Hoplophobia-A Real Life Example

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I respectfully disagree

With all due respect, MVA's are usually exactly that...accidents. Firearms fatalities sometimes fall into that category, but the willful destruction of life, either by suicide or murder, leaves scars that mere "loss" doesn't begin to cover.
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Rarely is a MVA a true 'the fates conspired against me' Accident. Usually they are caused by a series of poor choices and judgements that fail to raise to a Felony level.

An example of an 'accident' is a 17 girls who backs over a family and babies in a parking lot, because she got as far as her friend in the passenger seat, and failed to check her corners OR look where she was going...

What a tragic "accident" Yet, these accidents account for the #1 cause of 'accidental' death in America and being around vehicles, something that happens SO many times a DAY that we forget, just HOW deadly they are.

I put that it's both lack of familiarity and a training to be afraid that accounts for the present lack of understand and fear of firearms.
 
Okay, I'm not going to get into a squabblethon with you about what constitutes an accident to your satisfaction. I think you missed my point, though, so I will clarify.

Motor vehicle accidents are rarely the result of malice or choice. Rarely does someone intend to cause one or be involved in one. Yes, accidents are often, or usually, the result of decisions we make. Not quite the same thing as INTENT. "Training to be afraid"?? We were discussing traumatic events that leave a lasting mark, and I was indicating why a tool used BY CHOICE for destruction of life often creates a lasting fear/loathing for survivors.
 
We were discussing traumatic events that leave a lasting mark, and I was indicating why a tool used BY CHOICE for destruction of life often creates a lasting fear/loathing for survivors.
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And Training TO BE afraid, just makes my points,
WHY don't we Blame the PERSON
because 'GUN ARE EVIL'

So, just like the 17 year old gets a pass by society, her daddies Home Owners policy and the Car insurance pay out to the survivors. The DA chalks it up 'inexperience' and passes on the charges. Why don't we blame cars, why don't we train people to be afraid of cars, why don't we make a maximum passenger capacity. Why don't we limit top speed. Why don't....

So, why are people TRAINED to fear the gun, and NOT blame the person who commits suicide or robbery or....

so what's your point, mass media indoctrination is effective?
 
"WHY don't we Blame the PERSON because 'GUN ARE EVIL'"

I thought I'd explained that fairly well, sir. My apologies if I did not.

"When someone you love chooses to end his or her life rather than continue living with you, a deep seated resentment can take hold. Where is that resentment focused? Sometimes on the one who actually pulled the trigger. More often than not, on the tool used to commit the act, particularly if it is not something you have to use every day. Why? Self-preservation. The need to blame something, anything, other than the one who left. Again, why? Because the memory of love is all you have left, and if that memory is tainted with thoughts that they did not love you enough NOT to take their own life, that memory is shattered. Hence, you develop a hatred, fear, loathing, whatever...of the implement."

I have only my observation to go by, but have more than one data point to go on and draw some conclusions from. I hope you haven't had to go through anything like that, or be close to those who have.

Now, I'm stepping away from this.
 
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I remember reading an account on another forum from a LEO who'd responded to a call about an "explosive device" in someone's rental car. He got to the scene and found a whole family cowering in terror, because there was a shotgun shell rolling around under the back seat of their rented minivan. They just knew it was going to explode and kill them all!
 
THAT comes from garbage in movies and general ignorance, coupled with the fact that everything gets put on some sort of "lock down" whenever ammo is found, or someone is seen carrying anything that makes some idiot panic.
 
They ship Firearms in a way that the package is handled by fewer people, thus less chance for a theft.
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Then I'd like them to answer this. Even if their own time and distance calculator shows that Ground will get it there the next day, they still make you pay for Next Day. Which will go on the same truck as the Ground shipment.
 
Well, you asked what the worst that could happen was, and losing the complete value of the gun that you paid to insure would be it.

Larry
 
Keep the stories coming, I rather enjoy them; they give me insight on how different people can be from what I'm used to. The best story I can come up with is the one about how prejudice my family is towards handguns. For some reason they think that handguns are infinitely more dangerous than long guns. I remember shooting my uncle's .45 of some variety noon on dove day. I was young but they were talking to me like if I sneezed while holding the gun everyone would die instantly.
 
How about a Marine recruit who passed out when he found out we would actually have to shoot our M-16's?
 
that was one of the few positive encounters i've had there. most of the time there are granola chopping, yuppie, anti-hunting <<insert bad language here>>that give me dirty looks and sometimes make snide comments. and this happens all the time on Div or Wildife land, set aside for hunting and fishing.
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And its just not the Boulder types anymore. More, and more they are all over the Front Range.
 
Similar situtation at UPS

I was shipping a pistol back for repair and the lady behind the counter made a comment that '...things gonna get somebody hurt.'

My response was thats 1. Its broken, 2. No ammunition, 3. and the only danger was if one her fellow Teamsters stole it. She got kinda puffed up about that, but kept her mouth shut.

salty
 
Here's a story.

I had just completed a basic 2nd level defensive course and was on my way home. Decided to stop and get some gas and being in VA didn't think my open carry would raise any issues.

Got my gas, went in to the store for a snack. There were three people in front of me waiting to check out, and this skinny Olive Oyl dead ringer started looking at me funny from my right. She took a look at my gun and asked, "are you a police officer?" Here we go...

No ma'am, I'm not. Just got back from the range.

At this point she froze and got this huge grin on her face.:D Forehead wrinkled like a pug and the statements started flowing.

"Are you allowed to do that??"

Yes ma'am, perfectly legal.

"Well, I've lived here all my life and NEVER seen anyone do that before. I don't approve!"

(Grin gets bigger).

I don't know what to tell you.

At this point I was at the register and the counter ladies were mumbling something about "what? What's going on? Who?"

I paid, got in my car and left. It was the only negative hoplophobic reaction I've encountered in ten years, but it was a doozy.
 
I was OC'ing in downtown Grand Rapids a few months ago. As I'm waiting to pre pay for my gas ($50), I'm getting all sorts of looks from the patrons of the store, most of them younger urban teens. When I get to the counter, I notice the clerk is behind two inch thick plexiglass and I have to slide my cash in a tiny slot at the bottom. Honestly though, I think he was somewhat relieved as I was there, openly armed. The other store customers didn't look like they were getting gas and sundries and going about their business.



Then I realized that my set of keys was missing the key for the gas cap (had issues with ****** neighbors siphoning gas where I used to live). So I have to go back into the store to get my money back and explain the situation. More kids had wandered into the store, saw my gun on my hip, and decided that they should all leave. The clerk hands me my money back, now openly relieved that my armed presence (my two friends were also armed, one open another concealed, just outside) had probably just thwarted a smash and grab by a bunch of thug kids.
 
USAF's story simply takes the cake, even if it wasn't about fear of guns. Gonna be tough to follow that act
 
I've encountered 2 types of hoplophobia. Curious/fearful where they ask questions and terrorized/fearful where they walk away. Thankfully I've never encountered hysterical/fearful or angry/fearful where they have to confront me. My planned response will be; "I'm not responsible for how you feel about my freedoms."
 
USAF_Vet said:
I was OC'ing in downtown Grand Rapids a few months ago. As I'm waiting to pre pay for my gas ($50), I'm getting all sorts of looks from the patrons of the store, most of them younger urban teens. When I get to the counter, I notice the clerk is behind two inch thick plexiglass and I have to slide my cash in a tiny slot at the bottom. Honestly though, I think he was somewhat relieved as I was there, openly armed. The other store customers didn't look like they were getting gas and sundries and going about their business.



Then I realized that my set of keys was missing the key for the gas cap (had issues with ****** neighbors siphoning gas where I used to live). So I have to go back into the store to get my money back and explain the situation. More kids had wandered into the store, saw my gun on my hip, and decided that they should all leave. The clerk hands me my money back, now openly relieved that my armed presence (my two friends were also armed, one open another concealed, just outside) had probably just thwarted a smash and grab by a bunch of thug kids.
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Which gas station was that? The Marathon on Market or the Admiral on Fulton west of 131?
 
LOL, Fulton.

Don't usually stop there if I can help it.

Similarly, had an OC incident much like this one at the BP on 44th and Division in Kentwood.
 
Hoplophobia

Yeah, I know: code word for anti-gun politician, or a person who "doesn't get it." Humorous. Ha-ha.

Until you actually meet a hoplophobe. I met one. Friend of my wife's. I left a pistol of mine out (unloaded, Ruger Vaquero, gate open, on a high shelf). She and I had never discussed guns; I suspected she might be anitgun. Gun was left out not to be provocative--I'd just been cleaning it when she arrived, so I "put it away" and washed my hands before greeting her.

When she saw the gun, she was brought to tears. Hysterical. A person who was otherwise very reasonable, intelligent, and knew me quite well. I'd never seen anything like it.

If you can find it on HuLu or whatever, take a look at the "30 Days" series, the episode called "Gun Nation." When a so-called "gun-control activist" from around here goes to live with a gun-culture-immersed dad-and-son family in OH for 30 days.

Note the scene at the sporting clays range. That's what hoplophobia really is. It is impressive. It is not rational. It is not within the person's control. It would require a real effort to overcome.

And THAT's what we're up against.
 
This is not necessarily about firearms, more about knives, but what the hey...

So a very good friend and I were sitting in a public park, and I pulled out a knife to cut a little piece of thread on my shirt that was bothering me. He got up, whimpering, and ran twenty yards and hid behind a tree. And it wasn't anywhere near a joke or something done on purpose. He was genuinely scared that the knife would jump out and get him. I can only imagine what would have happened if he had seen my gun.
 
Perhaps none of the folks at the gun range were jet-setty enough for you? ;)

And a woman vegetarian aerobics instructor from MA as the gun-control advocate--that's not stereotyping? :D

Me, I would have been happy to share a beer with either of them.

BTW, the scene I mentioned starts at about 17:30.
 
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