Massachusetts Gun Guilt

[Coyote33]

http://largo.org/ is a group which tries to help with your situation.

I did a cancer walk with them years ago in Worcester. Had the shirts on, and it started a nice dialogue with people on what kind of good people own guns. MAKE it the norm, and it then IS the norm.

"Good people doing good things"

 

[Satcom]

I try to talk to every anti I come across, Sometimes it goes well sometimes not. Pretty much anybody who knows me even casually knows I hunt and I own firearms. I am not in your face pushing an agenda but I NEVER shy away from it either. I have actually met more people that are just ambivalent to firearms than true anti's.
I only have one friend who is really a true anti, he is from England and truly believes nobody should have a firearm. I try to argue with him every chance I can. Sadly he is very intelligent and a great debater which means that he believes every thing he says is gospel. I know I will never change his mind, but it doesn't stop me from trying.
Never feel guilty about doing something you love.
It is their problem not yours.

 

[perry1386]

Make it awkward for them.

To begin with, I'd flush people like that off my friendship list.

I'd rather have no friends than have some that will betray me when push comes to shove.

Just because we disagree on the issue doesn't mean we can't be friends...until the end of the world, then they'll come crawling for someone to protect them...

 

[GunGrey]

Make it awkward for them.

To begin with, I'd flush people like that off my friendship list.

I'd rather have no friends than have some that will betray me when push comes to shove.

**** them, **** their Opinions, **** their mouth breathing retard comments.........

+1000
I was at a friends house, and he was getting ready for band practice. He had just bought a S7W M+P 15 and was asking me some questions about it (his first AR) so naturally I grabbed my M1A and we dicked around for a bit......his drummer walks in, (anti-gun, socialist) and has a fit! then asks me if my M1A was from the civil war cause it had a wood stock....
then his girlfriend wanted to play, so I showed her how to hold it, saftey etc.... she says "**** wont let me get my LTC he thinks guns are bad.........we have a range date next weekend.........

Dude bang her.

 

[jgeebs413]

I feel similar, but not guilty...I have a lot of anti friends and it's awkward around them sometimes

You need new friends

 

[vipprimo]

I feel the same way you do. I drive out with my stuff in my car and think I'm being hunted. The worst part is that I won't pass an officer for weeks and the second I put the blinker on to go to the range he's parked at the end of the street. I'm sure it's a coincidence (unless .22s are considered arsenals now, lol), but it won't stop me from feeling uncomfortable and that's all because of how things are set-up.

When it comes to people and work and friends though, people know that I am who I am. I like showing my stuff and I have some fun stuff so people really get into it, especially if they play video games. I don't blare it all over though either.

This is just the way they want you to feel. And I disagree. We need to be as open and vocal as we can. This is a point that has been driving me a little crazy, How do We get out to were the liberals are and ask them why.A lot of them have no Idea what the laws are like. A lot of them have no idea just how their rights have been eroded. And when you tell them they are shocked. We need a NES speaking tour.

I think you're missing the idea that they really think they have all the information they need and have made that decision and once they close their minds, it's over. I wish it was as easy as saying "you're wrong and I'm right, agree with me!" Unfortunately that's what ended my first marriage.

I'd rather have no friends than have some that will betray me when push comes to shove.

People who make you feel uncomfortable aren't your friends, they are users.

 

[peteyb]

Ive never thought about it that much. I have friends or know people that do not like guns and I try to inform them about when I can. Those who listen and are interested, great! Those who are ignorant, I shrug my shoulders and then back off. Not worth my time IMO when someone is not willing to change their mind

 

[TheQuag]

hey lets quit crying the Mass sucks rant, parts do and parts don't, I hate the politics but I have meet a lot of great gun people here

I was in NC last week and a NRA guy down there said keep up the good fight you guys are on the front lines

I moved out of Newton cause I could'nt stand the libs, its like living in normal state here in central mass

 

[MisterHappy]

If we want to be considered "normal" by Nons (Antis are another thing), we have to consider ourselves normal, first.

My younger son is a real shooter, and wears his State Shoot shirts, and Club shirts to school openly. He's been doing it for years (he's in 8th grade). All the teachers and staff at his school know he shoots. Nobody cares (in a negative way), because he treats it like a soccer-playing passtime, or baseball, or whatever.

I had to "dress up" for Halloween - I put on my Trap vest, by NRA Instructor's shirt, and my funky hat with all my State Shoot pins - several people "got it".....a couple were freaked out, a bit. One said, "You're not voting for Warren, are you?"

We need to raise our profile, and can't rely on GOAL's huge staff to do it for us. If your Club hosts a Scout troop, or has a youth team, or does a Women on Target or Basic Pistol course, get the local newspaper out there. Nons see most clubs as Dens of Mystery, and are worried that they're not welcome. If they are, let them know. Mostly gun people are good people (and in Mass, we have the Official Stamp of Approval that we're law abiding!), and should not hide.

 

[Deleted member 12999]

It's toxic shame syndrome from being raised by a 'nanny state' mother, and CLEO father, who gave us looks of disapproval when we came running out of the bathroom naked as a toddler with our wang and Glock hanging out. We never quite got over it, and now it manifests in our secret love of guns (and streaking)
(

I took a psych class like 10 years ago, so I know this is internet fact.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Ive had seemingly pro-gun folks be complete a**h***s to me - when I was a member of the BRP way back in the day, I was slow firing an AK/SAR-1 when a know it all FUDD, claiming to be a friend of the President, gave me a bunch of shit, saying the gun had no place there, made people think badly of gun owners and that he'd better never see a banana clip (he said clip, not me) in my gun again or he'd have me kicked out.

I quit and stopped going to ranges for a long while because of that a**h*** and guess what? deprived myself of a great community.

I can guess one of two people was the A-hole that caused you to quit BR&P. That's too bad, a few bad apples can indeed spoil a great club for someone.

I'm pretty sure that the club prez would have told the FUDD to go to hell if it went down as you describe it. I think that the guy was blowing smoke. You should have challenged him and told him to call the prez from there! When I worked for DEC I had a product manager TELL me to drop everything and put his project as "P1" because he was friends with Ken Olsen (company president) . . . I politely told him to have Ken call me and that if he did that, his project would be put ahead of everything else. Funny thing, I never heard from Ken about that!

 

[joeendris]

Move out of this liberal hell hole and all the anxiety ends as soon as you cross the state line.

Whenever I go to a shooting event outside Mass, I feel relieved when I cross the line. And all my stuff is legal in this hellhole. Doesn't mean I feel safe in Mass when it comes to getting pulled over, or going thru gestapo checkpoints. Get pulled over in hate-town while CCW...let us know how that worked out for you...

 

[June4th]

Drop all this emo stuff. I've invited 100% of my immediate group at work to range, 70-80% of them are licensed and the rest have either taken the safety class or inclined to do so soon.

I'm a gun owner and proud of it.

 

[SMagee]

Me personally I found the way that makes me feel better by living in this State is to convert more people to gun ownership. I've only owned guns for less than 5 years, but so far I have convinced 8 people to get their licenses, after taking them shooting and showing them that guns are no more evil than a stapler. But a hell of a lot more effective if needed. They're tools, and having the right tool at the right time is very convenient.

I grew up with guns are evil and sneak out and kill people. Now I realize that they are no different (and a hell of a lot safer) than driving a car. My goal is to get 5 + people to get their license in 2013. And then 10+ per year after that (but hopefully I'll be in NH before then). The more people you can take shooting who have never been, will be better off and more educated when the next moron Politician decides to further restrict Rights.

But that's just the way I view it. I really enjoy shooting, and will do my part to bring more people to try it. Maybe one day the educated will be the majority.

 

[herman]

I can't even talk about guns or hunting. My family and friends think i am nuts for my interest in them. I do not belong in ma !!

 

[garandman]

I have a little different tack from most of you. I object to the fact that lawful gun owners in MA are treated like criminals though we have broken no laws. I haven't found many people who will agree, in principle, to criminalizing citizens who have not committed a crime.

Carrying the argument further, I ask them if they think it would be appropriate for the government to register each citizen who drinks alcohol, require them to buy a special permit, and fill out a form each time they purchase alcohol - or have the retailer fill out the form. Drunk drivers kill many more people in MA than firearms do, so this is not a specious argument.

BTW prescription drugs also kill more people than firearms do in MA (for real) so one could continue the concept of the government licensing, testing and registering purchases of prescription drugs as well.

Eventually most people start to realize that at some level this type of governmental action is counter to their freedoms as a citizen. This gives them a new perspective into the plight of the lawful gun owner.

BTW I also try to "create" at least four new LCF holders a year.

 

[Gillham]

I get weird looks at work when I start talking about my guns. The "why do you need a gun?" question comes up all the time. What boggles my mind, is that we work for the DOD......

 

[JGreen]

Talk about what you do. Post pictures of your range visits. Mainstream your right to own guns! You may not convince them all, but trust me......Done right, you'll convince most!

 

[MtRiverCharlie]

...

 

[ColdDayInHell]

So why are you still LIVING there, supporting that bs with your tax dollars, hmm? there's 49 other states, you know.

Not all of us can just up and move, trust me I wish I could. One day, one day.

 

[Tyke]

I make no secret of it. Get more curiosity than hostility and any hostility is usually easily allayed.

 

[Gillham]

So why are you still LIVING there, supporting that bs with your tax dollars, hmm? there's 49 other states, you know.

Rolling over and leaving isn't the answer.

 

[smitty]

Yes MA is a slap to the face to anyone that's lived or been elsewhere.
Take a deep breath, get pissed, plan an exit strategy, and then move forward.

smitty

 

[mike59271]

The sooner you drop the guilt and start acting like the other people are the problem, the better off you'll be. It's not your fault they shit their pants when it comes up in conversation or something. There have been occasions where I didn't drop out the fact that I was a gun owner and I could have, but I had some considerations in play that had nothing to do with guilt.

Stop worrying. Stop being afraid of your own shadow. It's not healthy. Yes this is MA and it sucks, but at some point or another you will figure out you need to just live and stop being consumed by worry that the Waffen SS will come out of nowhere and harass you because you happen to own guns.

-Mike

Seriously. Well Said drgrant!

There is this document, I think it's called the Constitution. Anyways, people tell me there is this sentence in it, clause I suppose, that says I can own guns. Can you believe that? At any rate, I hear the government gets it's marching orders from this document (in theory). I just lean on that and screw anyone else.

I am not about to go around broadcasting that I have guns, but am not afraid to bring it up. Plus one of my guilty pleasures is putting idiot liberals in their place, that and just correcting unfounded belief systems!

 

[Coyote33]

We also need spokespeople. I think the "I am the NRA" thing was good. It put a face to gun ownership. We need more Tom Selleck and Matt Light types to step up for us, and it needs to be an organized campaign.

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

Rolling over and leaving isn't the answer.

Sure it is!!
Not only is it the answer to the anxiety, it is immediate relief from every foolish legal encumberance and infringement placed on gun owners by the retarded legislature and public.
You speak from an opinion, I speak from firsthand experience.
Don't say its not the answer because you don't know(you still live here) and you'll never know the feeling until you leave, then you'll ask yourself why you didn't do it much sooner.

I can walk out my back door and shoot day or night and nobody around me cares, no laws are broken and no cops are going to arrive and SWAT me or give me shit or toss my house or confiscate my guns. Nobody is going to screw with me for having a gun in my console or glove compartment or wearing one on my hip in plain view. Nobody is going to shit their pants if I walk down the road with a rifle at sling arms. Try any of it in MA and see how you make out.

Leaving IS the best and only answer if you want to live out from under the bullshit laws of MA

 

[Gadsden]

Sure it is!!
Not only is it the answer to the anxiety, it is immediate relief from every foolish legal encumberance and infringement placed on gun owners by the retarded legislature and public.
You speak from an opinion, I speak from firsthand experience.
Don't say its not the answer because you don't know(you still live here) and you'll never know the feeling until you leave, then you'll ask yourself why you didn't do it much sooner.

I can walk out my back door and shoot day or night and nobody around me cares, no laws are broken and no cops are going to arrive and SWAT me or give me shit or toss my house or confiscate my guns. Nobody is going to screw with me for having a gun in my console or glove compartment or wearing one on my hip in plain view. Nobody is going to shit their pants if I walk down the road with a rifle at sling arms. Try any of it in MA and see how you make out.

Leaving IS the best and only answer if you want to live out from under the bullshit laws of MA

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Finalygotabeltfed again.

Well said.
/thread

 

[MA_Shooter]

Sure it is!!
Not only is it the answer to the anxiety, it is immediate relief from every foolish legal encumberance and infringement placed on gun owners by the retarded legislature and public.
You speak from an opinion, I speak from firsthand experience.
Don't say its not the answer because you don't know(you still live here) and you'll never know the feeling until you leave, then you'll ask yourself why you didn't do it much sooner.

I can walk out my back door and shoot day or night and nobody around me cares, no laws are broken and no cops are going to arrive and SWAT me or give me shit or toss my house or confiscate my guns. Nobody is going to screw with me for having a gun in my console or glove compartment or wearing one on my hip in plain view. Nobody is going to shit their pants if I walk down the road with a rifle at sling arms. Try any of it in MA and see how you make out.

Leaving IS the best and only answer if you want to live out from under the bullshit laws of MA

Exactly. What you tolerate you validate. What you validate you deserve.

 

[ranger4-7]

No guilt here! I don't talk about guns to everyone I meet, because I rarely meet people with whom I care to have a conversation. I wear my HK/SIG/S&W shirts and hats when I go out, and could G.A.F. whether anyone is offended.

 

[Gillham]

Sure it is!!
Not only is it the answer to the anxiety, it is immediate relief from every foolish legal encumberance and infringement placed on gun owners by the retarded legislature and public.
You speak from an opinion, I speak from firsthand experience.
Don't say its not the answer because you don't know(you still live here) and you'll never know the feeling until you leave, then you'll ask yourself why you didn't do it much sooner.

I can walk out my back door and shoot day or night and nobody around me cares, no laws are broken and no cops are going to arrive and SWAT me or give me shit or toss my house or confiscate my guns. Nobody is going to screw with me for having a gun in my console or glove compartment or wearing one on my hip in plain view. Nobody is going to shit their pants if I walk down the road with a rifle at sling arms. Try any of it in MA and see how you make out.

Leaving IS the best and only answer if you want to live out from under the bullshit laws of MA

Exactly. What you tolerate you validate. What you validate you deserve.

I'm not saying this applies directly to anyone here, but I'm just speaking from what I've witnessed. We (I use the term, 'we', loosely) all rant and rave about the cold day in hell when the government tries to come down and squash gun ownership. Abandoning ship and not putting up a fight is merely letting the ignorant politicians win and providing them a stepping stone to pushing stupid legislation to other states and possibly nationwide.

Why do organizations like GOAL, NRA and Comm2A exist if our answer is to just pack up, leave and go somewhere else? I'll be first in line to say Massachusetts gun laws don't make any sense. I'm even more so neutered because I live in Boston. I'm not trying to step on anyone's toes, but I'm not the problem by living in Massachusetts, the laws are.

edit: Also I don't feel the gun guilt that the OP feels.