Saturday, July 16, 2011

A Backwards View

I imagine that by now everyone in the spinning community has heard of the wheel that went missing at BSG this year.
I have been reading replies and responses, condolences, and well wishes on the Spin List Yahoo group since it happened.
It came out a few days ago that someone took offense to someone else mentioning in another post that there was a gun show going on near by. This was taken as an accusation by someone that a gun enthusiast must have done the deed and of course this was answered by many that avowed and defended the gun hobbyists. Many of these responses came from people who have conceal carry permits and carry a gun everywhere they go, including into spinning circles and knitting meetings. Other responses were simply from gun owners.
I made a silly comment about being a spinner as well as a gun owner, but never practicing the two at the same time as the combination would be problematic, trying to ease the tension a bit, because I could see the discussion escalating into an argument. Then low and behold, it happened. Someone said, and I hope if she reads this she won't bomb my puter, because I quote:

"I'm incredibly saddened to read that so many who engage in the gentle art of spinning are so terrified of their fellow human beings that they feel the need to endanger everyone else in public settings by carrying weapons." 

She then goes on to say that  "we" should all make sure that before we attend another event that the organizers are conscience of the heath and welfare of the attendants by making the event a 'gun free zone'.
Terrified? Endanger? Really?
I don't know about you all, but this scares me! Besides the fact that the only way a location can become a 'gun free zone' is through legal channels and all the hub-bub and red tape that goes with it (generally reserved for post offices, casinos and the occasional government building), a 'gun free zone' is an invitation to people who will do what they want when they want,  TO whomever they want, because they are outside the law!
Taking into consideration that this is a free country and we are all entitled to speak our minds without fear of reprisal, the quote above is one of the single most ignorant things I have ever read.
For those who don't agree, give me the small consideration of reading on and I will try to edify you.
Control carry permits are not handed out for the asking, they are expensive and tedious to obtain. The Nevada (I can only speak to NV regulations, but I know it is one of the least stringent in the country!) applicant must pass an extensive back ground check as well as hours of class time after which they must pass a written exam, then its off to the gun range for safety training and firearm instruction. These classes are often given by people in law enforcement, the class my husband took was conducted by a local officer and a highway patrolman. Every 5 years my DH is required to renew his permit and must retake the exam and go back to the gun range. The gun they use in the class is registered on the conceal carry permit, and in order to carry any other hand gun, they must pass the gun range tests again with the new weapon. 
I suppose if you weren't as close to weapons as I am most of the time, you might have reservations about sitting next to someone with a hand gun on their hip under their t-shirt. But just remember, those people aren't there to hurt you, they have taken an active roll in their safely as well as taking some responsibility for yours!
For my part, though I roll my eyes at my husband every time he straps on that .45 when we go to town, I feel better knowing that not only are we safer for it, but so are others around us.

Something else to ponder. I saw this in Illinois when I drove through on my way to Ohio a few years ago; If we outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns.

3 comments:

Michelle said...

I hadn't heard about the missing wheel (I'm on a different spinning list); how sad! And how sad that some people jumped to conclusions about who would and who would not steal a wheel. Considering the wide variety (in age, sex and appearance) of people being sought or apprehended for thefts these days (as seen on the news), it appears that MANY people are resorting to desperate (wrong, illegal, immoral) measures to get what they need/want.

As for the guns, my dad and his wife carry, and that doesn't make me nervous at all. In the rare and unlikely event that lethal self-defense is needed, I'd rather be with them than not!

Laura said...

Amen... and Ditto to Michelle's comment.

Abby said...

Love your blog and appreciated this post. I had also read the comments on the SpinList - glad you addressed this - I agree with Michelle too. :)