Last week at a community meeting, I represented the Guardian Angels Baltimore contingent; the violence, poverty, and firearms issues didn’t get much play and as such I pretty much served as another spectator. But the meeting got more interesting when I recognized a woman who was heading for the door. Why was that face familiar? Ah yes! It was the former director of a prominent Maryland anti-gun organization. We had a cordial conversation, during which she requested I not use her name. I’ll call her Becky for the sake of this post.
Becky had served as spokesperson and head honcho for a well known Maryland area anti-RKBA lobby for about six months; I won’t name the group here, but if you read PGP regularly at all, you probably know the group I’m speaking of. She’d left to do something pretty noble (she’s working for a community legal center, for which I commend Becky). She recognized me once I took the red beret off, and laughed and said to people standing nearby that I was one of the people who ripped her arguments apart in front of the MD state legislature; hey, at least she has a sense of humor about it, eh? The conversation was friendly and not really about the gun issue at all, but Becky did say something that just made my day. She remarked that while she still didn’t see why you “need an assault weapon” (I don’t…I don’t “need” a big screen TV, a boat, a 7500lb diesel truck, a trip to Florence and Venice, or a timeshare in the Caribbean either), she also admitted that living in Baltimore had made her realize why people would want to have a gun for self defense, and that in fact she’d been considering looking into buying something for her home. Rather than beat her up about “need” having nothing to do with my right to own a rifle that looks scary, I seized on the opportunity to work with someone who had–to some very small extent–seen the light. Yes, that’s right! A former disciple of Sarah Brady, someone who’d campaigned against concealed carry rights, against the ownership of semiauto rifles, someone who’d campaigned for more boondoggled dollars to support MD’s useless, fruitless ballistic fingerprinting scheme, someone who’d rubbed elbows with Paul Helmke and Peter Hamm and Sarah Brady, someone who really thought we’d all be safer if we disarmed the law abiding to make easier victims of us all…wanted to buy a gun for self defense? The look on my face was probably priceless.
I told Becky that my brother and I were planning a trip to the range the following week, and that she should come with us. She seemed legitimately impressed with the offer and interested in learning about firearms. Instantly she recognized just how significant a former gun control advocate’s purchase of a self defense firearm might be, and made me promise not to use her name “against the cause.”
Fair enough, Becky, your secret is safe with me for now. But really, her identity isn’t all that important. What is notable is the realization Becky made: once the anti-gun hysterics and rhetoric is stripped away and once the cameras are turned off, even avowed hoplophobes realize that the only person truly and ultimately responsible for the defense of YOUR life and liberty is YOU.
If Becky does take me up on the offer to visit the range, I’ll post a full report. In any event, it should prove pretty interesting to take a pilgrim to the evil, scary, unholy land of cordite and flying objects, dontcha think?
Good luck. As a former anti, who’s now a rabid RKBA type, someone like you was all it took to convert me.
If every gun owner took the time to do this just once, imagine the effect it could have?
Comment by Leo — August 8, 2007 @ 10:47 am
I would hope she (assuming it is a “she”) would eventually come out and say “Look, I was wrong, now that I understand, and here’s a more educated position”. No need to hurt anyone, just be honest.
Comment by Matt — August 8, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
There are two things that seem to be at play here. One is like what you said - at some point you realize that in the seconds between life and death, the cops are only minutes away. And this can have a very sobering effect.
The other thing I see all the time is when someone who thinks of gun owners as knuckle dragging Neanderthals actually meets some gun owners, their preconceptions are shattered and they realize we’re just like anyone else.
So far, I’ve seen plenty of people hit the range and change their mind. I’ve read a few who weren’t going to change their mind regardless. But I’ve never seen anyone go shooting and become more anti-gun.
Gotta wonder why that is?
Comment by Robb Allen — August 8, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
There’s still the chance that she’s an elitist despite an interest in owning a gun, but you can usually tell the ones that are coming around.
Comment by Tim James — August 8, 2007 @ 3:08 pm
Would it be inappropriate for your readers to try to guess the person’s name? Does it rhyme with Bail Bunn?
If the answer to the first question is “yes,” consider the second rhetorical.
Comment by Nick — August 8, 2007 @ 3:49 pm
[…] The other Sebastian shows it is possible to win people over to your side, if you have good arguments, and don’t go off the deep end. I hope all this works out well. If we’re converting the true believers, we’re truly making progress! […]
Pingback by Snowflakes in Hell » Blog Archive » Winning Converts — August 8, 2007 @ 4:09 pm
Sure you can guess, and I’ll neither confirm nor deny. But pretty sure “Becky’s” name doesn’t rhyme with Bunn.
Comment by Administrator — August 8, 2007 @ 4:23 pm
If you have a Paypal account, tell “Becky” that I’ll treat the ammo.
Comment by thirdpower — August 8, 2007 @ 5:43 pm
Ha! You’re on. I’ll see if I can get her to agree to go next time; she didn’t call back today, and I did sort of give her short notice…
I’ll try her later in the week.
Comment by Administrator — August 8, 2007 @ 7:17 pm
Good on ya! and her too. It takes some amount of intelligence to consider realigning a stance once taken out of emotion for the sole sake of reason.
Comment by straightarrow — August 8, 2007 @ 11:32 pm
Heck, I’ll throw in some money to donate to the GUN purchase if it means that someone comes around and sees the light.
This is just like the politician from Ohio who was against CCW but becames a believer after being mugged.
Comment by Norton — August 9, 2007 @ 5:53 am
Good post, I wish more people would see the light.
Comment by Sean — August 9, 2007 @ 7:17 am
[…] PGP is taking an anti-gunner shooting. I’ve offered a few times to take some antis. They typically decline. I’m surprised (and glad) this person agreed. […]
Pingback by SayUncle » Take an anti shooting — August 9, 2007 @ 7:36 am
I am not in an anti-gun state. But at the range I see how the medias daily anti gun-pounding takes its toll, even with gun owners.
I own two Colt AR-15’s in 7.62×39. Often at the range people will look at me taking the evil black guns out of the bag. After the shooting starts some will come down and ask about the weapon. Others that I can tell are interest I need to strike up a conversation with first. In the end both get a quick drill on the operation of the gun, showing how to load the magazine, charge the weapon, and how to hold/fire.
I then hand them the weapon and a couple of full 30-mags. Normally they say, “No, no, I couldn’t.” But I insists and the shoot away. When they are done I could not beat the grin off their faces. And nine times out of ten the next sentence out of their mouth is, “I have to get one of these.”
I am also a State Certified Handgun Instructor and donate my time at a local range. When I go, I will often spend much more time helping people learn to shoot better than shooting myself. Wait, that didn’t come out right…
Seb did an awesome thing, and I see some other people’s comments about donating to Seb’s cause with offers of ammo and such. But do not discount that you can be a huge help by doing things like I did. I purposely go to the public range just for this reason.
To me time and ammo is che*ap. But even if it wasn’t I would still do it. The benefit of doing this– for me, for us– far outweigh whatever costs I have to absorb.
/tg
*edited to avoid comment censor
Comment by Tim G. — August 9, 2007 @ 10:28 am
Well said Tim. BTW, I got my DP Tuner on the truck…love it so far. I think my tranny is already slipping
.
Full disclosure, “Becky” didn’t call back or write…maybe it was all talk on her part, but I’ll keep after her until I get her on the range. In reality, the key thing is that once away from the propaganda machine of the anti-gun group (whose initials are CM) she was a reasonable person who admitted a couple of major policy points for us. Hearing those words out of the mouth of a former arch enemy is reward enough.
Comment by Administrator — August 9, 2007 @ 8:49 pm