Today is a big day. My girlfriend, who is from New York, received her concealed weapons permit. To understand why this is such a big day, you have to see where she came from
When we first began dating, she was mildly anti gun, meaning that if you asked her, she would tell you that she didn’t see a reason to own a gun, and certainly didn’t see why a person needs to carry one. She pointed out that she took a 4,000 mile road trip across the US by herself, and if a woman can do that without needing a gun, a man certainly could.
Two months after we began dating, we were at a baseball game and a man in the crowd got belligerent. The police came over, and he decided that it would be a good idea to punch the cop. The cop did a leg sweep, and the drunken idiot’s face hit the concrete so hard that I felt my seat shake and heard his face hit the ground from 30 feet away. After it was over, she was visibly shaken, and told me that she doesn’t like violence, and it makes her sick to her stomach.
Because she was afraid of guns, I let her know that I carry, but I didn’t advertise it. I also had to promise not to carry in her house. I would leave my weapon in the car.
Three months later, I convinced her to go to the range with me. I started her off shooting a .22 handgun. I find that the lack of recoil and relative quiet of the pistol are very non threatening. Once she fired that one a bit, I moved her to a suppressed 9mm. She was proud of herself, that she was able to hit inside of the 9 ring with more than 3/4 of her shots. I took photos of her and her target. She proudly put them up on Facebook. By this time, I had a drawer in her house where I kept my things. I would come into the house and immediately put my pistol in that drawer. She was OK with that. Baby steps.
The terrorist attacks in Paris were a turning point. We were on vacation in France when the attacks took place. When we saw the news of the shooting, she turned to me and said, “When we get home, I want to take the concealed weapons safety course, so I can apply for a concealed weapons permit.”
She took that class in January. She went to the District Office on March 3. Her permit arrived today. Her mother has an appointment to apply for her permit next week. Her father is filling out an application as well.
In the space of two years, I converted three New Yorkers who have never owned a handgun their entire lives into gun owners with their own CCW. If each gun owner would just convince one person who is on the fence into being a gun owner, we will never have to worry about anti gunners again. Do it with a level head and the facts. Be patient. Rational people will see the truth, and with truth comes understanding. Fear cannot exist with rational understanding.
The score:
So far, I have convinced at least 7 people who were not gun owners to not only become gun owners, but get their CCW. Three of them are now life members of the NRA.
That is how we win.