This was an interesting thread and one which affects us all. I think it boils down to the fact that there is a minority of people who simply do not like shooting, hunting, firearms, skeet, trap, or anything whatsoever to do with the shooting sports or shooting in any form. These people have the ear of many politicians who will pass, "feel good", laws knowing they will not do one thing to stop crime, help wildlife or make us any safer. But no matter how much we speak volumes of reason, scientific proof and common sense our voices are not heard. In some areas like California and Illinois losing our rights will be a little faster than in Colorado, Montana or Maine. The pressure is still there though to take away our rights in little increments. Today a win in California. Tomorrow a small win in New Hampshire. You all have the picture I am trying to paint. I am 66 years old now. I can well remember when my brother and I used to take shotguns and .22 rifles on the school bus to go hunting on another farm when we were in high school. I know many of you did the same thing. Try to do that today. Our teachers, knowing we had a pretty good collection of guns asked us to bring in firearms to show the class. Our History teacher, a Marine veteran of Okinawa told his classes that if the S--t hit the fan to contact the Nix brothers as we would provide them with guns. He would most likely be fired today.
Years ago I was a deputy sheriff in Southern California. After being dispatched to take a burglary report from an older woman I drove to her house. I knocked on the door and she yelled for me to enter. After I was inside she noticed I was carrying a firearm as law enforcement officers do. She asked me to remove it and put it back in the vehicle. I told her I would not and could not do that. She became frightened and said she could not give me the report then as firearms scared her. I did my best to explain that it was holstered and would not come out unless I took it out. It could not possibly hurt her. She was unfazed by common sense. Finally I left with a very cursory report and no evidence to solve the crime as she was too frightened to continue. This is the type of citizen we have around us today. Thanks for listening.
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