First, I wasn't sure if this should go in the general forum or the politics forum. Since it was a 1 on 1 conversation I put it here. Sorry if it is a little long.
I went out last night with some friends and met one girl's new boyfriend. We both went to the same college so we were chatting about that, one thing leads to another and he asked me about the upcoming election. I pretty much said that both parties were going to strip away all our rights, blah blah blah, but I was going to end up voting whoever was more 2A even though both parties have done a bit of damage to our rights.
I think a light bulb went off for him when I said that. He pressed the issue a little, and at first I didn't want to talk about it seeing that I just met him, and I tend to get a little worked up about things but I did start talking. It turns out that in a business class he took (some sort of sociology class I believe, sounded interesting but no time for me to start taking classes again) he had to debate "Gun control reduces crime."
We got to talking about it, and he said that he didn't particularly like guns and he was on the affirmative, yes gun control works for the debate. He did all his research with his group and found out that gun control doesn't work. So he went on talking about how he was completely screwed because every bit of data that he found was against him. Obviously when you take a class, and a debate is the main part of your grade you want to win, so he did the obvious thing, and I predicted what he was going to do. He used emotion to sway the crowd. The other team must not have been very good because they didn't see that tactic coming and lost.
This guy was real bright, he knew that the facts were against him and he knew that the only way to win was to change the argument to a "pro-gun, anti-gun" stance. This is precisely what the anti-gunners are using and if we don't anticipate this tactic we are surely doomed.
A little later he said that he would like to fire a gun, just once, to see what it was like. That was when the light bulb went off in my head. I invited to take him out shooting on my property. I have found the best way to get someone interested is to shoot at clay targets since they shatter and the ever popular tin can.
I find that it always works well to introduce anti-gun non-shooters to cowboy style guns since it removes any emotion and allows them to accept them as tools. I figure I will start him out on the .22 Lever action. Marlin that my grandpa bought sometime in the 30's. Everyone loves a lever action. Unfortunately the next level up that I currently own is a .45 Colt/.45 ACP and I don't know if I should let him shoot that, it could be enough to turn him off from shooting but if he asks to I will let him try. Even if he doesn't shoot it, I am going to bring it and shoot it myself and at least let him see that handguns don't just go out and gun down nuns and babies.
I went out last night with some friends and met one girl's new boyfriend. We both went to the same college so we were chatting about that, one thing leads to another and he asked me about the upcoming election. I pretty much said that both parties were going to strip away all our rights, blah blah blah, but I was going to end up voting whoever was more 2A even though both parties have done a bit of damage to our rights.
I think a light bulb went off for him when I said that. He pressed the issue a little, and at first I didn't want to talk about it seeing that I just met him, and I tend to get a little worked up about things but I did start talking. It turns out that in a business class he took (some sort of sociology class I believe, sounded interesting but no time for me to start taking classes again) he had to debate "Gun control reduces crime."
We got to talking about it, and he said that he didn't particularly like guns and he was on the affirmative, yes gun control works for the debate. He did all his research with his group and found out that gun control doesn't work. So he went on talking about how he was completely screwed because every bit of data that he found was against him. Obviously when you take a class, and a debate is the main part of your grade you want to win, so he did the obvious thing, and I predicted what he was going to do. He used emotion to sway the crowd. The other team must not have been very good because they didn't see that tactic coming and lost.
This guy was real bright, he knew that the facts were against him and he knew that the only way to win was to change the argument to a "pro-gun, anti-gun" stance. This is precisely what the anti-gunners are using and if we don't anticipate this tactic we are surely doomed.
A little later he said that he would like to fire a gun, just once, to see what it was like. That was when the light bulb went off in my head. I invited to take him out shooting on my property. I have found the best way to get someone interested is to shoot at clay targets since they shatter and the ever popular tin can.
I find that it always works well to introduce anti-gun non-shooters to cowboy style guns since it removes any emotion and allows them to accept them as tools. I figure I will start him out on the .22 Lever action. Marlin that my grandpa bought sometime in the 30's. Everyone loves a lever action. Unfortunately the next level up that I currently own is a .45 Colt/.45 ACP and I don't know if I should let him shoot that, it could be enough to turn him off from shooting but if he asks to I will let him try. Even if he doesn't shoot it, I am going to bring it and shoot it myself and at least let him see that handguns don't just go out and gun down nuns and babies.
