I’m arguing with the kids’ Dad about gun control.
What would you do?
One late summer in college, I joined my boyfriend’s family for camping and deer hunting. Under the gorgeous, tall, redwood forest and old dirt logging roads, it never occurred to me to shoot cans for fun.
Why? Sound scares off the deer. M16 or AK-47? Nope. For hunting, I only need one shot to take down my prey. I won’t use an assault rifle and ruin the venison
My weapon of choice: the one nearest to me. On our ranch, our family kept a 20 gauge Browning shotgun in the hall closet. Loaded. Protection for me was our 120 pound Rottweiler, named Bear, and the Browning (available at Bass Pro Shops for $549.99)
Mike and I married in ’93, kids joined the family three and eight years later. Hunting? We were busy working to pay the mortgage.
In January 2012, before Sandy Hook, I signed the kids up for gun safety training class at our local range. Our daughter did great. My 10 year old son? He couldn’t pay attention in safety class. He’s not ready to shoot.
What is “ready” for kids? Old enough to take the gun safety class, have interest, and follow all instructions from the Range Master. Whipping out electronic devices to play games? No. My Dad, Tommy Gumina, constantly drilled me on gun safety. Of course my kids get the same lecture.
Do we actually need gun control? As a Mom, I’ve chatted with friends and family, all political parties, globally, through Facebook. My own husband, Mr. Odom, agreed on my first two points. But we are still arguing about the third.
Cathy Gumina Odom’s 2013 New Year’s Resolution: Tighter Gun Control
- Hunting rifle/shotgun, single or double shot: OK.
- Law Enforcement* (*defined as: Active, sworn service, badged, graduated from police academy with state certified firearm weapon training, FBI, CIA, Secret Service, local/state/federal jurisdiction police, sheriff, railroad police,
MPs): Whatever weapons or firearms needed. - Ex-military returning from overseas: one gun from foreign country for display purposes.
My friend Rio gigged as an undercover agent, busting drug dealers and sex offenders through Craigslist. When she heard a disturbing noise one night, well-trained in firearm and pepper spray protection, she cleared each room in her home to protect her family. Like a redline roadster from 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, full throttle, she goes from deep sleep to armed agent with her Glock 22.40 caliber 15 round gun in a mere three seconds.
Cops are great neighbors; they have locked gun safes, weapons are well maintained, purchased legally, and correctly stored.
For military folks, when they travel to foreign countries and ports, war or peacetime, they like to come home with souvenirs. Some choose a handgun from another country and bring it home for display.
My husband doesn’t agree with me. He doesn’t think it’s safe. Is this the guy who is going to get drunk on New Year’s Eve, shoot blind at midnight, and kill his dog, neighbor’s wife, or nephew? Or me? We had that neighbor. He didn’t listen to us. We moved.
If one couple can’t agree on gun control, how can we as a nation, divided into red and blue states, fighting, possibly ever agree on restructuring our laws?
Fellow Americans, it’s time to set aside our differences, polarizing party rhetoric, multiple radio/TV/XM talk shows splitting our nation, ranting over either their right to bear arms or the evilness of the NRA.
As a hunter, if I’m willing to negotiate on new gun control laws, and even compromise, to save my kids in school, to not make Mrs. Eichner use her body as a human shield to protect my son’s entire 5th grade class, what are you willing to sacrifice at the negotiation table?
Care to avoid Sandy Hook in your town? Do you want to spend Christmas Day burying coffins of 4, 5, 6 year old Kindergarteners ? We, as a united nation, absolutely need tighter gun control laws and enforcement.
Honorable US State Senators Diane Feinstein, Barbara Boxer, I’ve voted for you all since I could vote. Oh and I’m a California Republican by the way. Let’s chat.
The ‘91 hunting trip? Don’t worry, children of mine. Mamma carried the rifle in the forest but never got off a shot. Bambi’s Mom was protecting her young. As I’m doing here for you, friends, school mates, teachers, our neighbors, our nation, now. Please join me in my 2013 New Year Resolution: tighter gun control. Thank you.
