Gun Ownership and Social Stigma?

[Nushif]

The later will tell an anti gun person to kiss their a@@ if you don't like guns and uses a safe because they recognize that a safe is a wise investment given the drug addicted whinners the last few generations have produced..

The former also uses terminology like LOL when reading stuff like your rant.

 

[Owen Sparks]

A safe is a wise investment against fire and theft IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH GUNS TO JUSTIFY THE EXPENSE. But I don't want the government to tell me that I have to buy one because of what some criminal might do. After all, isn't it the job of the police to make sure that nobody breaks into my house and steals my guns?

 

[blakeci]

You need better friends.

There are two types of gun owners.
Those who read all the magazines, peruse the internet, get dressed up in the latest tac gear for a trip to the range, think mag pul is better than women, dry fire in front of the mirror, try and impress their friends with the latest info they learned on the net about an SKS and parade out their guns to who ever will sit still long enough to listen.

Those who use their guns for the purpose of getting food, recognize it as a tool, never use the word tactical, don't throw lead down the range just to hear the gun go boom and don't have to practice 3 times a week because they hit what they aim at every year they go hunting or the rare occasion they visit the range with a new purchase.

The former worries about social stigma and probably has face book, twitter and a host of other social media accounts.

The later will tell an anti gun person to kiss their a@@ if you don't like guns and uses a safe because they recognize that a safe is a wise investment given the drug addicted whinners the last few generations have produced..

I beg to differ, there are a large number of gun owners that don't fit into those two narrow classifications.
I for one,
do not hunt,
do not see guns as merely tools, but as mechanical and historical marvels to savor
don't care for tactical, or polymer
don't give a damn about "impressing" my friends
Go to the range 2 or 3 times a month just to enjoy my firearms,
I do play Call of Duty religiously
I don't engage in "tactical" training,
I am not preparing for some mythical SHTF senario, while at the same time I don't have any problem with people having as many 30 round mags, ammo, and Ak's or AR's as they can fit in their house.
I have a Curio and Relic federal license
I am a collector of the odd, old, or unusual firearms, especially pre-war .32autos

I'm only 26, married, own my own home, and have a child on the way. Not exactly one of those two categories? There are more to gun owners than either being a Mall ninja, or a Fudd.

 

[DAP90]

After all, isn't it the job of the police to make sure that nobody breaks into my house and steals my guns?

No, not really. We’d need a lot more police in that case. Personally I’ll pass on the more police option and take responsibility for my own house.

 

[W.E.G.]

I pretty much judge anybody who doesn't own at least one gun as being socially stigmatized.

I immediately want nothing to do with those sorts.

Poverty is the only reasonable justification,... and then only if the person has a plan for prompt rectification of their social shortcoming.

 

[jackpinesavages]

Well, I tell ya, I just basically lost what I thought was a good friend because his wife hates guns. I mean she wants little-to-nothing to do with firearm people. Period, and she extended that BS control mongering crap to my friend and his associations with guys. I know, you're probably thinkin; "Well he wasn't much of a friend to start with then." He's pretty much screwed in the middle of all her crap, after they started having kids. He is literally lucky to still have a motorcycle-those are unsafe too you know.

So, it's a bad spot to be in, losing a friend over a single issue (guns) which could have been avoided had he given her the boot about 12 months ago!

 

[hq]

So, it's a bad spot to be in, losing a friend over a single issue (guns) which could have been avoided had he given her the boot about 12 months ago!

Virtually all of my friends hunt and/or shoot, many also collect guns. Anti-gun girlfriends seldom stick around for long and those who do, convert. It's the same thing as with gundogs, getting one from a hunting line breed is always a good idea.

Strange thing I've noticed is that the better they're educated, the more willing they are to try new things including hunting and target shooting. There are quite a few PhD:s, MD:s, DSc:s etc. among my friends' wives who currently shoot and hunt but didn't (yet) when they met their future spouses. My wife's one of them. It may have something to do with ability to think rationally instead of holding on to strong but unfounded beliefs.

 

[ChCx2744]

Sorry for the necrothreadia, but I believe that more needs to be discussed on this issue. The topic relating to the social stigma related to gun ownership and the generalization of people with little experience around guns is a touchy subject, especially nowadays. I would really like for more people to chime in and offer their opinions and experiences on how they would handle situations where our lifestyle choices would come into questioning.

I guess my take on it goes a little something like this: I think that there is most definitely some sort of social stigma related to guns in general. Now just to let it be known, the demographics in conjunction with the geographical location of where we live has a big part to do with how people act in terms of guns and related things. I live in the south, but close to a fairly urban, liberal area; you'd be surprised at how liberally-minded and anti-gun people are around here. With all the "evil-ization" the media and press portrays with gun-related anything, I believe it is a grave injustice done to those of us who embrace the freedom offered by legal ownership protected under the 2nd Amendment. Many of my friends are not gun owners nor have they had much experience around guns, let alone shoot them. I've been the target of many jokes, anything from being compared to the Virginia Tech shooter (Which really strikes a nerve) to a terrorist. They claim they are joking, but I know they make the same remarks behind my back when I'm not around, which has actually made me become more distant from those who say such things. There are many people out there who, just by the aspect of owning a gun alone, believe that us gun owners are a different class of human being that is almost looked down upon.

I'm not a person who openly brings up the topic of guns or shooting, but if someone else brings it up, I'll have an intelligent discussion about it. I've had pretty negative reactions from people that "think" they are my friends, but I don't really see them as such anymore because of such conflicting views. I've lived long enough to harden my opinions and views, therefore I'm not going to change who I am and what I believe in, just to fit in with a crowd or try to be liked by a certain group of people. At the same time, it's pointless to try and explain your take on it and convert them. From experience, it's better to live and let live, rather than waste your breathe trying to preach to the ignorant. I've tried the whole justification and Constitutional right thing and they sit there and retaliate with non-sense, literal, non-sense that they "hear on TV" or some crap. These people are useless bumps on a log if you ask me. I'd rather associate myself with a chosen few, than to purposely fake who I am in order to try and be liked by everyone. Those kinds of people are what I refer to as tools.

Anyways...Some very interesting things I've read so far. Let's keep them coming.

 

[AirForceShooter]

When I lived and worked in NYC I never told anyone I had even a single gun.

When I arrived in florida I didn't care who knew.

AFS

 

[Resist Evil]

I have had the privilege of being laid off from my job because of my First and Second Amendment rights being exercised. My termination had nothing to do with my job performance.

Liberals have taken food from my family's table on the basis of my ownership and use of firearms.

 

[valnar]

For centuries, some of the most traded and valuable commodities have been gold, silver, jewels...and arms. It's no different today. You need to lock them up like any other valuable.

That's pretty much my reason for not talking about it much, unless the subject comes up. And even then, I lie about how many guns I have (Oh...I just have a few that I shoot. 'Nuthin fancy).

 

[19&41]

In response to post #132, that offers a thoughtful appraisal of what most firearm owners in urban areas face, I have to agree that there are always those who find firearms repellent, or those who feel that firearms should be made illegal, (yet would keep the firearm they own in spite of this) I have long since given up trying to derive some logic from such rote beliefs. Most of the people I work with are such people, but we work together and have been friendly towards one another for a long while now. it comes up from time to time that I own firearms and now they know me enough to consider that I have no evil motive behind my firearm ownership. Some even ask about some of the firearms laws they see brought up in the slam pieces they see in the papers and TV. I cultivate my friendships with those who share my interests, and stay open to those who don't. And ignore those that won't. Live the life and enjoy it, you have the right. Remember that.

 

[Wanderling]

I live in a middle class suburb of a large metropolitan area. All kinds of people. I know quite a few people who don't like guns. Most of them appear perfectly content with me owning one. The vast majority of them either have no use for guns / are uncomfortable around them, or are afraid to keep guns in the house with kids. There's probably just one girl I know who's very anti as a matter of principle. She has many weird ideas and is not generally taken seriously by the rest of our friends. And politically, the circle of people I interact with are all over the map, from flaming liberals to staunch conservatives and everything in between.

That said, I don't want to advertise having guns. I don't want my house broken into.

 

[Skribs]

The vast majority of them either have no use for guns

Protection of oneself is a use for guns that everyone shares.

I don't know why there's this stigma, and it is part of why I'm looking at OC soon (but I figure starting to OC is like your first time wearing a Speedo, so I'm a bit nervous still). I realized that I don't care what random strangers think, but what would the people who I know think? i.e. I used to work at Albertson's, so I am very well acquainted with most of the employees there. I didn't carry then, and didn't talk about guns much at work there, so what will they think when I start OCing?

Just what I've been thinking about lately regarding this. I wish we lived in a time where gun ownership wasn't something a lot of people are almost embarassed about.

 

[Wanderling]

Protection of oneself is a use for guns that everyone shares.

I don't know why there's this stigma, and it is part of why I'm looking at OC soon (but I figure starting to OC is like your first time wearing a Speedo, so I'm a bit nervous still). I realized that I don't care what random strangers think, but what would the people who I know think? i.e. I used to work at Albertson's, so I am very well acquainted with most of the employees there. I didn't carry then, and didn't talk about guns much at work there, so what will they think when I start OCing?

Just what I've been thinking about lately regarding this. I wish we lived in a time where gun ownership wasn't something a lot of people are almost embarassed about.

When I say they "have no use" I mean they don't see themselves ever owning a gun. Not that there's no use for the guns.

"Stigma" - well, if one wants to avoid being stigmatized, one needs to avoid ideologically driven idiot zealots regardless of their political beliefs. A die hard extreme Republican / conservative is just as bad as a die hard extreme Democrat / liberal. Or libertarian. Same arrogant uncompromising hostile mindset, just different set of beliefs.

 

[gym]

I really give it no importance whatsoever to people whose opinion I don't value on anything else,why would I value the way they think about how I live my life.Compared to most of them I am an bad guy or a person who intends seek trouble, just because I carry, It only becomes an issue if you allow it to, and if you tell them. The defensive end of a point is always a bad choice. My advice is to not engage groups of people who feel that you are in the wrong by having guns, When they say they have no use for them, instead of pointing out the millions of innocent people slaughtered in past years, just agree with them.
I have protected the lives of people who thought like that, and only then did they understand why you carry a gun
Tell them that their moral high ground will surelly save them if and when forces beyond their control come calling.you can never or almost never make a rational point when a group is in agreement that you are wrong and they are right. They feed off of each others energy. You will only get frustrated, my advice is to avoid it at and save it for another time.

 

[Neverwinter]

I really give it no importance whatsoever to people whose opinion I don't value on anything else,why would I value the way they think about how I live my life.Compared to most of them I am an bad guy or a person who intends seek trouble, just because I carry, It only becomes an issue if you allow it to, and if you tell them. The defensive end of a point is always a bad choice. My advice is to not engage groups of people who feel that you are in the wrong by having guns,

It only makes sense to engage them in a situation where there may be others that might be swayed by their misinformation. As long as I can catch then on their inconsistencies or demonstrate the consequences of their position as undesirable to observers, I can walk away satisfied.

Sent using Tapatalk 2

 

[JohnM]

Just can't imagine living someplace where there could be a "stigma" attached to gun ownership.

 

[Beaux Nehr]

I have been seeing a few threads pop up as of late, in which there is a discussion about how to avoid others knowing one has guns. This ranges from sanitizing reloading benches, to hiding away even gun safes and of course the guns when anyone not living in the house comes in.

While I see reason for this practice of someone for instance has a very large collection of very expensive firearms, I do have to wonder as to why this notion is about.

Maybe I am utterly naive here, but if I had thirty or so collectable BEretta shotguns by virtue of that I'd have the money to put them in a very secure display case, right? And then I could show them.
Controversially right now I am rather poor (that's an overstatement, but I am by no means rich) and own a couple handguns I have accumulated ... and I keep them in various places in the house and of course a small safe.

My apartment is crammed with reloading supplies, a workbench and firearms and I have *never* gotten this negative response so many here want to avoid.

What I am driving at is this notion that gun ownership must be kept super-squirrel secret, as if one should be shamed of it, or at least could get a lot fo negative feedback.

I live in a very, very liberal town surrounded by college students and other like-minded people and not once has my gun ownership gotten a negative response. As a matter of fact, me carrying rather large guns underneath a loose shirt in the wind has never even provoked the bat of an eye.

I am wondering where this culture of (dare I say?) paranoia is coming from. I can understand it in NYC, Detroit and the like, but the average run of the mill gun owner at least in my experience on both the east and west coast really has no reason to live in secrecy. As a matter of fact more than once have I been approached with questions regarding laws, firearms and the shooting sport, even self defense! And never once was this negatively.

So where is this borderline anti-social and secretive culture coming from? any thoughts on this? Because I am legitimately perplexed.

Much of the problem lies in the individual.

If a left-leaning individual who is terrified of guns encounters a loud, obnoxious supporter of the RKBA who is wearing "I vote frum teh rooftops" shirt with a stained NRA baseball cap, then I think they're more likely to buy into stereotypes and attach stigma.

However, if they encounter a well-spoken, clean, and intelligent individual who they later learn owns guns then they'll have a hard time applying those same stereotypes.

I've had this effect on more than one individual; they went from hating guns, to going shooting with me.

 

[kimberkid]

You don't have kids in school then do you?

Its not just about your kid either ... kids have friends over and kids talk.

We live in a fairly conservative town but even then I don't want to be thought of as a "gun nut" ... whether I am or not for that reason I have my own room for my safe, storage, reloading and such, which I keep secured when there are slumber parties and what-not.

 

[JohnM]

I don't, but this is gun country.
I only know of one house in the whole valley without at least 1 and generally many more firearms.
I'll stay here and let others put up with it.

 

[Texan Scott]

Anti-gun stigma in rural Texas? Well, there's a social stigma associated with BEING anti-gun... (Imagine 'King of the Hill's' Boomhauer mumbling something ending in "danged ol' hippies!").
Still, I don't ADVERTISE the fact. My friends know. Nobody I don't consider a friend has "NEED TO KNOW". They can assume I own guns... here they probably OUGHT to assume I have a gun in the house. But I'm not offering any details, or confirmation/ denial. It's none of their business. (Gol dur numeen annyfaram jhis sehr oihh, NO SIR, woihz immer cludda DANG'D OL' HIPPIES!)

 

[Wanderling]

You don't have kids in school then do you?

Its not just about your kid either ... kids have friends over and kids talk.

We live in a fairly conservative town but even then I don't want to be thought of as a "gun nut" ... whether I am or not for that reason I have my own room for my safe, storage, reloading and such, which I keep secured when there are slumber parties and what-not.

It's not about being a "gun nut".

One reason people may have for not wanting any guns in their house which I completely understand is kids.

You can't simply say "Hey if your kids got hold of the weapon it's your fault, you need to exercise proper caution". Yes it's a true statement. It also has zero value. Accidents and screw ups do happen and assigning blame post-factum is pointless and doesn't change the outcome.

You can't also say "if you teach your kids how to handle guns they will be safer around them". Again, this is only partially true. Yes they will know how to operate guns in a safe manner. Still, kids are unpredictable, even the best, most well taught and behaved ones can have a temporary lapse of judgement. (Even adults can ). Especially if they have friends over and want to brag.

All one can do is weigh the chances, probabilities, your ability to keep things safe and locked up, your kids' past history of behaving rationally (which will change once the hormones kick in) etc. But that's the decision every family needs to make for themselves. So if someone doesn't want guns in the house because they're concerned that their kids could get hold of them, I fully understand.

As to keeping your guns secure - you don't do it so that people didn't call you a "gun nut". You do it so that nobody gets hurt. Kids in the house ==== no easy access to guns.

Just can't imagine living someplace where there could be a "stigma" attached to gun ownership.

Try San Francisco I guess I am fairly liberal compared to the typical THR crowd (I prefer to call myself a moderate) but SF was way too much for me. Makes Ann Arbor look like some Bible Belt town by comparison.

 

[Skribs]

Accidents and screw ups do happen and assigning blame post-factum is pointless and doesn't change the outcome.

I've never agreed with this. I don't believe you should try and guilt-trip the people at fault, but accidents or attacks are always a learning experience. We constantly talk all the time in this forum, when someone says "this is the situation I was in", what could have been done differently to prevent that situation. What this does is show how NEXT time someone can do something different to prevent another tragedy.

You can't also say "if you teach your kids how to handle guns they will be safer around them". Again, this is only partially true. Yes they will know how to operate guns in a safe manner. Still, kids are unpredictable, even the best, most well taught and behaved ones can have a temporary lapse of judgement. (Even adults can ). Especially if they have friends over and want to brag.

This is true. However, while a lot of people choose not to have guns because of kids, think about it this way - if someone breaks in, wouldn't you want the best tool available to defend your kids? I know I would.

As to keeping your guns secure - you don't do it so that people didn't call you a "gun nut". You do it so that nobody gets hurt. Kids in the house ==== no easy access to guns.

Yes and no. It's also to prevent theft. However, a lot of people CCW to prevent being known as a gun owner for fear someone will break in and use their gun against them in their sleep. Personally, I know everyone has kitchen knives, and those would be just as easy to use on a sleeping person, so I'm not worried if people know I have guns.

 

[Wanderling]

I've never agreed with this. I don't believe you should try and guilt-trip the people at fault, but accidents or attacks are always a learning experience. We constantly talk all the time in this forum, when someone says "this is the situation I was in", what could have been done differently to prevent that situation. What this does is show how NEXT time someone can do something different to prevent another tragedy.

This is all true. What I was talking about is the people who dismiss concerns others have about having guns in the house with kids by saying, basically, that if you do everything right there's nothing to worry about, and if you don't then it's "your fault, not the gun's". I am sure you met such attitude in person or online. This does nothing to address the main underlying concern - that your having a firearm in the house with kids is going to create a potential hazard. This is something only the family in question can decide.

This is true. However, while a lot of people choose not to have guns because of kids, think about it this way - if someone breaks in, wouldn't you want the best tool available to defend your kids? I know I would.

Again, this is all dependent on particular factors for a particular family, I don't think there's a cut and dry answer.

I am merely saying not all fears of having guns in the house are unfounded, certainly not when there are kids involved. Definitely not fair to label these people as "antis" or "misinformed".

Yes and no. It's also to prevent theft. However, a lot of people CCW to prevent being known as a gun owner for fear someone will break in and use their gun against them in their sleep. Personally, I know everyone has kitchen knives, and those would be just as easy to use on a sleeping person, so I'm not worried if people know I have guns.