Guns.  *le sigh* I need to talk about guns.

You know I’m the daughter of a Korean War Vet, Granddaughter of a WW2 Vet, and sister of a Gulf War Vet and an ATF retiree, yeah?  My maternal granfather would shoot anything he found in the woods with zero f*cks given on whether or not it was in season and he was allowed to or what kind of fines he would get.  There is a bear rug in my grandmother’s house that is testament to the f*cks he did not give about killing something out of season.   My Dad kept a loaded rifle in the upstairs guest room for pretty much my entire childhood so he could “give those g*dd*mn groundhogs what they deserve”.  Did I mention we lived “IN TOWN”?  That did not stop him from shooting several critters and sending ME out to make sure he got them . I once walked into the cold room in the cellar and found a skinned deer hanging upside down next to–you guessed it–a loaded rifle. Guns were everywhere when I was growing up. I have never been afraid of guns because I was taught to respect them. I have a healthy fear of guns in that I know I’m not trained to use them, but I respect them.  Look at this dead animal, a gun did that.

My point is, I’m not opposed to guns.  Hell, I borrowed two of my father’s gun to use in our Senior Film in college, and it honestly never crossed my mind that might have been a terrible idea because 1) I had no bullets and 2) I respect guns.  I even “inherited” a revolver when my father passed away–it was a gun my mother had given him.   I kept it for a few years, but I never “learned” how to use it and eventually I pawned it because I knew I’d never really use it.  I respect guns, but I have a healthy amount of fear of them.

When I was growing up in NP,  we always had the Monday after Thanksgiving off.   Why?Because it was Buck Day and long ago the school district decided it was easier to have a holiday due the majority of the students that were of age would be up on the mountain hunting and skipping school.  And then two weeks later, you guessed it, we were off for Doe Day.   So when I say I grew up country, that’s what I mean.  I grew up country and I’m cool with guns.

I don’t think that it is unreasonable to ask that background checks get a little more strict.  I don’t think that it is unreasonable to raise the gun-purchasing age.  I think if bad people want guns they are going to find a way to get them, but let’s maybe make it a bit harder for them.   Perhaps this makes me a “liberal” snowflake, but the truth is that I don’t give a fuck about those labels.

Frankly, I’m more interested in making sure that gun owners are responsible.  The gun owners that I know are responsible.  As long as  folks who own and use guns are taking proper measures to secure their arms, I really DGAF about anything else.   Now that I’m a parent I am APPALLED how lax my family was when guns were concerned, but that falls into the “different generation” column.   Maybe it’s time that everyone drops the “generational” nonsense and just start being smart about having guns.  I think the gun laws should be adjusted to represent our society today.  I would like to stress that I’m not saying anyone should have their guns taken away.  Personally, I am really tired of getting lectured about the 2nd amendment any time the conversation turns to guns.  I get it–you love your guns.  Great! Go for it!  Just, let’s make it more challenging from now on for the dipshits and asshats to get their hands on guns.  If you have a clean record, you have nothing to worry about, so why are you SO angry?

**That is the end of the original post, but I had to add what happened yesterday after I finished writing this….I went down to the courtyard to smoke(yes, I’m still struggling) and in the middle of the courtyard–not next to anything–I found a gun casing.  Yes, I picked it up to check, and indeed that’s what it was.  I had been thinking about whether or not I was satisfied with what I had written, if I needed to branch it out a bit or leave it be.  I’m not sure if that shell was a sign I need to keep going, or let it be, but it sure is nice to get a little reminder like that that the universe has my back.