Sharks with Freakin' Laser Beams Attached to Their Heads

In the Pixar animated film Finding Nemo a clownfish named Marlin and his newly found friend Dory encounter a shark named Bruce. The terrified fish get scooped up by Bruce and taken to an AA-style meeting with a group of sharks who are dedicated to changing the image of sharks start the meeting with the slogan 'Fish are Friends, Not Food'. Even humans have been able to identify the bad rap that sharks get which is why the Discovery Channel dedicates a week of programming to them called Shark Week.

I feel the same about firearms. There are a large majority of people who do not understand firearms at all and just think they are bad, much like sharks. It's like saying that all sharks have freakin' laser beams attached to their heads and they are monstrous killing machines. The story of these sharks is where the name of this blog is derived. It takes some education for people to understand the reality of what its like to own a firearm, and it's no cake walk I assure you. It takes a lot of effort to educate others on firearm laws because the general populace don't actually know what laws currently exist.

Why I Know About Firearm Laws
I wouldn't know about all of the legality surrounding firearms if I didn't have to. It actually saddens me that I know what I do about gun laws, this knowledge comes out of necessity not desire. Most firearm laws are written by morons who don't understand guns at all. What this means is that when you get into the specifics of the laws they can be very difficult for a person who is trying to follow them legally to do so. In many cases law enforcement agencies end up interpreting what they want out of legislation which is what is actually enforced and may not be explicitly stated in the law.

The problem with this is that, as a gun owner, if you want to go look up if it's okay to purchase something and you go and read the actual law you can walk away confused and still unsure, and that is not a good thing. Furthermore, the interpretation of the law by enforcement agencies is often not published so you have to rely on anecdotal evidence by other owners to get a sense of what is actually enforced and legal. This is the main reason why I've learned a lot about certain laws over the years. Being a legal gun owner is not an easy task. I plan on individually addressing some of the nuances surrounding firearm laws so that others can understand what laws are actually in place and help debunk some of the many myths surrounding guns.

I'm Not a Lawyer
This is a disclaimer that I am going to outlay at the very beginning here. I am going to address some legal topics and address what I feel are the correct interpretation of certain laws. Because of the way some laws are worded they can be interpreted in different ways, so be careful. If you ever find yourself having to defend these positions in court using the defense of, 'some guy on the internet said it was okay' is not going to get you very far. So know, I am not a lawyer and don't come crying to me if you find a judge disagrees with me.

Stereotypical Gun Owners
Let's start with one of the first myths about guns and that is the type of people who own them. Liberal media wants you to believe that all gun owners are uneducated murdering rednecks. When I see memes like the one above on Facebook it shows an outright racist view of gun owners. Not only that, but the perception of semi-automatic guns is also false in the above statement, I'll make a separate post about 'automatic firearms' soon enough.

I represent a lot of other owners out there that do not fit into this stereotype. I am primarily a hobbyist shooter who enjoys going to the range infrequently, usually only a few times each year. I strongly believe that it is my personal right to be able to defend myself, my family, and my home. I am an engineer for an electronics manufacturer and take an engineering-style approach and understanding about guns. I have built guns from bare parts. I hand load my own ammunition. I promote gun safety, training, and education. I know a lot of other firearm owners that are just like me. So please, don't relegate the general gun-owning population to this completely inaccurate stereotype.

I'll also say that the people who have conceal and carry permits and carry guns are exactly the people who you want to have this privilege. Every conceal and carry holder I have ever met takes this as a huge responsibility and are well-trained, well-educated individuals who follow all laws like no other.

Firearms Are Our Friends
In the end, there is nothing particularly dangerous about any one style of gun. Guns are tools just like a hammer or chainsaw. They have their purpose, and different guns have different purposes. Tools can be weapons too and can be used for nefarious purposes just like firearms, but that doesn't mean that just because you own one that you will misuse it and use it to harm someone.

The more people who actually understand and get educated on guns means that good legislation about them can be passed that protect the population from criminal activity while at the same time protect legal ownership. This is possible, but it requires and increased understanding by the general population to make this happen. It requires that we stop viewing guns as inherently evil and start treating them like the tools they are. Our country is founded on the idea that individual citizens have the right to protect themselves, especially when the enemy that they need protection from is their own government. This is considered a basic human right in this country only second to the right of free speech. I'm proud that I live in a country where I have that right, and I proudly exercise it legally.