[4sarge]

Originally Posted by Pami

Ok, I put off posting the last couple of hours because I was frustrated... confused... out of sorts... whatever... at 4sarge's post also. (Please don't take that as a personal attack, I was just surprised and am still not sure how to respond, actually.)

Sorry, my post seemed direct and self explanatory to me but I come from a gun culture.

It did lead me to the question, though, whether you have talked firearms with women who were not police officers, nor competition shooters, nor were victims. They all have completely different mindsets. What about the woman standing in the middle of those groups?

No, I have not

I agree that if you don't have the mindset to accept you might have to kill someone that you shouldn't carry (it's one of the several reasons I do NOT carry right now), but this thread is specifically about defending your home. I'm doing things in baby steps. We have guns in the house. I went to the range to learn how to safely handle a gun. I have taken several trainings to continue to improve my comfort handling firearms. I am working toward developing the mindset that Bad Things could happen, and I'm hoping that it doesn't happen before I'm ready for that. I'm hoping that Bad Things don't happen at all, actually. But that's not how life works, and if it did happen before I'm ready, how would I respond?

Very BAD Things do happen to Good People

I accept that you want to work with someone will just do the job, but how do we work on getting that person in to that mindset to begin with? Think of it from that perspective. You can't just hand a gun to someone who is afraid of firearms and expect her to have your back because she's suddenly developed the right mindset. You also don't want your SO to be so afraid of guns that she cries when she sees yours. How do you get her from point A to point B, and how would you want her to react to an intruder in the house if she were somewhere between points A and B?

"God made men. Sam Colt made them equal."

All share a common destiny-the righteous and the wicked, the good and the bad, the clean and the unclean, those who offer sacrifices and those who do not... For the living know that they will die, (Eccl.9:2-3, 12-13).

The JOB reference was specifically for men or women who carry firearms for a living and depend upon them for their safety and welfare.

I have trained many police officers, men and women. These folks already have the survival mindset and are determined to be the winner and willing to sacrifice at personal expense if need be. I also have given handgun safety training to civilians (men & women)

I personally have not attempted to convert a non believer to a believer. My wife has been a PO for 30+ years and doesn't have the same affinity for guns that I do but if need be she would use hers. I instructed my children (3 girls, 1 boy) at an early age in firearms, safety and their use. 2 are teachers, 1 in the media, and the youngest in her senior year at IU.

It doesn't take a brave person to shoot someone. It's far more difficult to diffuse a dangerous situation without the use of potentially deadly force. There are officers who have resistors on a frequent basis. I prided myself on the fact that I had very, very, few resistors because I worked very hard at it.

Since this is a GUN specific board, I did not have the realization that there were posters who were on the fence about guns. I'm deep into the pool so it seems odd to me to feel any other way.

Guns can be fun, guns can provide a great (expensive) past time but to me a gun is a tool, just like a hammer is to a carpenter. They have specific uses and one needs to be trained (if you carry or use) in their use for their safety, the safety of others and for the general well being.

I wold never attempt to persuade someone to use a gun to shoot someone, on the street, or in their home but I standby I also strongly feel that a person should never carry a firearm (man or woman) for self defense if they do not have the mind set to use it and that use may very well entail the taking of another's life".

Shooting incidents can carry civil and possible criminal repercussions but if you are a thinking, caring person, the emotional (moral) baggage can be great and can scar the psyche.

I hope that this has explained my thoughts on the matter and hope that you can understand where I'm coming from.

sarge