Assumptions we make

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BrokenPaw

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(Mods, bear with me; this is actually gun-related. Eventually. :uhoh: )

Something that happened yesterday made me think about the assumptions that people make about other people, based upon (potentially) uncorrelated criteria. Prejudices, if you will.

My next door neighbor (his is the closest house to me, and it's about 300 feet away over top of a hill, so I can't see him, and he can't see me) likes to work on exceptionally loud cars in his spare time. Sometimes that noise carries over the hill, and it's sort of annoying, but hey, I'm not the type to complain unless there's really a problem. But I'm planning on having a really big outdoor wedding on my property this summer, and I didn't want the ceremony to be interrupted by the enthusiastic revving of a big-block Chevy with straight pipes.

So I've been meaning to go talk to the guy, because I wanted to ask him if he'd mark his calendar, and keep quiet on that one particular day. I'd been hesitant about going over, because people pretty much keep to themselves in my neighborhood (I've lived there for 4+ years and had only met 2 of the other folks that live around there). I'm fairly shy, too, so going up to someone I don't know, on his own property, to ask him for a favor is a bit of an effort for me.

(Here's the gun-related part) So yesterday as I was driving home, I passed his driveway, and saw him out on his porch cleaning his rifle and shotgun. And my subconscious mind sort of decided that "shooters == good people". So I went over and talked to him, and he was really cool about the whole thing, and agreed to mark his calendar and keep the engines quiet on the big day.

Has anyone else ever had a reaction like this? The feeling, upon discovering that someone (you don't know) is a shooter, that they're more likely to be "good folks"?

-BP
 
"Has anyone else ever had a reaction like this? The feeling, upon discovering that someone (you don't know) is a shooter, that they're more likely to be "good folks"?"

I not only have had that reaction, every single time it has turned out to be true. It strikes me as a little ironic that many, especially here in PRK, would flip out at the sight of someone handling firearms on his front porch, and probably call the police.

Tim
 
Maybe I should try that one day . there isn't much traffic in my parts though. living in a Cul-De-sac at then end of a relatively quite street.
 
When I try to clean my guns on the porch my wife tells me that I look like a redneck.

Same goes for when I try to clean my transmission on the front porch.:D


Anyway, most sheeple would be intimidated by a "man with a gun". I tend to crane my neck to see what he's got...just a matter of perspective.
 
Anyway, most sheeple would be intimidated by a "man with a gun". I tend to crane my neck to see what he's got...just a matter of perspective.
Click to expand...
For the record, he had a Mossy pump, a Win70, and a black-powder gun (I think -- it had a ramrod, in any case) of some flavour or other. :D

Actually, now I'll give the rest of my thought process:
I have been accused before now of being...hmm...intimidating looking. For example, I had to deliver some mail that had been mis-delivered[0] to its rightful owner, a year back or so, and that family looked decidedly unsure about what to think when I began walking up their driveway. I'm not entirely certain why people seem to assume that I'm dangerous, but they do.

So after my lizard brain made the "shooter == good" evaluation, the voices in my head said, "you know, walking openly and calmly up to a guy who has a bunch of guns with him is a pretty good sign that you're not up to anything". So my decision to go speak to him then and there was partly due to my perception of him as a shooter, and partly due to my experience with other people's perception of me, and how someone's perception changes when guns are around.

Armed society is polite society, and all of that.

-BP, far less scary than many people's first impression would have you think.

[0] Neither rain nor sleet nor dark of night shall keep my mailman from getting all of the mail to the gang of mailboxes at the end of my street, whereupon he will stuff letters into various boxes in an astoundingly haphazard fashion.
 
I had to demonstrate the use of a fire extinguisher as part of the safety portion of a class. The instructor made a comment as did another student about my "finger was off trigger" alongside the "guard" if you will.

"You must be a shooter"
Why yes, what caused you folks to say that?
"Trigger finger discipline"
Oh...habit I guess.

There was no comment when I pulled out the foam ear plugs for the hearing safety portion to show the rating on the package.

I guess that was part of the "assumption". :)
 
I have kind of the oppisite to that story. My nieghboors that are (previously unkown to me) gun people, have found out that I go hunting and have warmed up to me. Never talked to each other before that.
 
As long as he is only cleaning, and not sweeping me with the muzzle.....

But is has also been my onservation that the "Gun Guys" (and Gun Gals) are generally pretty good folks.
 
I rarely shoot at organized ranges. Generally, my friends and I go out on the Mesa West of Albuquerque and shoot at a commonly used spot out in the boonies. I have come into contact with dozens, if not hundreds, of other shooters out there and not ONCE have I ever incountered anyone that was less than nice, polite and more than willing to share their toys. I have gotten to fire some very nice handguns and long guns and let many people try out one of mine. I really enjoy taking non-shooters out and letting them see just how well gun "nuts" embody the PC phrase of "plays well with others".

In fact. I have observed that anti-gun people tend to be nasty, distrustful and untrustworthy in almost any setting, social or work related. They may smile and be polite to your face, but just don't turn your back on them.
 
It's been my experience that shooters tend to be more polite, level-headed, and sociable than most people.
Click to expand...

So, why do you think these things might be?

Polite: Would this be due to trying to avoid confrontations that could escalate, or just because most shooters may have been brought up in a traditional (ie; back when people had manners and respect) fashion?

Level-headed: Due to practice of handling a deadly weapon in high-stress scenarios ("training ho's" :D ), or perhaps because of excersizing their mental faculties in rebuffing illogical Anti arguments?

Sociable: Sociable with other shooters ("it's us against the world"), or everyone? Could it be simply a matter of the confidence that comes with being prepared, or...?

Yeah, I know, come to a gun board and find a psychology class. But I'm interested in folks' thoughts on this...something I've observed as well.
 
When I try to clean my guns on the porch my wife tells me that I look like a redneck.

Same goes for when I try to clean my transmission on the front porch.
Click to expand...

She's really overreacting. Neither of these are conclusive that you're a redneck, but just to satisfy my own curiosity, exactly how many dogs are under that porch? :neener: geegee
 
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