I must admit I had issues with handguns back in the day. I grew up in east L.A. where gun violence was rampant.
My fear of handguns was intensified back in '99 when a good friend of mine was shot in the head by stray gunfire on my block. He was a straight A student with a great future. That was the last straw for me.
About 3 years ago my wife asked if we could get a gun someday for home protection, I objected.
I said, "We will never have a gun in our home, ever!"
Months later while visiting my in-laws, my father-in-law who happened to be a Vietnam Vet pulled out his guns for
cleaning. I watched him as everyone in the house went about their business. It dawned on me that this man had been through hell and lost a few friends in combat, but there he was safely handling his guns without alarming those around him. I talked to him about his feelings on gun ownership and began to develop a desire to conquer my fear. So I went for it, and decided to take a course along with my wife and can now say with great pride that I am a convert.
I'd been training in martial arts for 18 years and always figured it was enough that there was a 6'1 225 lbs black belt standing between my family and any threat out there. But now that I'm buying a house and starting a family with my beautiful wife, the thought of some scumbag or scumbags breaking into my home and destroying what I love and worked so hard to attain bothers me to no end.
I thoroughly respect the right for any citizen to arm himself or herself for self defense.
My fear of handguns was intensified back in '99 when a good friend of mine was shot in the head by stray gunfire on my block. He was a straight A student with a great future. That was the last straw for me.
About 3 years ago my wife asked if we could get a gun someday for home protection, I objected.
I said, "We will never have a gun in our home, ever!"
Months later while visiting my in-laws, my father-in-law who happened to be a Vietnam Vet pulled out his guns for
cleaning. I watched him as everyone in the house went about their business. It dawned on me that this man had been through hell and lost a few friends in combat, but there he was safely handling his guns without alarming those around him. I talked to him about his feelings on gun ownership and began to develop a desire to conquer my fear. So I went for it, and decided to take a course along with my wife and can now say with great pride that I am a convert.
I'd been training in martial arts for 18 years and always figured it was enough that there was a 6'1 225 lbs black belt standing between my family and any threat out there. But now that I'm buying a house and starting a family with my beautiful wife, the thought of some scumbag or scumbags breaking into my home and destroying what I love and worked so hard to attain bothers me to no end.
I thoroughly respect the right for any citizen to arm himself or herself for self defense.
