Believe it or not, I grew up in a household that didn't like, or have, guns despite home being in a small rural region surrounded by many farms which, of course, had guns. My family had none though, and so I didn't grow up shooting as a kid.
My mum, who absolutely hated guns which I found odd considering she had had nothing at all to do with them, said that I was not permitted to have guns. She also said I was banned from having tattoo's and motorbikes...Unfortunately for her I ended up with all three.
My dad was less emphatic but still didd't like guns. He knew what they could do having lived through a World War first-hand so I understood his thoughts on the matter.
But, despite all of that I turned into a gun person in the end and have had so many over the years I can't even count them all.
A couple of weeks ago someone sent me a message on Discord asking why I always post about guns. What a fucking idiotic question. Clearly I do not always post about guns. The person also asked why I needed guns in the first instance as well.
This is not the first time I've been asked this question, one designed to open up a conversation on the gun-debate so people can express their views, and disgust in gun owners generally. Same old story.
I never get involved in those debates though, they're unproductive, so my response was simple, because I want to have guns.
That didn't go down so well but if you could imagine in your minds-eye, someone looking like they don't give a flying fuck, then that's what I looked like right about then. I mean, whay would I care if someone doesn't like the fact I have guns?
I started shooting at around 20 years old when I joined a range and started target shooting with a handgun. I did that for a year acquiring guns as I went. It was a little later when I started hunting and the handgun-action declined somewhat to be picked up later on again. I preferred the ability to free-style though, to roam about in vast outback properties gaining, honing and using various skills along the way. I've been doing that ever since, together with other forms of shooting of course. These days I shoot a lot, but I do other things too of course.
I've built a lot of skills around shooting guns, many not at all related to guns, but most that would place me in an advantageous position should I find myself in a tight spot out in some remote area. Of course, many of the skills I have are transferrable to more urban areas and situations in which resourcefulness may be required.
Having those skills bring me a lot of confidence, not arrogance mind, but confidence. There is a difference.
Being resourceful and having the ability to act appropriately in an inflamed situation, in a medical emergency, throughout a threat-situation, civil unrest for instance or a criminal attack, is important in my estimation. On a daily basis we hear of situations which could call for such affirmative action; The United States of America are in just such a situation right now I guess. It won't happen to you? Stop deluding yourself; It can. So, certain skills could come in handy I suppose.
Back to guns...I'm not saying for a moment that having guns would help in every (or any) situation. No, I'm certainly not saying that, but for me (not you or anyone else but me), being a shooter has brought me so many different skills and knowledge, all of which brings me a level of preparedness that is probably far above that of the average person.
First aid, navigation, communication, off-road driving, mechanical, situational-awareness, survival, camping and bush-skills are only a few I refer to...Would I have these skills, be as competent in them, if I was not a hunter and shooter? Maybe, but probably not considering my family upbringing. Maybe I would have none of them, like my sister and brothers.
It is a great privilege to have access to some of the properties I visit including the one in that image above. That was taken over 25 years ago in the Flinders Ranges. I was 23 or so years old (Fucking terrible photo). I remember that trip well as my mate and I got lost. Yeah I know, I don't even like admitting it, but we did. We learned a lesson though. Things would be completely different these days. skill-building and training always makes a difference.
It was a great trip and I learned a great deal. I would say that this particular trip was one of the most important, the launching pad for my leap into preparedness, self-sufficiency and a deeper knowledge around the skills I needed to keep doing what I wanted to do.
So, back to the question...Why do I need guns.
The simple answer is I don't. The answer is also because I want to have them. But it doesn't matter because it's really no one else's business. Having guns for me isn't just about the guns, it's about all the other things around it as well. I'm not one-dimensional, don't always talk about guns and am so much more than what an (uninformed) person may perceive me to be...But judge me too quickly, and from outward appearances or a single post on hive and you'll never know...And it makes no difference to me if you don't.
The pro-gun or anti-gun debate is something I don't enter into; I guess I don't see the point. It's unlikely someone could talk me out of having guns, and certainly impossible for me to talk someone into having them so it all seems rather pointless. Have an opinion by all means, even voice it, but if a person is looking for an argument over it they need to look elsewhere as the G-dog isn't interested...I'd rather spend my time more productively.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised.
Be well
Discord: galenkp#9209
