My liberal sister-in-law is visiting from North Carolina

[East_TN_Patriot]

We've argued about guns for over 2 hours. Overheard in my living room:

"Yeah, but why does anyone NEED a gun?"

"Well that may be what the statistics say, but I just think nobody NEEDS a gun. They are killing machines."

"Yeah, that may be true that more kids drown in swimming pools, but those are used for good things too. All a person would use a gun for is to kill someone or some innocent animal."

"I just think that the only reason someone would own a gun is because they have a power trip and like the thought of killing someone."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!

[Erik88]

Some people refuse to change their mind no matter how much evidence you throw their way. It's not even worth arguing about.

Recently my professor brought up the fact that they voted against campus carry. He was very happy about it. It was really really hard for me to keep my mouth shut. I was fuming.

[dats82]

Taking her shooting and show her your collection. Maybe she will see that it is a safe, fun time. If not, maybe she will at least be in fear for her life and will shut the hell up while she is in your house.

Jk about that last part obviously. Good luck trying to argue emotion with logic. I never have been able to have that work out.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I've had plenty of those types of discussions with my liberal brother. It's actually fun

because I can make him run out of phrases every time he tries. you know, the liberal

stock phrases they al seem to use, like your sis-in-law does. Enjoy it while you can.

[hipower]

My condolences. I've had that scenerio. You rarely win with them.

[Guest Drewsett]

Thankfully two out of the three liberal members of my family are firearm owners themselves. One of the few subjects I don't really have to worry about arguing with them over. Regardless, I feel your pain.

[NRA]

:wall::wall::wall:

[vontar]

Just ask her who will get the criminals to turn over their guns?

Or better yet.

http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/general-off-topic/47351-why-carry-gun.html

I really like the part

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY

PEOPLE ASK WHY?

Why Carry a Gun?

My old grandpa said to me 'Son, there comes a time in every man's life when he stops bustin' knuckles and starts bustin' caps and

usually it's when he becomes too old to take an ass whoopin.'

I don't carry a gun to kill people.

I carry a gun to keep from being killed.

I don't carry a gun to scare people.

I carry a gun because sometimes this world can be a scary place.

I don't carry a gun because I'm paranoid.

I carry a gun because there are real threats in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I'm evil.

I carry a gun because I have lived long enough to see the evil in the world.

I don't carry a gun because I hate the government.

I carry a gun because I understand the limitations of government.

I don't carry a gun because I'm angry.

I carry a gun so that I don't have to spend the rest of my life hating myself for failing to be prepared.

I don't carry a gun because I want to shoot someone.

I carry a gun because I want to die at a ripe old age in my bed, and not on a sidewalk somewhere tomorrow afternoon.

I don't carry a gun because I'm a cowboy.

I carry a gun because, when I die and go to heaven, I want to be a cowboy.

I don't carry a gun to make me feel like a man.

I carry a gun because men know how to take care of themselves and the ones they love.

I don't carry a gun because I feel inadequate.

I carry a gun because unarmed and facing three armed thugs, I am inadequate.

I don't carry a gun because I love it.

I carry a gun because I love life and the people who make it meaningful to me.

Police protection is an oxymoron.

Free citizens must protect themselves.

Police do not protect you from crime, they usually just investigate the crime after it happens and then call someone in to clean up the mess.

Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

**********************************************

A LITTLE GUN HISTORY

In 1929, the Soviet Union established gun control. From 1929 to 1953, about 20 million dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

------------------------------

In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

------------------------------

Germany established gun control in 1938 and from 1939 to 1945, a total of 13 million Jews and others who were unable to defend themselves were rounded up and exterminated.

------------------------------

China established gun control in 1935. From 1948 to 1952, 20 million political dissidents, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

------------------------------

Guatemala established gun control in 1964. From 1964 to 1981, 100,000 Mayan Indians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

---- ------------- -------------

Uganda established gun control in 1970. From 1971 to 1979, 300,000 Christians, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

------------------------------

Cambodia established gun control in 1956. From 1975 to 1977, one million educated people, unable to defend themselves, were rounded up and exterminated.

-----------------------------

Defenseless people rounded up and exterminated in the 20th Century because of gun control: 56 million.

------------------------------

You won't see this data on the US evening news, or hear politicians disseminating this information.

Guns in the hands of honest citizens save lives and property and, yes, gun-control laws adversely affect only the law-abiding citizens.

Take note my fellow Americans, before it's too late!

The next time someone talks in favor of gun control, please remind them of this history lesson.

With guns, we are 'citizens'. Without them, we are 'subjects'.

During WW II the Japanese decided not to invade America because they knew most Americans were ARMED!

If you value your freedom, please spread this anti gun-control message to all of your friends.

The purpose of fighting is to win.

There is no possible victory in defense.

The sword is more important than the shield, and skill is more important than either.

The final weapon is the brain.

All else is supplemental.

SWITZERLAND ISSUES EVERY HOUSEHOLD A GUN!

SWITZERLAND'S GOVERNMENT TRAINS EVERY ADULT THEY ISSUE A RIFLE.

SWITZERLAND HAS THE LOWEST GUN RELATED CRIME RATE OF ANY CIVILIZED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD!!!

IT'S A NO BRAINER!

DON'T LET OUR GOVERNMENT WASTE MILLIONS OF OUR TAX DOLLARS IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE ALL LAW ABIDING CITIZENS AN EASY TARGET.

I'm a firm believer in the 2nd Amendment!

[Guest friesepferd]

Well ya, I may very well get raped in killed or watch my children be slain before me, but that is no reason for me to have the ability to protect myself and them...

[Guest friesepferd]

Thats always what I ask people when they don't like that I have a gun.

"If you saw your daughter/son/wife/etc being raped/tortured/killed in front of you by a mad man, and all of a sudden a gun appeared in your hands and you knew how to use it, what would you do"

If they tell me they would shoot the person, then its simple. I tell them that I never want that to happen, but if it ever does, I want that gun to be in my hand and I want to know how to use it. Because otherwise it wont be. Otherwise I will be more or less helpless to watch my daugther, etc die in front of me, and I wouldn't be able to live with that, knowing I could have done something.

If they tell me that they would run away, drop the gun, not shoot him, etc. Then I simply tell them that I pitty them and their child/wife/etc, and that if that is their stance then that is okay, but if that were to ever happen to me, I would have to defend them.

[G27]

I usually just hit them with this:

You're sitting at your kitchen table when a crazed man kicks in your front door. He sees you and runs towards you wielding a knife with an 8" blade. You have a cell phone and a gun sitting on the table in front of you but you can only grab one - which do you grab?

They can 'yeah but' all they want after that, but either answer and the argument is over: either they are willing to die for their beliefs (in which case discussing it further is silly), or they will react as most every human on the planet would and defend themselves (so further argument is moot).

[vontar]

It comes down to

Survival is the base of the pyramid of human needs.

[Jonnin]

We've argued about guns for over 2 hours. Overheard in my living room:

"Yeah, but why does anyone NEED a gun?"

"Well that may be what the statistics say, but I just think nobody NEEDS a gun. They are killing machines."

"Yeah, that may be true that more kids drown in swimming pools, but those are used for good things too. All a person would use a gun for is to kill someone or some innocent animal."

"I just think that the only reason someone would own a gun is because they have a power trip and like the thought of killing someone."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!

:wall:

No one needs a baseball bat either, its a killing machine in the hands of a thug, and using it for fun is unimportant to society as a whole.

Guns are used for hunting food (you must eat to live).

Guns are used in a variety of sports, during which no one is killed, just like a baseball bat.

All my guns combined have killed less people than 1 of ted kennedy's cars.

The government refuses to assign 24 hour police protection to me, and if I am attacked by someone with a knife, they will kill me as I am not very strong and getting older. My gun keeps me safe from the criminals that liberals let out of jail instead of executing.

You get the picture. Be creative. But the sporting one is the one to drive home: guns are fun to shoot, many people enjoy the sports (skeet, bullseye, or just plinking, and more), and those sports are safe, no one is killed during the events. More people die each year in car accidents than have in the past century due to accidents at skeet shooting events, for example.

A gun is only used to kill someone in 2 cases: 1) a criminal who needs to be executed gets one and does harm (the same guy could run someone down with a car, knife someone, beat someone to death with a guitar, strangle someone with an electric plug, burn someone to death with a can of gas, and more), and 2) an honest person putting a stop to someone like the criminal in #1. You can counter her gun control laws by saying we need more police, better enforcement of laws, harsher punishments, and so forth. If the liberals were doing their jobs with police and enforcing the existing gun control laws (the ones that prevent all ciminals from having any guns), we wouldnt need to carry handguns, but they are failing badly and a lot of bad guys are out there so we have to allow guns so honest folks can get a fair chance.

All that aside, why do we need free speech? Why do we need the right to assemble? Why do we need the right to vote? Why is gun ownership any different from any other right? I thought liberals were all about protecting the rights of the people, they are all the time crying out over free speech (horrid anti USA "art" for example), whats the difference?

Just random thoughts. You will never change the mind of someone who watches liberal media and buys into the "guns are killing machines" propaganda. The best you can do is challenge her to come shoot one at a range for fun, at a paper target. Take a target 22, and do some fun stuff like shoot at a jug full of water to make it jump or a spinner metal target, etc. Make it *fun* and talk about how much fun you are having and how its a personal challenge to improve your marksmanship, something you can always get better at as you practice and enjoy the sport.

[Steelharp]

I feel your pain, bro, only it's my sister... one of the three people that watches MSNBC and thinks Rosie is a great, smart woman.

[Gun Smith]

I carry a gun and don't tell liberal wackos. If I don't ever need it, we'll both be happy. If I happen to need it, I'll be happy I had it (sad I had to use it). If I happen to need it and by chance it helps them, we'll both be happy I had it. No matter, I'll always be happy.

[peejman]

Agree to disagree and move on. Neither of you is ever going to change the other's mind. It's not worth the aggravation.

[Guest WyattEarp]

We've argued about guns for over 2 hours. Overheard in my living room:

"Yeah, but why does anyone NEED a gun?"

"Well that may be what the statistics say, but I just think nobody NEEDS a gun. They are killing machines."

"Yeah, that may be true that more kids drown in swimming pools, but those are used for good things too. All a person would use a gun for is to kill someone or some innocent animal."

"I just think that the only reason someone would own a gun is because they have a power trip and like the thought of killing someone."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!

you know you can always exercise your rights to legally "defend" yourself......

[Guest mikedwood]

I usually just hit them with this:

You're sitting at your kitchen table when a crazed man kicks in your front door. He sees you and runs towards you wielding a knife with an 8" blade. You have a cell phone and a gun sitting on the table in front of you but you can only grab one - which do you grab?

They can 'yeah but' all they want after that, but either answer and the argument is over: either they are willing to die for their beliefs (in which case discussing it further is silly), or they will react as most every human on the planet would and defend themselves (so further argument is moot).

Hummm.... defend myself or get an awesome video to upload to youtube. Man that's a tough one!

I haven't had much discussion with liberals about guns lately. I feel for ya, I really do.

[1gewehr]

"So, you would rather see a woman raped and killed in an alley than have her defend herself?"

"Don't you love your children? Aren't they worth defending?"

"Don't you believe in your right to 'Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness'? Well, if you do, then you have to believe that you also have the right to PROTECT your life and liberty."

"You're afraid of guns? Well if you are being attacked, don't call a cop. He'll have a gun!"

[daddyo]

Isn't it fun to have stupid people as relatives?

In my case, it's a liberal sister and her liberal daughter. Sister told me last Christmas she didn't want me carrying in her house. I said that's fine; she won't have to worry about me setting foot in her house ever again, because I wasn't disarming. She also said she didn't want me carrying in my parents house around her grandchildren. However, it's not her house, and Dad says it's OK, so.....

TOUGH TOENAILS, SIS!!!!!

[Guest friesepferd]

and dont worry about it. she doesnt need to agree with you.

my mom cried the first time i told her i went to the range and shot a gun.

she about fainted when she found out i got my carry permit (parents opened my mail b/c i was off at college.. long story).

she ran out of the house screaming when she realized I had brough my gun into the house.

... having said that, she now at least pretends to support my 'hobby'. and I make it a point to not let he know that I am carrying when I am by her.

[East_TN_Patriot]

Yup, she basically has constructed a reality around her own limited life experience and when confronted with facts (such as government statistics, academic literature, etc.) she will just simply substitute her reality and say that she doesn't believe that. It's maddening! I've tried several times to drop it, but she continues to bring it back up. She's seen my gun collection and "doesn't understand why anyone needs that many guns or guns that will shoot so many bullets." I point to the BJS crime data that over 90% of gun-related homicides are the result of gang activity, not average law-abiding gun owners. She says that she just doesn't believe the data and nobody she knows owns a gun unless they are crazy and want to kill someone. Of course, she argues about everything. You could say the sky is blue, she'd say it's green, and no matter how much you try, she'll swear it's green.

[East_TN_Patriot]

OH... SWEET MOTHER OF ALL THAT'S GOOD AND HOLY... she's all into the Al Gore "global warming" BS, but is now talking about buying a Ford Expedition because she needs the extra space when she drives around town. GAH!

[Jonnin]

OH... SWEET MOTHER OF ALL THAT'S GOOD AND HOLY... she's all into the Al Gore "global warming" BS, but is now talking about buying a Ford Expedition because she needs the extra space when she drives around town. GAH!

You cannot cure stupid. Biggest laugh I had a couple of years ago was a big, expensive SUV with a bumper sticker "more green, less bush" or some similar garbage. Just keep repeating to yourself that the average IQ is actually quite low, its a bell curve, and nothing you can do or say will change that, and you will feel better.

[Guest friesepferd]

She says that she just doesn't believe the data and nobody she knows owns a gun unless they are crazy and want to kill someone.

ZOMG! You must be crazy and want to kill someone.

wait... them I must be too... hmmmm.