How can I convince my family my firearms hobby is healthy?

Question

My family is very liberal, and they hate guns. But I am extremely fascinated with them. My dad only took me to a shooting range once and it was just to fire a revolver. I really want to do more like fire a rifle or even own one but they say that's too far into the hobby. Sometimes I like to make concept art for guns myself and my siblings are afraid I am turning into a terrorist or something. I'm not even allowed to have an airsoft gun. My sister is dead afraid, thinking that airsoft guns can kill you, when in fact they shoot 8mm plastic BBs.

How can I convince them that my hobby is harmless, and that I'll never become a cold-blooded killer? I am quite liberal myself by the way. My viewpoint in firearms is probably the most conservative I'll ever stand at.

Answer 1

Even though my mom was raised around guns, her dad was a gunsmith, she is very much against guns. She wouoldn't let my brother, or I, have a gun when we were kids. We had tons of toy guns, but nothing that shot any projectiles. We both had bow and arrows, with no problem. I didn't get my first gun until I was 17, because she figured I was responsible enough by that time. I have bought several guns since that time, and she still thinks buying guns is useless. My sugestion is to just wait until you are old enough to buy a gun on your own, and then go for it. Your family will just have to deal with it.

Answer 2

don't tell people what they don't want to hear. You will not be able to convince them, even if you became a shooting safety instructor with the NRA. Their minds are set. Don't bring it up with them. When you get a new gun, don't tell them. There is no law that I can find that states " you must tell family everything."
Don't ask, don't tell. If they ask, tell them you're into reading now and nevermind about the guns. They'll feel better thinking they've won and you won't have to deal with them about it. My family is anti-gun too and think I have 1-2. I have 15+ and it's none of their business and I don't tell them. You should do the same.

Answer 3

Take them shooting. Your not going to convince them, but when they say something like guns are dangerous just remind them of the laws of physics. Such as, An object at rest will remain at rest, unless acted upon by an outside force.

Try to get them to prove their point, then challenge their assumption with facts.

And you can approach it from the stand point that firearm ownership was promoted as part of the advancement of women's movement by Annie Oakley because an armed woman wouldn't be relent on a man for her safety. She actually received a few letters from women that stopped robberies and held the mugger at gunpoint until the police arrived.

Answer 4

You will have difficulty trying to change their minds. That's not your job anyway. Some people prefer to live in oblivion thinking that the police will save them if something happens. Well, we'll see. These folks have bought in to the progressive propaganda of the major media and want the US to become like european countries.

Most likely those in your family have hobbies that don't interest you. Let them do their thing and you do yours. If they coerce you into attending a crochet class, they need to be coerce back to a trip to the shooting range.

If not, leave them be. Once some scumbag kicks in their door and hurts someone...they'll be calling asking you to teach them to shoot.

Answer 5

What is the difference in collecting coins or guns? It is not guns that kill people, people kill people. Firearms are as safe as the porson that is handling them. The arguments could go on for hours both ways. My theory is 365 days in a year 365 guns.

Answer 6

If they fear the harm that guns might cause, remind them about the number of people hurt and killed by drunk drivers each year. Those numbers far outweigh gun injuries. Sadly, the illogical thinking about private gun ownership is perpetrated by lies and the media. Gun ownership is a right guaranteed by the second amendment.

Answer 7

I would point out the positive points of firearms:
1. they are amazing pieces of mechanical engineering and metallurgy
2. they are very significant to the history of the world
3. they require great skill to become very accurately shot at great distances or at moving targets.
4. they do have some collectible value
5. they can be used to shoot game for feeding the family should famine or terrorists ever knock out your local Safeway, Krogers, or Publix

In WWII the prime minister of switzerland issued a rifle to each of his 500,000 male citizens. they asked him what would happen if Hitler invaded with 1,000,000. his answer "I guess each of us will have to shoot twice"

Answer 8

It's been my experience that liberals are very narrow minded people and are very intolerant of anything that they deem to be detrimental to there view of how society should be all the while preaching tolerance at every turn. I seriously doubt you'll change their minds.

If your at an age to make your own decisions about owning firearms, do so. In the end they'll come to accept your decision. If your not old enough (18yrs.) you'll just have to wait.

Answer 9

You have not stated your age. I think age and responsibility have a lot to do with handling a fire arm. Ask your Dad to take you to the firing range more often and look into skeet as a sport or sporting clays.

Answer 10

when i was younger some cops came to my school becaus i was doing very detailed drawings of fire arms and even drawing the inside parts of assault wepons. my teacher got scared and called a meeting.I told them that guns were just basicly peices of metal and you could also kill someone with a desk leg as they are metal to. it depends on the person