Could You Do It?

I wanted to write this now while the thoughts are running in my mind.

If you had a gun in your hand, could you shoot someone?

Recently, a young friend of mine has been thinking about purchasing a handgun. He is a twenty three year old, single guy and he has a regular full time job. He dates and has had some intense relationships that lasted for months at the most. But recently he has made a new best friend who is married and has his own handgun. Together they have gone to a shooting range and spent some time at target practice. When I asked my friend what he wanted with a gun, his reply was vaguely about personal protection and about "everyone" owns a gun.

I think he has a glamorized view of how owning a gun would offer personal protection. From movies to music and TV shows, I think he has formed an idea of good versus evil and he wants to be the protecter of the good guys, especially if they are the "underdogs". I have never bought into the idea of everyone needing to own a hand gun for personal protection. But I have always lived as part of a family who cared for and supported each other. I was a child in my parents' home and felt safe. I was a parent in my own home and felt it was safer to not have guns around any child in my home. Is it really an issue of safety? Do you feel safer if you own and can shoot your own gun?

I recently asked a girlfriend of mine if she could ever shoot any other person. She said yes, she could, given the right circumstances. I never have believed I could, in any situation, try to kill another person. I remember saying many times that even if the gun was in my hand and I was feeling threatened, I just would not, or rather could not shoot it. I want to believe that I will never have to actually make that kind of choice.

Today I was reading a fiction story about a mother who did shoot someone, to protect a family member. It was a powerfully emotional roller coaster. And I was so caught up in it, that I was tearful and left to wonder. Could that be possible. Could I shoot someone? Could you do it?

Comments: 10

Audrey F. Jun 16, 2007, 2:58pm EDT

As your girlfriend said, given the right circumstances ( if my life were in serious danger from another person, for example), yes, I could shoot someone, to hopefully wound them so I could escape and get help. Shooting to kill is a completely different question for me. It would take something really extreme, like someone trying to hurt or kill one of my loved ones, for me to even consider shootin to kill. I hope I never have to find out what I would actually do, Deb!!!!

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De (It takes a pillage to raze a village.) M. Jun 16, 2007, 5:00pm EDT

I have a Sig 9mm. But I don't carry it around. I think it gives a false sense of security. I'd rather depend on caution, good planning, and being aware of my surroundings to avoid dangerous situation where I might need to defend myself.

However, if it came down to it, I would shoot an attacker. I would have to be cornered to shoot, though. If at all possible I would RUN! Once you shoot somebody it changes your life forever.

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Andrea "slackermom" R. Jun 16, 2007, 8:01pm EDT

Absolutely, I could.

However, I have children at home and we don't own any guns. There are way too many accidents with guns and children. I doubt I would own a gun even if we didn't have children. I have way too bad a temper and most of the neighbors would be dead by now.

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Elsie Duggan Jun 17, 2007, 12:15pm EDT

Well, we always had a gun in our home, my husband was a police officer, but even after he retired we kept it for several years. He just liked having it I think. But could I shoot someone, well, if it would save someone I really loved and perhaps to protect my own life if I were being attacked, I would try not to kill someone, but might if I had the gun in my hand, just pull the trigger. Never really thought about it, but self preservation and survial is an instinct built in to every living thing.

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Crystal R. Jun 18, 2007, 6:31pm EDT

I second what a lot of people are saying...I could shoot someone to save my children, without a doubt. But I, too, would hope that it would be a wounding shot and not a fatal one.

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dianne j. Jun 19, 2007, 2:23pm EDT

Interesting question, Deb. I, like most respondents, would shoot to protect my life or the life of a loved one. The interesting responses to me are those who say they would shoot to wound, rather than kill. If the aggressor was not armed, would it be necessary to shoot at all? Woudln't the threat of shooting be enough? And if the aggressor WAS armed, would it be wise to shoot to wound? A wounded person can still shoot a gun.

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Luna Rushdi Jun 20, 2007, 6:49am EDT

hmm, tough question Deb. I have never been in a situation that extreme where I would be driven to shoot anyone. I think it's one of those situations where you can't actually say what you would do until you face it. It also depends a lot on the personality of an individual.

As for owning guns, I think it is a side effect of glorifying war. Specially the infamous war against terrorism. Basically brain washing people to feel that terror can stop terror. Day after day of this is capable of swaying our thoughts and manipulating our actions. I think owning a gun makes you less safe in many ways. I will probably post something on this topic someday, now that you have got me thinking.

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Luna Rushdi Jul 7, 2007, 5:53pm EDT

This kind of stories really make me cringe. The poor boy.

Also news like school yard outrage where one student gets angry at the entire system and shoots a school full of children is becoming more and more frequent nowadays. Time to take a step back and really think. What this generation is growing up with are never stopping news of wars and violence, the computer games are about wars and killing and chasing.. so many movies about war heroism.. violence is the norm nowadays. On top of all these, to have a gun handy in the house? What can be more unsafe than that?

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Kylee **Queen of Karaoke** S. Aug 13, 2007, 4:22pm EDT

What an interesting article. There were never guns in my house growing up, and we do not currently own any. We have always keep our doors locked and our heads up and we have been fine. As for what I would do, well, I still have a lot to think about, as it is a very complex issue, and one that needs a lot of thought.

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Marilyn is looking for whatever there is. N. Jan 21, 2008, 5:54am EST

Hmmmm..... we don't have a gun or a permit for one, but if I "did" have one, with a permit and knew what I was doing with it; if I was in a situation that I saw no other way out of, such as seeing another person getting attacked and not being able to stop it, or trying to keep my own life, I'd consider the last, self-defense and the first, saving a life, so yes, I'd do it.
Good thought-provoking question.
Marilyn

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Could You Do It?

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