Even if you don’t want to carry or own a firearm learning to use and care for one is just one more bit of information that may one day save you life or even more important save the life of those you love.

"I once took a CCW course, but only because I wanted to carry a knife bigger than the legal limit here."

Carrying a knife for defense is as much or more of a responsibility as carrying a firearm. As an ex-LEO and self-defense instructor I have taught courses on knife defense and survived knife attacks. Like a firearm if you draw it you better be willing to use it. One of the things that is the hardest to get people to understand and believe (it took 75 stitches to make me a believer) is that within 20’ a knife is more deadly than a gun unless you have it pointed and ready to shoot.
Most people get their view of a knife fights from movies where no one gets hurt much till the end. But you have to remember if your close enough to cut or stab some one they are close enough to do the same to you and if you get in a fight with a knife you will suffer injuries.
A couple of other considerations is the amount of blood involved in a knife encounter is enough to send most people into shock, especially when they realize some or most of it is theirs. Also while the number of knife encounters is much lower than firearms encounters they have a higher percentage that result in death.

Ors:


(I'm really on the fence at this point...I know, I know...you can't be on the fence when it comes to issues of life and death. I suppose that I could ask my MA instructor if the offer still stands, and get some experience and educate myself and then see where my attitude is...)

The fact that your MA instructor is familiar and training with firearms schould tell you somthing.

I have even briefly thought of carrying a hand gun, although as I just stated, I would not be doing so legally.

I would not recommend carrying unlawfully. Depending on your state's laws, you could go to jail for a long time if caught.

Thanks Raspy -- excellent rules for safety.

Teacher

That's a wonderful summation of gun safety and etiquette. Much better than I could come up with.

I have been doing a "firearms literacy" program for New Yorkers for a while now. There's a lot of nonsense and mystery about guns in places where they are illegal and common among criminals, and they become almost a fetish object for both pro and anti gun forces.

I invite a few folks out here, we head out to the range. I bring a basic assortment of weapons, from a bolt-action .22 to an AK-47, as well as Glock and Ruger handguns in a variety of styles.

The first thing we do is the usual safety drills and the like, but then, I let them operate the guns. The reaction is universal for the handguns when you put them into the hands of someone who has been vigorously anti-gun.

"It's heavier than I expected"
"It's hard to shoot accurately"
"It gives me a feeling of incredible power"

They are also usually surprised that an AK-47 isn't a machine gun (well, at least not the ones they get to use, that is).

By the end, they know what gunfire sounds like, what is and isn't possible, and they also get a strong sense that the gun does not shoot itself.

People will actually say that? Out loud?

Maybe Sigmund Freud was right !!

Sounds like fun - where do I sign up?

I had someone say that to me once. It was one of those inebriated philosophical discussions in college. He went on and on about how he felt so incredible knowing that he was holding the power of life and death in his hand. I pointed out that in my martial arts training, I was learning lethal techniques, and "isn't that even more incredible? Having the power of life and death...in my own hands...with my own hands..."

But I also realized quickly what kind of responsibility comes with that kind of knowledge and power.

I'll admit something. I don't want to hurt anyone. I would hope that if I, or my family was in mortal danger, that I would respond appropriately...even if it meant taking someone's life. But the truth is, a person just doesn't know until a situation like that presents itself. I hope those of us who haven't had to deal with something like that never do.

Do you think there can be a balance between caring and compassion, and the ability to use deadly force when necessary?