Have you ever fired a gun? It’s nothing like what you see on TV or in the movies.
I part company with many of my liberal friends in the gun debate when they look at me like I’m crazy because I have experience with firearms. I believe it’s important to understand how guns really work before you engage on either side of the current debate.
Fire a 9-millimeter without ear protection in an indoor firing range and you’ll be momentarily deaf after the first shot and at risk for permanent hearing loss after multiple shots.
A .357 magnum’s muzzle flash will temporarily blind you if you fire in the dark in that same enclosed space.
And recoil? That’s a real thing and is far more powerful than it appears when those pint-sized actors are firing away on the big screen.
Across the U.S., we’re seeing increases in concealed-carry permits in the wake of recent mass shootings. Given the seriousness of carrying a gun in public, it must take a lot of experience and training to obtain a concealed-carry permit, right? Not necessarily.
A recent New York Times column from a University of Texas student illustrated how easy it was for him to obtain a concealed-carry permit having never fired a gun in his life. He took a half-day class; passed a 10-minute multiple choice exam that was nearly impossible to fail; received minimal training on a firing range; and was issued a permit.
Adults feel confident we understand the risks inherent in driving. Why? Because we understand the skills it takes to operate a car. Why, then, do so many on both sides of the gun debate feel confident in pushing their side when they’ve never used the very piece of equipment about which they are debating?
I’m Wester Wuori, and that’s my Perspective.
