My First ... and Last ... Day at the Gun Range by Bryan Babcock

March 2, 2013, “The Fine Print: We’re Calling ‘B.S.’” will tackle the hot and heated political debate going on right now concerning gun control. While I try to stay as neutral as possible on the air—keeping my real opinion to a minimum—I would like to share my experience with guns in the hopes it will aid you in your understanding of where our gun laws should move.

As everyone knows, I am a born and raised Alabama man. As an Alabama man, I am the man to see about guns. I love guns, I think guns are great everyone should have one, and should use them to wipe out enemies. That’s who we are in Alabama. I grew up with guns all over my house, and I don’t see anything wrong with it. Guns make you feel safe when your nearest neighbor is five miles away, and the nearest law enforcement is at least 30 minutes away.

I want to tell you about the first time I ever shot a gun. I was living in Washington, DC (of all places to shoot a gun, right?), and had a very nice roommate who invited me out with his friends for an American day: visiting Mount Vernon and going to a gun range. Does it get any more American than that? And what made it just that more American was the fact that the trip involved people from various nations. You see, my roommate Philipp was German, working at the German Embassy, and he invited his friends who were from the other embassies around DC. What a melting pot we were that day!

We first visited the home of the first president, and founding father, George Washington.  

 

Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was a great start to an American day—the architecture, the history, the legend of the beginnings of our great nation. It’s something we all should take a moment to appreciate as Americans.

George Washington was once quoted as having said, “A free people ought...to be armed.” As a Southerner I can certainly see why the Confederacy never armed its slaves, which would have assured its victory in the Civil War, with a quote like that by our most famous Southerner. No one ever thought Blacks were a free people; therefore they should never be armed. Arming leads to freedom. Did we not set this example with the Revolutionary War, and again in the War of 1812? So of course slaves can’t have the freedom a weapon provides. But the slavery part is an entirely different conversation to be had. The point Washington was trying to make is the quintessential paradox, in order to be free you must prepare for war. That can’t be done if the people aren’t armed; they won’t be free for long.

And this is the principle our Second Amendment was based on. A free people should always be able to arm themselves and defend their freedom against tyrannical governments. There may come a day when we in America must rise up and take back our country. We might be getting there sooner than we thought with all the polarizing political rhetoric out there. Again, that’s another discussion.

The Constitution gives us the right to bear arms, and the Supreme Court of the United States has given Congress the right to place some limitations on bearing those arms. Some feel there should be no limits; others feel there should be full restriction; and then those in the middle (who don’t seem to matter anymore in this political climate) think some better limitations should be placed on guns. Who has the right answer? Read on and tell me whether your opinion of gun control has changed.

So, after visiting Mount Vernon, we went into the gun range …

 

I was so excited because I had never legally shot a gun before. There were guns in my house, and they were fired, but never in a completely legal context. We decided to get a variety of guns to shoot. I admit I was weary about putting the gun in my hand. I was never sure of what would happen to me once I was fully armed. I have a temper, and I like to solve my problems to their ultimate conclusions. This can go quite far if allowed to my own devices. So I tried to keep my distance. Now the weaponry was in my hands.

Here’s some of the artillery we shot with …

 

 

After firing off  a few rounds, the day was done. As I reflected on the day’s events, and all I experienced, I had a revelation. Guns are fantastic … so much fun to shoot. You feel the vibration in the gun as it discharges, and you see the hole in the target, and it just brings back childhood days of playing cops and robbers. That’s the innocence of guns: you are usually unaware of the harm they cause because you spent many years playing harmless games with fake ones.

But guns can do quite a bit of damage. We have learned that from Sandy Hook, Lone Star College, Trayvon Martin, and so on. So much violence has come from the use of guns, and in a lot of instances licensed guns. But I am a proponent of guns. We should have access to weapons. You never know when a gun will be needed for your protection.

As I fired the various guns we selected, I couldn’t help but notice how much I enjoyed myself. I mean I REALLY enjoyed myself. Have you ever thought of the power you hold in a gun? You hold the power of life and death right in your hands. At any moment, you could turn to your neighbor … and just end them. It’s an intoxicating feeling each time you pull that trigger. That is the glory of the gun. That is why not only people but governments strive for armament. The amazing thrill of holding god-like powers is addictive. You always want more and more. This is why today governments have nuclear weapons, while the people can only match it with an M-16. The governments must make sure they can always overrun the people and maintain control.

One day, when I conquer this globe, and have its entire people under my reign, I will remember that day when I held true power in my hands. You will all be my bitches one day.  

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And I can pass any background check, and obtain a gun. Now what do you think of gun control?

Tune in March 2, 2013 at 6:00PM EST for more on the gun control debate on “The Fine Print of the Second Amendment.” Visit http://www.blogtalkradio.com/thefineprint for new and archived episodes.

P.S. Thanks to Philipp for awakening the beast … the world will remember you (fondly?) ;-)