I Like my Guns.

I will forever be a conservative gun-loving redneck.

I'm willing to accept that stereotype.

It's not just because I shoot squirrels out of my bathroom window, cook em' up, and feed em' to my friends telling them it's chicken-all of those I am quite guilty of doing. But it's more because it is a part of our rights. The second amendment-right after freedom of speech, so obviously it's important if they have it as the second right? I don't even just want it because of my redneck-ish ways, and I don't just want guns for entertainment, though I do believe that is a fine thing to use them for, with exceptions.

Guns are important to many people to make them feel protected. Families may keep them under the bed, in a gun vault, in a closet, above the fireplace, under their pick-up truck seat, or even in the bathroom. (Only one of our nine guns is there, the rest are under my dad's bed I believe.) This is a violent world we live in, and many people just feel they have better means of protecting themselves with guns. I live in a very safe neighborhood as far as I know. It's not  low-income, the people all seem to get along, it's not in the city, nothing really bad has ever happened around here. Occasionally though, I get paranoid. I have no reason to, but when it's dark and I'm home alone my house tends to make noises I don't otherwise hear. There have been a few times where I've just felt extra freaked-out, and I've gone and grabbed a gun or knife and just set it near me. It makes me feel better, just in case some bizarre thing should happen. I'm sure people who live in the inner city feel even more that way. If I'm in places where there's crime, and very questionable people, and many people carry handguns, I often carry a knife. Just because it makes me feel like I could have a better chance of getting away if I was grabbed or something. A gun would be better, but I wouldn't really like carrying that around. (And I'm not 18.) I know some people who live in the country and get freaked out and paranoid like I do, (probably from watching too much Children of the Corn.) They are more secluded, so if something should happen they might not have neighbors to hear them scream like I hopefully do. If they were alone, they are the only ones who can protect themselves. 

Many people see hunting as wrong, and I kind of understand that. I cried after I shot my first squirrel. But when you get down to it, animals aren't people. We should worry about the safety of our fellow humans and their well-being first, and animals after that. I'm from Iowa. Lots of deer. Lots of cars hitting deer. There are too many deer in the city, though I do believe the overall population has gone down (finally) some in recent years. I've come very close to hitting deer. My boyfriend has hit 2 or 3 deer, and nearly hit tons. I know people who have totaled their cars hitting deer. Deer should not be causing the deaths or injuries of humans because of their overpopulation. There are even specific hunts to bring down the population. This over-population isn't healthy for deer, either. There are so many they can run down their habitats. Another thing they harm are our valuable crops. Us Iowans take pride in our corn and other agriculture, and the yields could be higher if deer didn't trample and eat it. There's also the issue of rabid and diseases animals that should just be shot so they don't spread it.

Shooting guns are fun, despite the sore arm I sometimes get after shooting my shotgun with a pretty powerful kick. I can't believe when my friends say they've never shot a gun. I got my first gun when I was seven! A red-rider bb gun, but it counts right? I'd set up pop-cans in my backyard and I was able to knock em' down with the first shot. I'd shoot off my grandmother's deck, just behind a squirrel. It scared them and they jumped off the tree and it was funny. I think me and squirrels have just never gotten along. In the fall my family often plays shotgun knockout. It's the same idea as basketball knockout, but you shoot bright orange clay pigeons instead of brownish-orange rubber balls. I of course beat my dad. (Ha!) It's just fun to shoot guns. I don't believe it's okay to shoot animals just for fun. Even if it's to help lower the population, I believe you should still use the resources the animal gives you. If you don't want them, someone else might. With deer, you can donate your meat to the Iowa DNR's "HUSH" effort. It stands for Help Us Stop Hunger and you just give them the deer and they gut it and give the meat to needy people, while lowering the population. Deer meat is pretty tasty too. I think my dad donates it to a different place, because he likes to keep the hide. Even the hides could be useful to someone else if you don't want it though, so you could donate that as well. 

Of course, there are the people who misuse guns, but I don't think the majority of people who use them correctly should be punished for others' wrong-doings. Whenever I hear the terms "gun-control" "gun-laws" there is usually talk about criminals and safety and how it will be hard for people to get guns. My biggest question is, if they're criminals, and they do illegal things already, won't they just get guns illegally as well? Some restrictions are not going to stop criminals from getting guns and killing. Innocent hunters and citizens who want to feel protected should not be deprived of their rights because of criminals who should just be locked up. If the problem is really that bad, maybe that right should just be taken away for criminals or ex-criminals, though like I said, it won't necessarily stop them from getting firearms-but they would be punished for having them if they are found out. If criminals become the people with guns, and good citizens are without how are we supposed to defend ourselves against them?! They're also talking about tracking bullets, which again, is not fair to those who correctly use firearms, but that's kind of a different discussion. I do think an acceptable way for people to get their little "gun restriction" policy they want, without taking away American's rights, would to just require a gun-safety course prior to purchasing a gun. Maybe just a one-hour session before you can take it home. And again, criminals may find a way around this, but it could reduce some of the extremely stupid and tragic accidents that happen because people are too dense to know not to keep a gun loaded, or they don't know what the safety button is. 

It is our right as American Citizens to obtain fire-arms as well as defend ourselves, which come with each other. Guns are needed to protect, provide, and even play-as long as you are doing it safely and in good cause.