Chief of Police if I can use the city's Police shooting range.

Who'd a thunk it?

-So yeah, we occasionally discuss weapons at work... .
 
My advice is not to do too much talking. If they're willing to go to the range with you, make it real good. Otherwise, carry on.

Take anti-AK47 lady, and give her some shooting glasses, ear-muffs, an AR-15, a half-dozen 30-round magazines and plenty of fun targets to shoot (not just paper bullseyes). She can say anything she wants afterward, but before then it's just blah, blah, blah.
 
I own the business and most of my employees also own guns so we go shooting as a group exercise. One of our customers owns a large ranch with a shooting range and he allows us to go out there any time we want.... unless he has some cattle temporarily pastured on the range. He really encourages us to take out as many prairie dogs as possible.
 
Well, I work in LE and everyone I work with or who are in my circle of friends/acquaintances are pro-gun.
 
I try to steer clear of those conversations since I'm management even though it is no secret I'm a gun owner and hunter. There are a couple of people I will talk about it with.

One of the former partners got stabbed in his driveway and his wife chased the attacker off with a Glock. Senior management all went through a Carry class together.

It's funny that one of the main partners talked with me on the way out this evening about my hunting earlier this week. He hasn't hunted in several years but I could tell he wants to.

Contrast my last job with an S&P 500 company. Lots of hunters at the branch offices, especially here in Texas. Up at the executive level, that I worked with, you had to be very careful what you said. A couple of times people that knew that I hunted and owned firearms would talk to me in front of executives that I knew were anti with the sole intention of making me look bad. Back stabbers.
 
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