What liberals need to understand about 'Gun Guys/Gals' | Eastern North Carolina Now

    There are some really funny things I have observed about the "gun control debate." One of the most notable is that the people who favor gun control seem to be the ones who know the least about guns and what they're talking about. For example, some politician announced the other day that "high capacity magazines should be banned. Nobody needs more than ten rounds."

    I knew when I heard that, this dude had never been to a range to sight in a scope. But he had absolutely no doubt in his mind that he was correct. In case you tend to agree with him--in other words, if you don't know what you're talking about re. guns--let me explain why you need a thirty round clip(s) rather than ten round clips. The reason is simple. Thirty round clips are much cheaper. They may be more expensive to buy one than a ten round clip, but you have to buy three times as many--and lug them around--if you buy 10-round clips. Anybody who does any shooting knows it just makes common sense to use 30-round clips.

    In case you don't understand how magazine clips are used, let me explain. You load them with ammunition at home before you get to the range. It is a rather tedious task. If you are using a popular range and most of the stations are being used you don't want to be rude to anyone waiting their turn by taking time to load rounds into your clips while you occupy a shooting station. It a courtesy thing, don't you know.

    The politician who proclaimed other people (he not doubt is not a shooter) don't need more than 10 rounds was thinking about hunting. And its true you are seldom going to get ten shots at a target. But if you are a hunter you also don't want to lug around three times as many clips as you would have to if you use 30-round clips. But the real reason most people need high capacity clips is because they shoot for sport, not hunting. And its much more practical to use the 30-round clips at the range than 10-round clips.

    People who support outlawing large capacity magazines simply do not understand the sport of shooting. And in most cases they simply have never participated in the Sport of Shooting. As the author of the articled linked below says, most people really enjoy shooting once they have tried it. And there are millions of them. None of them that we know think banning high capacity magazines makes any sense whatsoever. Liberals who do support such bans are just like liberals who support outlawing incandescent light bulbs because they have an insatiable urge to "do something" about global warming, whether that "something" will actually make any practical difference or not. In other words, it is simply foolishness. They probably are the same people who do not understand NASCAR fans.

    The point in all this is not to bore non-shooters with the details of our sport but rather to illustrate the amazing ignorance of people, like Diane Feinstein, who talk about something like they know what they are talking about but actually know very little.

    This is perfectly illustrated by Dan Baum. He is a freelance writer and editor who is a dyed in the wool liberal but loves guns and is a shooter. Baum is a former staff writer for The New Yorker. You don't get much more liberal than that. What that means is that most of the people he spends time with -liberals--are in favor of gun control, such as outlawing 'high capacity magazines.' He has just written a book about the anonymous life he spends being a "gun nut" in an anti-gun environment. It is interesting and funny. But most of all it is enlightening. It shows just how ignorant most anti-gun people are about guns, shooting and hunting...or all of the above. Baum was interviewed by Hope Reese, about his book and what he learned in a cross-country research odyssey to try to learn about the "gun thing."

    If you've read this far in this article you will find Reese's article interesting. Click here to read the interview. And enjoy it if you are a gun nut. But if you are an anti-gun nut, be prepared to feel foolish, if you're honest, though hopefully you'll feel a little less elitist. Then again, if you're a liberal Democrat you probably won't be able to help yourself.

    Delma Blinson writes the "Teacher's Desk" column for our friend in the local publishing business: The Beaufort Observer. His concentration is in the area of his expertise - the education of our youth. He is a former teacher, principal, superintendent and university professor.