A Woman’s Journey Into Guns

ammoland.com ^ | 30 July, 2009 | Marge Shoemaker

[marktwain]

Michigan - -(AmmoLand.com)- A few days ago, I was asked to tell my story about how I became interested in guns. To be honest, it wasn’t something I was born into, and it wasn’t something I practiced in my youth. It really was something that came upon me in the last few years.

I am the oldest of four children. As a young girl I was quiet and very shy, pretty much afraid of my own shadow. I especially didn’t like loud noises like balloons popping, fire crackers going off, you get the picture.

I was an avid animal lover. Every lost pet or stray found their way to my home. With some effort, I usually found their owners. In my junior high years, I became involved with saving the wild mustangs, wolves, you name it! I didn’t think too much of people hunting or shooting animals. Then in my high school years, I fell in love. Shortly after graduation, I married my best friend. Did I mention, he had a passion for hunting? Hunting!

Well, through the years, and two sons later (who also love hunting) I learned about harvesting wildlife. I learned to cook, or can, whatever my two boys and my husband brought home. I became quite good at it, but never, ever, did it interest me to shoot a gun. They go bang!

By now I was almost 50 years old. One day my husband was sighting in his new 17 caliber rifle when I walked outside and said I wanted to start shooting. I had only one condition: no guns with a loud bang or kick. He smiled a smile that made my heart skip a beat. Then he said, have a seat. He showed me how to hold the gun tight to my shoulder, how to look down the scope, take the safety off, and just squeeze the trigger. Hey, no loud bang or kick! I actually enjoyed it. I’ve been practicing for two years now.

Recently, I had a van load of suspicious-looking men come to my house which sits in the country way back off the road. I felt threatened and asked them to leave. One man grew angry and they wouldn’t leave my door step. I picked up my shotgun and stood in front of the doorway. They got the picture and quickly left. I realized then, I didn’t want to walk up on a situation where I am unarmed. So, I attended my first concealed carry class.

I sat near the front. As I watched the people file in, I noticed that there were quite a few women. Then I met the two CPL instructors. They seemed very knowledgeable, strong, and compassionate. I felt my pulse quickening, and I didn’t know why. Was this how cowgirls felt, in the old wild west, when they saw their cowboys riding in to protect them, with guns on their hips and a look in their eyes, that says “you’re safe now”? But back to reality. This isn’t the wild west, and we can’t rely on someone else to save us. So…..I had to get my head out of the clouds, and pay attention. I learned so much history in this class. It fascinated me what our fore fathers had gone through to keep our freedoms intact. Why they wrote the things they wrote, and why they said the things they said. And most of it hung on the right to keep and bear arms.

Then we headed to the gun range but when I listened to what I was being asked to do, I felt more than a bit apprehensive. Here I was an over 50 female with three grandchildren out here shooting pistols with men. I took a deep breath and reminded myself that-I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. I exhaled slowly. I was ready. But an unexpected thing happened: once the shooting started nothing mattered anymore. I felt empowered. I learned I could not only protect myself, but also the ones I love. I learned how to stay alive. I learned how to defend myself in just about every situation. It felt good. It felt right.

At the end of class I qualified with all my shots on the target. It felt good with the pistol in my hand, and I felt proud of myself.

After class I went before the gun board, and I now have my concealed carry license. I still have a long way to go, but I’m getting there. I thank God each and every day, for bringing these two concealed carry trainers into my life. I know I am a better person, because of them. I pray each and every day, for their safety, as well as their families. I am reminded that, “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” My concealed carry instructors have sharpened my mind, my soul, and my spirit. We are never too old to learn new tricks. I encourage you to study the constitution. Know your state and local firearms laws. Take a concealed carry class. Get back to knowing your neighbors, and be aware of who is around you.

See you all at the Second Amendment March in Washington DC on April 19, 2010! Marge Shoemaker About: Marge works for a local school district in Michigan. She is a mom and grandmother and has been married for 33 years. She is a fan of country music and Jeff Gordon! Marge lives by these words: “If you are a friend of mine, you are considered family. There is no greater love than she who would lay down her life for a friend. And I would. I love my God, and my country.”

[marktwain]

A great essay. If 10 percent of women become gun owners and think about guns as an issue, we win.

[GovernmentShrinker]

After class I went before the gun board, and I now have my concealed carry license. I still have a long way to go, but I’m getting there.

She'll have arrived when she realizes the "gun board" thing has got to go, and should never be mentioned without mentioning the urgent need for its dissolution being mentioned in the same breath.

[Noumenon]

“It fascinated me what our fore fathers had gone through to keep our freedoms intact.”

It continues to amaze and dismay me that so few have any idea of what our ancestors sacrificed for their freedom and ours. And they did so with full knowledge of what they were fighting for.

The American public has been successfully severed from its history. It is cruel. It is deliberate. It is evil. It is an act of war.

And it’s carried out every day in your kids’ classrooms.

[lowbridge]

bump

[metmom]

ping

[bitterohiogunclinger]

“If 10 percent of women become gun owners and think about guns as an issue, we win.”
Women that are open minded and try shooting are very often quite good at it. The biggest problem we face is that far too many people do not “think” about firearms, they react. The anti’s, and liberals in general, don't have facts on their side, they rely on scare tactics. It's irrefutable that there is way too much violent crime in this country involving firearms, but it is a blatant lie that the firearms are causing the crime. The collapse of moral values and demise of the family unit during the last 50 years of liberal decay are what is causing crime. Prior to the GCA of 1968 ownership of fully automatic military weapons was unrestricted. It's estimated that over 200,000 machine guns that are grandfathered prior are in the hands of collectors. Next to none have been used in crimes. Liberals love to enact ever more restrictive gun laws that only serve to prevent law abiding citizens from defending themselves. Of course liberals don't like anyone doing anything for themselves because their view is all life comes from and belongs to government.

[Bean Counter]

On the generally accepted theory that threads like these are always better with pictures...

[Bean Counter]

[JillValentine]

I think more than 10% of women are already gun owners. And attitudes are changing. When you have a woman from Texas saying, "People expect me to do well in a shooting challenge because I'm from Texas," that's a sign of true progress - that it's expected for someone of either sex from a gun-heavy state to be a good shot. As little as 10 or 15 years ago, you wouldn't hear women saying things like that.

Also, here's a visual, for those who like pictures.

[JillValentine]

On the generally accepted theory that threads like these are always better with pictures...

LOL. See #9.

[Future Snake Eater]

She'll have arrived when she realizes the "gun board" thing has got to go, and should never be mentioned without mentioning the urgent need for its dissolution being mentioned in the same breath.

One step at a time, I suppose.

[marktwain]

I believe that we are winning. Thanks for the picture.

[Chode]

i suggest this not only for the Lady Freepers in getting a LASER for your pistol.

especially the grip mounted units as they take up no additional space and in high stress situations i'll take every edge i can get.

if it takes the criminals attention away from ME... for even a second, that that could mean the difference between life and death.

look at the light, wait for the flash.

[chris37]

Great story! I’ve armed myself as well, but generally I don’t carry beyond the house or the glove compartment, because I know I have a quick temper.

[JillValentine]

Huh? I have a quick temper too (Latina), but that doesn’t mean I’ll draw my gun in a rage.

I had a concealed carry permit when I lived in Arizona. I can remember getting angry several times while I was carrying, but I never drew my gun in anger. The closest I ever came to using it was simply showing it to a couple of guys who were threatening me. They backed off right away.

The whole “people shouldn’t carry guns because they’ll shoot each other when they get angry” argument is just a liberal scare tactic. If you look at the statistics, legalizing concealed carry leads to lower crime rates.

[JillValentine]

(also pic in profile)

[chris37]

Not tryin to say people shouldn’t carry guns, nothing of the sort.

Just in my own situation, I know myself and my temper, I leave my weapon at home most times as a measure against myself.

I fully support conceal and carry for any reasonable person who wishes to do so. I would even support open carry. Unless I know that I am going into a place or situation that I know is dangerous, I just carry my pepper spray instead.

Also, let me just say that I don’t think that it is wise to pull your weapon ever, unless you intend to shoot immediately. Do not pull your weapon to talk, or negotiate, or intimidate. Pull your weapon to fire.

[3niner]

Women have the best reason to carry concealed, and purses can work very well for it.

I get aggravated when I see that stupid alarm commercial, where a man watches a mother and daughter, in their back yard. He waits for them to go inside, then breaks down the front door, in broad daylight. The alarm sounds, and it scares him off, as if anyone who would do that would be frightened off by a little noise.

What I really want to see is for the woman to pull a gun from behind her back, and give him a nice double tap in the heart.

[JillValentine]

I’d like to volunteer to be the actress who plays the woman in that commerical.

[SIDENET]

I was recently speaking to a liberal friend who wanted to know why I carry a gun (S&W 642 with Crimson trace grips). She was trying to change my mind about guns.

I told her that to me, it was much like fastening my seat belt when I get into a car.

She went on to say how statistically improbable it was that I would actually NEED my gun, and that having a firearm "escalates the situation". I replied that statistical improbability doesn't matter if YOU ARE the statistic. I also told her that anyone that would make me pull my weapon has already escalated the situation to the point of danger.

Lastly, I brought up the 2007 Knoxville murders of Channon Christian and Christopher Newsom and made the point that I would never want to end up at the mercy of someone who had none.

My points actually seemed to have some impact.