Monkeyleg
Member.
This is so weird, but I'll try to give background as briefly as possible.
Wed in 1953, husband a WWII vet, MIL never wanted any kind of gun in the house. FIL died in August. Neighborhood is pretty much as dangerous as they come, and MIL has been threatened by teen gangs. MIL is also, obviously, dealing with emotions.
My wife came home tonight and said, "my mom wants to talk to you about getting a gun. Not a big gun, just a gun for her purse, because she's scared."
My head was spinning. Both my wife and my mother-in-law have always said that they would rather die than kill someone else in self defense.
Now, my MIL apparently feels the need for self defense. Can't say I blame her: I don't go to that house without being armed, ever.
Here's my outline, and please feel free to criticize:
1. Have lunch with MIL. Ask about her fears, then home in on whether or not she thinks she could actually kill someone if it came to that. If she's not willing to do so, anything else is a waste of time or, worse, an invitation for her to freeze up and have something even worse happen.
2. If she indicates that she's thought through the moral ramifications of killing in self defense, explain the legal ramifications.
3. If she's ok with that, explain the Four Rules, the reasoning behind them, and every other bit of gun knowledge I can remember.
4. Take her to my favorite shop, where the sales guys will spend as much time as she needs to show her all the different makes, models and styles of handguns.
5. Have her rent a couple or more guns, and get her out on the range when there's nobody else to distract her.
6. If I'm not the best instructor for her, find a well-qualified female instructor.
7. If she's still willing to go ahead, convince her that purse carry may not be the best idea (my MIL and my wife will often change purses two or more times in a single day).
8. Hope that the cops never frisk my 68 year-old MIL. Sometimes you just have to say, "the law is crazy."
Wed in 1953, husband a WWII vet, MIL never wanted any kind of gun in the house. FIL died in August. Neighborhood is pretty much as dangerous as they come, and MIL has been threatened by teen gangs. MIL is also, obviously, dealing with emotions.
My wife came home tonight and said, "my mom wants to talk to you about getting a gun. Not a big gun, just a gun for her purse, because she's scared."
My head was spinning. Both my wife and my mother-in-law have always said that they would rather die than kill someone else in self defense.
Now, my MIL apparently feels the need for self defense. Can't say I blame her: I don't go to that house without being armed, ever.
Here's my outline, and please feel free to criticize:
1. Have lunch with MIL. Ask about her fears, then home in on whether or not she thinks she could actually kill someone if it came to that. If she's not willing to do so, anything else is a waste of time or, worse, an invitation for her to freeze up and have something even worse happen.
2. If she indicates that she's thought through the moral ramifications of killing in self defense, explain the legal ramifications.
3. If she's ok with that, explain the Four Rules, the reasoning behind them, and every other bit of gun knowledge I can remember.
4. Take her to my favorite shop, where the sales guys will spend as much time as she needs to show her all the different makes, models and styles of handguns.
5. Have her rent a couple or more guns, and get her out on the range when there's nobody else to distract her.
6. If I'm not the best instructor for her, find a well-qualified female instructor.
7. If she's still willing to go ahead, convince her that purse carry may not be the best idea (my MIL and my wife will often change purses two or more times in a single day).
8. Hope that the cops never frisk my 68 year-old MIL. Sometimes you just have to say, "the law is crazy."