My best friend is an "ANTI"...!!!

W

White Devil

Inactive
My best friend and I got into an arguement today. He made the comment that "no one really needs to have guns", and he asked me "when was the last time you ever heard of anyone needing to use a gun for self protection?", "I don't know anyone who has needed a gun to defend themselves".

My first thought was of law-enforcement, and how they use guns EVERY DAY to protect themselves.

What are some other points to make against his logic (or rather, the lack-of).

Thanks
 
Punch him in the head and walk away?

Seriously, I feel for ya. All you can do is work on him a little at a time, if you want to bring him Into The Light. If he's intractable and your friendship is worth the stress, simply don't bring that facet of your life into your relationship.

I'm lucky; my best friend is even more of a raving anarchist than me. ;)
 
If you're an NRA member, their monthly magazine has a couple of dozen examples EVERY MONTH of how being armed saves lives. On a more personal note, my daughter wouldn't be alive today if I wasn't armed in my backyard when an alligator made a dash for her (they usually like small targets under 50 pounds in size and back then she weighed only about 25 lbs. so she more than qualified) and I emptied 10 rounds of .40S&W into him -- I don't know how many hit their mark as I was point shooting and didn't use my sights (hell, I didn't even know what to aim for, I just pointed at the head and fired as quickly as I could) but I drew blood and caused him enough pain to make him back off long enough for us to get to safety.Share what you know, learn what you don't -- FUD
fud-nra.gif
 
First, get yourself a copy of the book The Best Defense, which you will probably get a lot more info about later in this thread.

Show it to him.

If that doesn't work, it's time to get a new best friend! ;)
Quite possibly the loss of his best friend (you), could help him to do some rethinkin' about the RKBA!

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"Rise like lions after slumber in invanquishable number - Shake your chains to earth like dew which in sleep had fallen on you - Ye are many - They are few."
-Percy Bysshe Shelly (1792-1822)
 
I think your friend has the good luck to live someplace where people respect others and obey the law voluntarily. Its not that way everywhere. Can you show him the thread of "Raped vs Bambi-girl? Bubble-girl? Bambi-babe?" WTH was her name?

And don't forget the use of a .45 by the wife of a TFL'er to defend herself.

What about More Guns, Less Crime?

[This message has been edited by Bam Bam (edited June 26, 2000).]
 
You're not going to win him over with logic. I would see if he wants to go to the range with you, or go out plinking. He might like it.
 
My best friend hates guns. Her ex-husband pointed a loaded gun at her and it freaked her out. Of course, he also threw a TV at her (and hit her), but she still watches TV. Go figure.
Have you ever taken him shooting?
Anyone who has never been shooting might not know that guns don't just "go off" because they have never seen how they work first hand. They only know what they see/hear on TV and in the media. I think when someone actually shoots a gun, they often loose their fear of the unknown.
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>...when was the last time you ever heard of anyone needing to use a gun for self protection?[/quote]
You might point out to your friend that when people do use guns for self defense, it is rarely mentioned in the news and there aren't solid statistics for instances of self defense. Why? Because if the intended victim is successful and scares the BG off, there is often nothing to report to the police and there's no sensational news piece for the media to pick up on.
 
If he is hardcore get a new best friend.There isn't much chance of changeing him.

------------------
beemerb
We have a criminal jury system which is superior to any in the world;
and its efficiency is only marred by the difficulty of finding twelve men
every day who don't know anything and can't read.
-Mark Twain
 
This could have been named "my little sister is angainst rights". We've been on this topic since last week. I tried the approach "do you agree that all humans have the right to defend themselves"? Our sometimes heated debate with her calling gun owners "stupid" has been a test. I came real close to contacting my ISP and banning her e-mails. I haven't given up yet but if and when I do I will end the e-mails permanently. One complaint she made was being hasseled by the cops. I recommended she and her husband get concealed permits even if they didn't buy a gun. I doubt this will have an effect, but if they consider it they will have to go through training and Maybe, with the right instructor, reality will set in. If not, I'm not going to waste my time anymore. If you can't educate, run away. I tend to agree with most here that if you invested that much time in a fence sitter you might be able to convert several in the same time.
 
Thank you all for responding.

The REALLY weird thing is, he owns a Ruger 9mm. He used to be a prison guard, and is currently a probation officer. He's been around guns all his life. He is what you would call a know-it-all. I really hadn't noticed it until today. But he thinks he is always right.

The thing that started our little fight today was him giving me a hard time about having so many guns. He asked me why I think that I need so many guns. Why do you need any "assault rifles", he asked. "They're NOT assault rifles", I said bluntly. Then he started making smart-assed jokes about me being some Lee Harvey wannabee, and that I probably belong to a militia.

I may end up cutting him off. I have a hard time remaining friends with someone who doesn't think I should be able to defend myself effectively.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the real kicker of all this. This particular friend of mine always begs me to let him take out my AK and shoot it. He never offers to buy the ammo, or pay me back for using my ammo, and he is trigger-happy. He once shot up over 400 rounds just blasting away at some trees and a river. No targets of any kind. Just shooting to see the bullets hit something. And on top of this, he'll turn around and make fun of me like I'm some paranoid and evil person.

Needless to say, but he'll NEVER again touch one of my guns. With friends like these...
 
I'd dump that guy. You won't win him over, given what you said about him. Also, if push-comes-to-shove someday, you can bet your last bullet that guy will turn you into the KGBATF for their "rewards"

By the way, the word, "need", is not in the Second Article. FWIW. J.B.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by White Devil:
Thank you all for responding.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you the real kicker of all this. This particular friend of mine always begs me to let him take out my AK and shoot it. He never offers to buy the ammo, or pay me back for using my ammo, and he is trigger-happy.

Needless to say, but he'll NEVER again touch one of my guns. With friends like these...[/quote]

I think maybe your definition of "best friend" needs adjusting.
 
Bruels,

You are correct, sir. I've known this guy since early childhood, and always thought him to be my best friend. But after his behavior today, and in the past, I now see who he is very clearly.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>originally posted by sumabich:
One complaint she made was being hasseled by the cops. [/quote]
If she thinks it's bad now, how does she think it will be if they're the only ones with guns??? :eek:
 
Holy Crap batman! He knows about your guns. Before you give him the flying leap, go weird on him. Tell him you've decided to sell all your guns and are considering becomming the poster child for the MMM.
"Warning, Warning, Will Robinson> Danger, Danger. Let me guess he couldn't pass LEO muster so now he asserts himself with the dregs of society. Remember, Barney would turn your butt in, in a heartbeat. Ok, I'm trying to be funny, but this post is gathering serious undertones. Whatever you do BE CAREFUL!
 
White Devil, I note you're relatively new here - welcome to TFL! Where, I'll point out, 99% of our members display more brain cells in 1/2 of an average post than your 'ex' friend appears to do in a day. ;)

All kidding aside, your 'friend' may be salvagable, if you think it is worth a try.

My very best friend in life once told me he wasn't sure he could remain friends with me. It shocked me to the core. The reason? I had served as foreman of a jury that found a 60+ year old fellow guilty of possession of cocaine for sale. My friend knew that I didn't support the so-called 'Drug War', and he told me he didn't think he could be friends with someone who didn't live true to their own life philosophy. He was right, and I was wrong.

From that day on, I decided to take my life philosophies seriously, and to live true to them.

Tell your 'friend' that the RKBA is a serious issue to you. And, you cannot be friends with someone who deals with the RKBA is a hypocritical way. Sounds to me like he doesn't have the intellectual fortitude to handle this, but you may feel it is worth a try.

Good luck. When you take your life philosophies seriously, there is a certain freedom and comfort in such decisions.

Regards from AZ
 
My father-in-law is a strange character himself. He is career military, combat vet from 'nam, and is about as liberal as you get to include anti-self-defence feelings. Of course like a true liberal, he has a .357 Magnum by his bed. It isn't so bad to have liberal relatives, except those who constantly pound it in your head. What is most irritating is that none of the arguements are based in logic but rather catchy slogans, and phrases oft repeated so they know all the really catchy ones.
 
"Me thinks" your friend is accusing you of what he himself feels guilty of. He recognises that he is inherently unstable, and should probably not own weapons. His way of coping with this, is to blame you, and your guns, for his shortcomings. This friend will get you in a lot of trouble some day, mark my words.

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I don't have time for busy people
 
Most police officers never have to draw down on [let alone shoot someone] during thier career.

Explain, that using deadly force is your last option in dealing with any situation, but in today's society it sometimes becomes nessacary to protect yourself and or family members from predators that are amoung the general population.

Futher, [if you want to] tell him that it's a RIGHT that the founding fathers bestowed on each American to have firearms and have the right to defend his or her personal freedom from those that would take from us = life or our liberties with said firearms of your choice.

Use your brain, it's your first and best weapon when confronted by someone or thing. Your buddy has a right to his opinion and if you don't agree.... move on. He might ending up learning the hard way... some people just won't have it any other way. You don't need to justify your actions on why you own guns [or how many] to any person. Getting defensive about this subject makes you look weak to a person with this mindset. YOU know you hold the moral high ground in this situation, even if he does not.
 
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