Gun Ownership and Social Stigma?

[Murple]

No play dates.

Bingo.

(if you don't have kids, or are okay with them dealing with the potential stigma, have at it, I guess :-/ )

 

[TenMillimaster]

I grew up in north dallas... My dad was waiting for me to get on in years so that my mom would let me go shooting with him. Never happened, as it turns out, because he passed away my freshman year of highschool. Mom never got around to approving of my hobby (though I did inherit his plinkers, woohoo), and never, ever supported it. She was, in a sense, ashamed of it. I suspect it has something to do with asian culture, but being a american-half-born chinese person, it's not something I really understand. Of course my dad got it, but she made him sell all his toys but a few.

Sometimes I catch myself being ashamed because of my upbringing, but then I have to remind myself that not only is it my hobby, it's also my right.

 

[NoirFan]

I grew up in north dallas... My dad was waiting for me to get on in years so that my mom would let me go shooting with him. Never happened, as it turns out, because he passed away my freshman year of highschool. Mom never got around to approving of my hobby (though I did inherit his plinkers, woohoo), and never, ever supported it. She was, in a sense, ashamed of it. I suspect it has something to do with asian culture, but being a american-half-born chinese person, it's not something I really understand. Of course my dad got it, but she made him sell all his toys but a few.

I have a similar background to yours. In my experience many first generation Asian immigrants are violently anti-gun. The most anti-gun people I have ever met were older folks from China, Taiwan, and India, and I think it's because these are cultures which have historically not placed a high value on martial skills. For much of ancient Chinese history, for example, scholars and civil servants were respected far more than warriors. And then there's India where weapons skills were kept out of the hands of commoners and strictly limited to the kshatriya caste. Combine that cultural background with their only exposure coming through media reporting on criminals and real-lfe bigots with guns, and it's easy to see how they develop these attitudes.

Here in Indiana we have quite the hunting culture so people don't really get upset when they hear about guns. Even if they don't like it they tend to mind their own business because of Midwestern politeness.

 

[jaysouth]

Our collective values have been warped by political correctness, the spread of elitist eastern culture by television and advancing feminization of our culture and values.

If you lived in ANY state, a prosecutor or shyster lawyer could make you into a crazed homocidal maniac by virture of owning guns. God forbid one of them was a 'sniper' or assualt weapon. If you owned a couple of handguns, you are obsviously a psyhotic looking for trouble.

Doubt me, go sit in on your local circuit court and look at the vegetables that get selected for jurors AND convict people to prison or give out huge monetary awards.

 

[ball3006]

In the south, if you don't have a gun, you are considered a yankee........chris3

 

[Patriotme]

I don't hide the fact that I have guns and I make it a point to take several non shooters to the range every year. I do however make it a point not to tell people how many guns I have as the number can seem a bit large to those that don't shoot or collect guns.
I can understand those that have a lot of beautiful and expensive guns wanting to display them but that's not my thing. I believe in keeping my guns securely locked up as my daughter has friends over now and then and it calms down some of their parents. I also don't like strangers knowing what I have.

 

[Lone_Sheep_Dog]

I used to talk about guns at work. One day I realized I was the only one who likes guns. Everyone started making jokes about my gun hobby and that I might get angry and shoot people.
I will never talk about guns again unless I know the person is a firearms enthusiast.
I only know a couple of people who own guns. Most people don't and they think gun owners are strange. It's a shame really. This is one of the few countries in the world with this freedom, and so few appreciate it.

 

[Mike1234567]

For what it's worth, I've personally been called a terrorist on two separate occasions in my own home because I was cleaning my guns. I live in Texas. And this is just in the past year.

Whoever said that was joking, right? If not, they must not be native Texan.

ETA: Nevermind... just read post #27.

 

[JustinJ]

I've actually used guns to great affect to develop strong relationships at work with many of our client's representatives. A regular question asked of me is "what new gun did you buy this weekend?". I've found that many guys who aren't much into guns will talk about them in depth for whatever reason. Maybe not to seem unmanly? One of the execs and i regularly run to a local favorite gun shop at lunch.

 

[Mike1234567]

I couldn't give a single mouse fart what people think but I don't talk to others about what I have. As others stated, advertising invites unwanted takers.

 

[gym]

We get a lot of snowbirds where I live in Vero. Some are cool, they shoot and come from states where there is much hunting like upstate NY.
But there are some loony's who come from states that don't allow handguns. They are the problem. When they find out through over hearing conversations amongst the guys and ladies who do shoot, they go nuts.
I had a woman "who is now having cameras installed while I type", all around her property, because she found out through her neighboors on all 3 sides, Lft, rt, and across the street, that they all had firearms. She found out because she is constantlly calling us at night because she hears things in her yard.
So now that she thinks we are all a bunch of killers, no one will go and look anymore. She went and told anyone who would listen that we would kill all of the people in the development, only to find out that they also had a few firearms in their homes.
You can't fix stupid.I called the police who had told her she was lucky to have such good neighboors, and left it at that.I wanted it on record that she was making basless statements slandering my name. Two other ex leo's went down to the sherriff, and did the same thing. You never know what people are going to do, they told her to get a gun, and stop telling everyone that her husband was never home, and she had a lot of money in her house. The officer that showed up told her "lady you just said to me 5 or 6 times that you have money and jewelry in your house and no one is there at night. Wake up.And I foud most folks don't use their alarm also. "it's too much work" We have kids that just walk around and turn the door handles on the homes and cars, if their open, then in they go. People unfortunatelly don't learn until something happens to them.

 

[USAF_Vet]

Michigan is pretty gun friendly over all. Most of my co-workers are all either former military or hunters. I've had many conversations about hunting and shooting.

We have a "no weapons" policy at work, and even gun friendly coworkers have commented on my EDC knife. It gets used to cut boxes, plastic wrap, etc. It seems as though there is a stigma more about my choice of knife than the fact that I own guns.

My Benchmade Barrage with it's 4" blade was referred to as a 'Machete' only yesterday.

But every year during deer season, there are rifle cases in the back of 80% of the vehicles in the parking lot.

I'll talk about guns and whatnot to certain people who I know are also gun owners, but rarely will I openly advertise to perfect strangers that I have guns, unless I'm OCing, then it's pretty obvious. In rural Michigan though, it's pretty much assumed that you have a gun of some sort.

 

[Owen Sparks]

My wife was watching a rerun of one of those network crime shows the other day. At one point the detectives were interviewing some guy and his wife and asked him if he owned a gun. He said: "We are good people, we don't own guns and we don't allow guns in our home."

 

[Arkansas Paul]

In Arkansas, if you don't own a gun you try and keep it a secret.

 

[MrsSmith]

I don't advertise the fact that I own/carry guns, but I don't hide it either. When someone asks what I did over the weekend, if I've been to the range or in a match, I say so. Most people I've come into contact with are interested in guns/shooting and it frequently sparks conversation.
There was one negative instance recently though. A guy who knew I shoot competitively asked me out and requested that I not go to dinner "armed." I explained that wasn't an option and he was uncomfortable with the idea so I didn't go out with him.
As to guns around the house, I only have two at the moment. One I keep hidden and the other is always within arm's reach. I keep one hidden because my office is in my home and there are occasions when someone I don't know well will drop by. I don't worry about theft - doubt anyone looking for things of value is going to go through the stack of sheets in the top of my closet and if a bad guy gets the other one away from me I have bigger problems than theft.

 

[searcher451]

People fear what they don't understand. And, sadly, too many people don't understand guns ... or gun ownership. Their views are colored by what they see on the TV shows or hear on the TV newscasts. (In the old days, I would have mentioned that their views were equally colored by what they read in the newspaper, but nobody reads a newspaper any more.) Consequently, too people react in the same way they would if they saw a swarm of killer bees heading their way.

 

[Old krow]

I live in a very, very liberal town surrounded by college students and other like-minded people and not once has my gun ownership gotten a negative response.

I have gotten negative responses and I live in the very, very, conservative South. To top it off, I have gotten it from natives. Gun ownership and the stigma that can go along with it is a very strange thing. If you haven't gotten any negative responses yet, give it a few years. Many people in college haven't had time to firm up their opinions of a lot of things yet. That will change, for better or for worse, as time goes on. But, it's a good opportunity to show gun ownership in a positive light.

I have a neighbor, that brought me a deer when he killed 3, thinks that I must have a permit to reload ammo.

I know a guy (military and from the local area) that refuses to let anyone with a gun in his home... to include his family. His dad has an extensive collection. What makes it laughable is the fact that he taught a small arms class.

I am single and sometimes find myself in the company of those who do not share my values. I haven't really ever found it to be a huge deal, but there have been a couple times when something was said. That can be a bit strange because you don't always know what you're walking into... or I don't know always know anyway, but it's always fun.

I know several people who's wives, husbands, or families do not want them to have guns in the house at all.

I have been told by family members that I shouldn't be allowed to own "x" gun.

I think that much of it is misinformation, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it paranoia. There are people out there that will hate you, or call you crazy, simply because you own a gun.

 

[ridgerunner1965]

here where i live in MO, if you dont have at least a few guns you are considered a liberal Democrat and one to be wary of.even people i know that are not shooters have a few guns around for use on the farm such as dispatching skunks,sick cows, old horses and just annoying things that wander up in the yard.guess thats stigma reversed?

 

[Nanook]

Even in IL, near the belly of the beast, there is no real social stigma to owing guns. Heck, the town I live in almost everybody owns guns, hunts, shoots trap or skeet, etc.

It's pretty much Chicago and its immediate area where such things exist.

Everybody who knows me knows I'm a shooter / reloader. Nobody has bothered me as yet.

I get the occasional liberal brain fart from associates who just watched the news, but not much other than that. I just either correct them, or laugh outright depending on how stupid the remarks are.

One funny note, one year for Thanksgiving my parents and one of my brothers were over for dinner. I had made some changes to my garage, and was showing them. Both my father and brother, upon seeing my bench, asked it that was legal. LOL

I guess gunpowder and primers on a bench somehow made them nervous. I quickly cleared up their misconceptions.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

I agree-it's about avoiding theft. Also, where does this "stigma" come from?
If anything it goes the other way-I know a lot of erstwhile liberals who are closet gun owners but choose not to reveal it.
Also it depends on what social circles you travel in.

 

[DAP90]

My coworker found out I had a carry license the other day (my boss has a big mouth). I mostly don’t mind if people know but I knew this guy would be trouble.

He asked why I needed one of those – was I going to go on a murder rampage? I said the government doesn’t license for that and that it was actually in case somebody else did.

Mostly, I’d say when people find out they don’t really care one way or the other; any more than I’d really care about their hobbies.

 

[WinThePennant]

My coworker found out I had a carry license the other day (my boss has a big mouth). I mostly don’t mind if people know but I knew this guy would be trouble.

He asked why I needed one of those – was I going to go on a murder rampage? I said the government doesn’t license for that and that it was actually in case somebody else did.

Mostly, I’d say when people find out they don’t really care one way or the other; any more than I’d really care about their hobbies.

People like that deserve to have the living hell beat out of them.

I'm serious.

 

[Ky Larry]

I don't understand why I should worry about a social stigma being attched to my gun ownership. Everyone in my life that matters to me knows who ,what, and how I am.Everybody else can go pack sand. Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[DAP90]

People like that deserve to have the living hell beat out of them.

I'm serious.

I can honestly say I couldn’t care less what this guy thinks of me. He’s a hopeless case and no amount of logic or beatings would change that. Some people just aren’t worth the effort.

 

[AethelstanAegen]

I said the government doesn’t license for that and that it was actually in case somebody else did.

Haha. That was a well thought out response. Concise and to the point. As if you'd bother to get a carry permit if you were planning to go on a murder spree? You have to wonder how some people are able to get through the day when their reasoning is that flawed. You handled that well, DPotvin. It may not have changed his mind, but any of your other coworkers who may have been listening in should be able to grasp the point you made.