Firearm RETIREMENT? 😱

[Anonymous]

• What are your thoughts on OLD folks giving up their firearms?
• If not too personal (no pressure to share with us 😉 do you own a firearm?
• If yes, why? (again no pressure to share 🙂

[DeahWA]

Brave questions, @Anonymous  😄

The only "gun" I have is a toy six shooter that I got years ago when some creep was stalking my condo, peeping in my dining room window, and freaking me out. I figured from a distance it might not be noticed that the gun was a fake. 

Despite that incident, and while home invasion crimes are not unknown in my metro area, I don't feel unsafe or under threat enough to own a gun.

As to the broader question, I think it's a complex issue. Personally I would like for anyone who doesn't have the physical ability to safely handle and discharge a gun to not have one. If a pistol is too heavy to hold steady, if hands shake thus preventing accurate aim, if eye/hand coordination is impaired by neurological or muscular problems, trying to use a gun is dangerous to self and others.

I would like for anyone who doesn't have the mental capacity for sound reasoning, good judgment, and acceptance of consequences to not have a gun. If one can't distinguish between mere intimidation versus real potential of harm, if one is chronically prone to blame the victim for one's own actions, if one can't de-escalate a situation without getting violent, then having a gun is dangerous.

I would like for anyone who doesn't have control of their fear, anger, and hatred responses to not have a gun. Way too many people use gun violence to make themselves feel powerful, and to resolve emotional tension within themselves. This is dangerous to society in general and a lethal threat to anyone who happens to get into conflict with an unstable gun owner.

Some of these people might be elderly. Many of them are young and everywhere in between.  

[Anonymous]

Hi @DeahWA my concern would be someone OVERPOWERING me and using the gun on me 😱

[DeahWA]

Yes, quite possible for the elderly. Good point @Anonymous 

[ninaTx]

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@Anonymous wrote:

• What are your thoughts on OLD folks giving up their firearms?
• If not too personal (no pressure to share with us 😉 do you own a firearm?
• If yes, why? (again no pressure to share 🙂

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I agree with @Anonymous that people should give up firearms when they become a danger to them and others.  Our recently deceased neighbor gave up her car when she was about 92, she gave up the gun she kept in her nightstand when she was about 95. Her mind was sharp and I think she was right about the timing of her decisions. 

Yes I own a firearm. I was rabidly anti-gun until later in life. Then I went to a lodge that had skeet shooting and ... it was fun. It was suddenly a sport.  But I still didn't own a gun until we moved out into the boonies where we have feral hogs who can destroy a lawn over night and where even if the sheriff is sitting around with nothing to do, it would take them 15-20 minutes to get to our house.  

I couldn't hit a hog at any distance, and my gun's bullets are too small to do much harm unless the hog was nearby. But twice we've seen them coming out of the woods behind the field behind ours. Twice I shot a little ahead of them. Twice, they ran back into the woods. Once they didn't reappear for a few months, after the second time - so far they've not been back and it's been 2 years.  I am very happy to not see hogs anywhere near us. 

I would be afraid to shoot if someone nefarious appeared to come near our house, but if they didn't leave when asked I would do what I did with the hogs and try to shoot near but not at them. I would happily sacrifice a window and shoot through it. 

But mostly I shoot at the targets we have in our field. And this year we put pumpkin seeds in a berm we created with soil dug up during construction.  It's where the further away targets are.

In October I have friends coming over and we'll play "shoot the pumpkin." Although I'm afraid with all the rain we've had - the seeds got washed down to the base of the berm - but we can still shoot at them. I forgot to put them out in 2019, and last year we cancelled, so some of my friends have been waiting for 2 years to shoot at pumpkins. They think the pumpkins are going to explode - but I don't think so. I think they will just get holes in them. But we could try to make jack-o-lanterns out of them

[wilful]

Hi @ninaTx - 

If you like bacon, ham or porkchops - you may consider harvesting one of those pigs.  

[Anonymous]

Lol @wilful 🤣😂 I just now figured out what PIGS you posted about = senior moment 🙄 Oh, YES, the ones @ninaTx SCARES away!!! Thanks for the GIGGLE!!!

[Anonymous]

Hi @ninaTx thank you SO MUCH for stopping by to join our discussion 🙂 🙂 🙂 Lol, I need to attend your PUMPKIN event!!! Luv the idea.

[Anonymous]

• Yes I feel they need to give up their firearms if and when they become a DANGER to themselves and others.
• NOPE, never owned a firearm. Lol, was probably a good thing at my LAST job I didnot. As I AGE, I have less tolerance for bullying in any form 😉