{"id":114740,"date":"2019-08-27T09:56:17","date_gmt":"2019-08-27T13:56:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=114740"},"modified":"2019-08-27T09:56:17","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T02:59:07","slug":"pick-your-battles-dealing-with-the-anti-gun-crowd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/pick-your-battles-dealing-with-the-anti-gun-crowd\/","title":{"rendered":"Pick Your Battles: Dealing With the Anti-Gun Crowd"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Editor\u2019s Note:\u00a0<\/strong>The following is a syndicated article by author Beth Alcazar that first appeared in USCCA\u2019s Concealed Carry Magazine Volume 14, Issue 6, August\/September 2017 under the title, \u201cPick Your Battles: Dealing with the Anti-Gun Crowd.\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have several friends and family members who are not fans\nof firearms. I also know many people who are somewhat OK with the idea of\nowning guns but who are not very supportive of concealed carry permit holders.\nAnd then there are folks who are completely against everything having to do\nwith guns or the 2nd<\/sup> Amendment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s possible some of these people are misguided. Maybe a\nfew have had a bad experience or encounter in the past. Perhaps this crowd is\nblinded by the misinformation and lies spread through movies, TV and social media.\nOr maybe they just don\u2019t know (or even care about) the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whatever the case might be, we all know someone from the anti-gun crowd. He or she could be from work or\u00a0church, in our circle of friends or even within the walls of our own homes. And I have people ask me all the time how to reach those kinds of people or what to do if and when they encounter anti-gun folks in person or online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undoubtedly, it\u2019s different for every unique person in every\nunique situation, and I don\u2019t have all the answers. But there are definitely\nsome points to keep in mind when interacting with someone who is unsure about \u2014\nor even completely against \u2014 your right to keep and bear arms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get the Facts Straight<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My first recommendation for anyone is to do some research. People\nwho are against guns and gun ownership often quote \u201cfacts\u201d and \u201cstatistics\u201d\nthat stretch the truth, hide the truth or ignore the truth altogether. It\u2019s\nimperative that gun owners seek out reliable resources and do some of their own\npreparation and investigation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides utilizing articles, videos and posts from the USCCA, I highly recommend looking through the website of the Crime Prevention Research Center<\/a>, an organization that is dedicated to providing quality research on guns, gun ownership, crime and public safety. You can also double-check crime statistics and records about injuries, homicides, suicides and firearm-related deaths online through the Centers for Disease Control<\/a> and Prevention (CDC) and even via the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)<\/a>. Arm yourself with solid information and research so you can have your facts and statistics straight, so you can recognize when things aren\u2019t quite right and so you can share valid and trustworthy data with others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Get Too Emotional<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

People who are against firearms might let the emotions flow.\nThey might cry. They might get angry and yell. They might even try to blame you\nand all gun owners for the deaths of innocent children. Unfortunately, there\nare many tragic stories about terrible people who have done terrible things\nwith guns. It can be easy to get caught up in emotions, but don\u2019t let that get\nthe best of you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You cannot effectively defend yourself or share your\ndecisions without first having a healthy emotional state, along with a logical,\ncritical state of mind. It\u2019s certainly fine to experience and express your\nfeelings. Emotions can even serve as very powerful and persuasive motivators,\nbut don\u2019t let feelings take over. Equally importantly, don\u2019t use emotions for\nmanipulation; use them for motivation. Gut reactions, revenge and blanket\naccusations are not going to win a debate or an argument. The only true\nsolutions are exposure, education and logic. So be sure to do your best to\ncommunicate carefully, cautiously, rationally and reasonably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Patronize or Belittle <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of us have probably heard the old adage: \u201cYou can catch\nmore flies with honey than vinegar.\u201d In other words, we all know that it\u2019s\neasier to engage \u2014 and even persuade \u2014 someone with polite requests and a\npositive attitude than with rude demands and negativity. This is definitely\ntrue for the topic of firearms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Others might be more inclined to listen to you and accept \u2014\nor even adopt \u2014 your values if you are considerate and respectful. You can be\nfirm and unwavering, but you don\u2019t have to hammer everyone to get your point\nacross. Be assertive instead of aggressive. And even if the conversation gets\nyou frustrated, take the higher road. Yelling and arguing won\u2019t get you\nanywhere, and telling a person he or she is stupid, whiny or scared will likely\nnot win anyone over to our side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t Bring up Politics <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll never win the political battle. Ever. The parts of\nthe brain that actively engage when dealing with the subject of politics are\ndirectly linked to the areas of the brain that help define who we are. That\u2019s\nhow serious people are about their political leanings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPolitical beliefs are like religious beliefs in the respect\nthat both are part of who you are and important for the social circle to which\nyou belong,\u201d said Jonas Kaplan, assistant research professor of psychology at\nthe Brain and Creativity Institute at USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and\nSciences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consequently, with regards to politics, most people are\nhighly unlikely to change their political beliefs, no matter what you do or\nwhat you say. And if you challenge them, they are more likely to shut down or\nbecome even more convinced that they are right \u2026 and you are wrong. Aside from\nthat, the 2nd<\/sup> Amendment should not even be a political battle in the\nfirst place. It\u2019s not a Republican thing. It\u2019s not a Democrat thing. It belongs\nto all Americans and all parties. It\u2019s a natural right protected by the\nConstitution, and the Constitution should not be up for debate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Expose Them to the Positive Side <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re living in a world full of fake news, internet trolls\nand out-of-control opinions. That, along with simple, fast and immediate access\nto social media outlets, has created plenty of bad examples of firearms usage.\nIn addition, there are plenty of organizations out there spreading anti-gun\npropaganda. Keep away from these negative sources. And if you can\u2019t eliminate\nthem, at least try to balance them or challenge them with good sources. Share\nlinks to articles about those who have saved lives (their own or others) with\nguns. Post supportive memes showing safe and responsible gun ownership. I\u2019d\nhighly recommend leaving a copy or two of Concealed Carry Magazine<\/em>\naround for folks to check out. Look for positive and helpful images, ideas,\narticles and videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, don\u2019t be afraid to share the stories you know. I have\na lot of friends who have been through some remarkable experiences that testify\nto the importance and the significance of our 2nd<\/sup> Amendment right. I\ncan also, of course, share my own personal accounts \u2026 and share my three most\nimportant reasons to have a tool for protection: my children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Take Them to the Shooting Range<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This might sound counterproductive. I mean, who wants to\nbring the \u201cenemy\u201d right into the \u201cstronghold?\u201d But taking a cautious-but-curious,\nwilling individual to the shooting range has worked on numerous occasions for\nmany people. I\u2019ve heard some amazing and encouraging stories of those who\u2019d\nnever picked up a gun try their hand at shooting \u2026 and love it! Except for the\nrogue, emotionally charged extremists looking to give guns a bad name, the\nmajority of non-shooters and non-gun-owners I have taken to the range have\nloved their experiences \u2014 yes, even the liberals and the feminists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just don\u2019t go overboard on the gun or the caliber. You want\nthem to like<\/em> this, remember? Give them something fun to use and\nsomething fun to shoot. Maybe go light with a .22 and let them try a fun game\nof poker or Battleship. Or try using responsive or reactive targets, from steel\nplates to colorful balloons. (I\u2019d advise steering away from anything that looks\nhuman or animal. Don\u2019t start there, as doing so might negate or destroy your\nefforts.) And don\u2019t be afraid to extend follow-up invitations and, if they\u2019re\nreceptive, invite them to classes or training groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Help Them Understand<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Knowledge truly is power, and you can be an unwavering\nresource of information and even training for the anti-gun crowd in your life.\nYou don\u2019t have to force it on anyone, but you can make yourself available to\nhelp with questions or concerns. It\u2019s amazing how quickly a person\u2019s mind can\nchange when he or she realizes that some basic understanding and control can\nmake all the difference in the world when it comes to using a tool like a\nfirearm. And even if someone doesn\u2019t want to own or carry a gun, the least he\nor she can do is learn about it. That way, this person can feel safer and more\nconfident around guns. And, ultimately, if someone can recognize and follow the\nbasics and the safety rules, then we\u2019re all on the right track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be a Good 2A Role Model <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We know that the responsibility of firearms owners is great,\nso don\u2019t ever become too comfortable or complacent with guns. No matter what\nthe situation, it\u2019s important that you live as though people are watching you \u2014\nall the time. Truth be told, they probably are. The anti-gun crowd seems to\nalways be watching for us to mess up or let our guard down. That\u2019s why it\u2019s\nimperative that we stay safe, practice what we preach and stick together. The\nfirearms community should not only stand for the right thing, we should stand\ntogether in unity whenever possible. Most importantly, we must purposefully and\nconsistently model a positive 2A lifestyle; actions speak louder than words, so\nlet your actions always say that you are safely and responsibly armed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sources <\/h2>\n\n\n\n