Before going on this [range] trip, I mentioned it to a few of my friends and family. Most of them either didn’t believe me or thought I was joking. When I told them it was true and I was really going to a shooting range, I got a nearly identical response across the board; “You might be the last person I would ever expect to do that.”
This sentiment was one that even I shared myself. I never pictured myself ever holding a gun, let alone setting foot on a shooting range. I would consider myself a strong advocate of gun control, and in general, a person who dislikes guns. However, I am also committed to becoming a more informed sociologist and human being. To better understand the crisis of gun violence and mass shootings, I know that a holistic and multifaceted perspective on gun usage and ownership is essential. Which led me to this course, and subsequently, to the Veteran’s Gun Range of Mocksville, NC.
I entered the range feeling nervous but determined to maintain an open mind. I appreciated that the environment felt supportive and calm. There were multiple things that surprised me throughout our experience; initially, I was surprised by how loud the sound of the guns firing was. I felt my heart rate increase each time a shot was fired. I was also surprised at how heavy the guns were. I had imagined them being able to be carried around and whipped out with ease.
I was surprised by how much effort and precision it took to hit the targets. I have only ever seen guns used in movies, and my perception prior to the visit was that it was relatively easy for anybody to pick up a gun and shoot something in an instant. It took me a few tries to be able to properly line it up. Another surprise came with how quickly I got the hang of using the guns. After firing a few rounds, I started to feel less anxious, and more focused. I felt satisfied when I hit the target multiple times in a row, which I hadn’t expected.
— Amelia Baker in “You Might Be The Last Person I Would Ever Expect to Do That”
That woman is what the Leftist Scum ™ fear above all else, one of their own discovering for herself guns are nothing at all in real life to what she has been ‘programmed’ to believe by ‘her people’.
Dissent cannot be tolerated by them. One of them will feel it is their ‘duty’ to inform everyone they know that is is not on the same team as theirs anymore. It’s a possibility she will have trouble getting jobs in the future because of her ‘treason’…
That’s why they’re so resistant to trying shooting: what if they like it? Then what happens to their ideology at that point? We’ve all invited scaredy cats to the range. Some flatly refuse on false principle, others come and are changed forever.
Sidestepping the Gun Control fear mongers and going to a shooting range is commendable. However until Gun Control is defined for the student by its roots in racism and genocide expect such individuals to continue to fall for Gun Control schemes and vote accordingly.
Her ignorance is a product of her environment and it was left unchecked by the Gun Owners at the range could not define Gun Control by its History for her if their lives depended on it. The trip was close but no cigar.
For you Amelia…
https://youtu.be/WlItbl9SOAg
Well said. Going to a range is a big first step, but to really understand, she’ll need to do a lot more research.
Also why we are trying to keep it as hard as possible to touch a pistol in the first place by requiring a permit to buy, shoot, own or rent. And that doesn’t even cover concealed carry in a lot of counties. With that said Vermont exists see also Pennsylvania for the southern and western NY residents. Central NY…….. good luck with the permit and/or vacation out of state.
“…why we are trying to keep it as hard as possible to touch a pistol in the first place by requiring a permit to buy, shoot, own or rent.”
Are your state gun rights organizations busy right now crafting legal challenges to that bullshit?
If not, they sure need to… 🙂
Nov 30th for the NYSRPA vs Bruin part 2(2.5?) and an unknown number of others scattered around before the new year (the weaker cases being dropped to focus resources on the better ones).
….I just hope with all my heart she is not involved in a future ‘accident’ that seem to befall people who buck the narrative Kinky Joe and his evil acolytes are spewing. Its quite possible this can all end with a legitimate election in November, a peaceful transition or power….
But I doubt it very much.
Ms. Baker wrote, in part: “However, I am also committed to becoming a more informed sociologist and human being.”
The woke left won’t tolerate a sociologist that wants to be more informed. Now, sociologists must pre-judge everything by the values of CRT. Decades ago some of the most celebrated scientists (in the field of sociology and anthropology) were those who were studying primitive cultures and lived among them and lived like them to really understand them. Not so much any more, those cultures unexpectedly have prejudices and beliefs that conflict with Woke theology (Woke people won’t admit it, but Critical Race Theory IS their religion). I think she’ll be disappointed to find that she will face cancellation for trying to understand those who aren’t Woke.
If they want to understand gun violence go to a large city, find out where the black people live, introduce yourself to one or two of the major gangs. Hang out and list to what they have to say and you should be able to figure it out in a few days. Otherwise just enjoy target shooting on the range. Not violence committed with a gun.
That snowflake has no chance of ever becoming a real person. Those brains are already damaged beyond repair.
Alexander,
“Those brains are damaged beyond repair.”
And Miss (or is it Mrs.?) Amelia Baker provided ample evidence of that condition in her own words:
“To better understand the crisis of gun violence and mass shootings, I know that a holistic and multifaceted perspective on gun usage and ownership is essential.”
The crisis is human beings who have embraced evil and decided to harm their fellow human beings. Amelia Baker’s concentration on firearms, usage, and ownership is flat out wrong-headed.
It’s good that students experience life. Those who do not, tend toward educated idiots.
Now the author should likewise investigate the drug addict’s world, the gang banger’s world, and the world that the homeless live in. Spend some time on a farm, and more time in a logging community. Get a well rounded experience as well as an education. A sociologist, huh? Get out and experience society, and you are quite likely to become the master that your former teachers come to for advice.
Any honest sociologist with all that real life experience behind her will have to conclude that guns don’t kill – people kill.
Meh…record numbers of leftards,lowlifes & dims(redundant I’m sure)are “picking up gunz”. Kudos this gal didn’t do a Gersh Kuntsman & have a weenie attack🙄
The author’s mind wasn’t “changed” as we would see it. Notice the focus on learning/reinforcing just how destructive firearms actually are; the statement about guns “killing millions” of people. The only “change” that seemed to impress the author is discovering how some people can enjoy target shooting.
Firing a gun, once, or hundreds of times actually does nothing to inform an anti-gunner on the actual reason for 2A, or the benefit of a firearm for self-defense.
Essentially, the author experienced a lot of noise and flash that didn’t result in destroying the entire building, or the person doing the shooting.
Sam,
Maybe she will go again…..and again.
Most of the time we change slowly, gradually. Our thoughts evolve along a spectrum.
Once in a while we get knocked off our horse by a bright light and a loud sound, blinded, temporarily traumatized, and need to be led as we rapidly metamorphize.
But, most of the time we take our time; we take our time to absorb the change, let it filter into our cells, circulate through or blood, repeatedly flare across our synapses and re-code our metaphysical DNA. With every learning, we evolve.
OK, OK, not everyone…there are some trolls on this blog….
“With every learning, we evolve.”
The most difficult thing for a human to do is brutally assess themselves, and admit they are wrong at the core about something. The next most difficult thing is to take strong action to accept error, and change (this does not include doubling-down or error) in a manner that alters direction in life.
Straight up Sam. You can put that on a monument and it will stand the test of time. About the hardest thing any of us can do is take a long, hard, honest look at ourselves. And then do something about what we see.
“Maybe she will go again…..and again.”
…Which might result in being around people that have different opinions and beliefs. She might be more likely to listen to them after spending time with them and seeing they aren’t bad people. That’s how people are influenced.
This is my thought also. If you follow links, you’ll find a couple essays that other students wrote after their experience, along with some comments. Interesting read, and good on them for going. You can’t clean a fish until you’ve caught it.
” Notice the focus on learning/reinforcing just how destructive firearms actually are;”
Well, now, Sam – that was part of my upbringing. And, I passed that on to my sons. With every one of the rules I taught, I emphasized that a mistake can kill you, or someone else. It’s right there in the rules. Never point a gun at anything that you don’t want to destroy, be it a dog, a moose, a bear, or an upright naked monkey.
“Well, now, Sam – that was part of my upbringing. And, I passed that on to my sons. With every one of the rules I taught, I emphasized that a mistake can kill you, or someone else.”
Big diff between teaching outcomes as safety reinforcement, and focusing on the power of guns as too horrible to allow people to legally possess firearms.
Just like someone who hates bikers says they hate motorcycles. Go ride one on a nice afternoon out in a rural setting and you might change your mind. Yes, there are some mindless cretins that have guns, just like some who have cars and motorcycles and even weedwhackers.
rt66paul,
I recall being a young liberal (high school years), looking down on bikers. Then, in college, I tried a friends motorcycle. Then, I bought one. LOVED it!!! Even delivered Communion to the home-bound from my bike. (A few good stories came from that!). Made biker friends. I was a different person.
A few very scary spills from which I was lucky, VERY, VERY lucky to walk away. So, I sold my bike. Sometimes, I think that was a mistake…but life became busy and I never went back.
Your example using motorcycles was spot-on.
a bike is fun until you lay it down….then came the dawn….
amen to all that and add lawn mowers! i live on a large farm here in NC. the farm next to my outermost hay field was recently bought by new people from out of town who dont really understand country life yet. from the start of spring, every time the new guy mows his yard he mows the road and and then proceeds to mow the first 30 feet of my hayfield even though he has been told not to. some people are mean, some people are morons.
Flag your corners if you know where they are or get a $urveyor to find them for you. That way it’s obvious he’s on your property. If it’s a long line, set stakes or posts along the line.
*misspelled to avoid moderation. What the heck Dan?
“…every time the new guy mows his yard he mows the road and and then proceeds to mow the first 30 feet of my hayfield even though he has been told not to.”
Most farms have a pile of rusty fence stakes, pound a bunch in to hook his mover deck the next time he pulls that stunt… 🙂
recommended viewing….Chevy Chase’s “Funny Farm”….
“Go ride one on a nice afternoon out in a rural setting”
But, the really memorable rides aren’t in pleasant weather. Two shipmates and I went to my home town for Thanksgiving, back in 1982, a nice ~500 mile ride. When it was time to head back to the ship, it was working up to a blizzard. Good times, LOL! We beat the worst of the weather, but we did ride on snow and ice, with temps dipping below 10 degrees F. Imagine the looks we got from motorists on the interstate!!
I commend them for getting outside the comfort zone and practicing their right.
Taking new people to the shooting range for the first time is a lot of fun. I find women to be the best students as they don’t pretend to know it all because they watched a movie or played a video game.
I explain to them all the safety rules, practice dry firing and I always start with a rifle in 22LR, usually with a scope. Usually that hit the center of the target on the first shot, then it simply an effort to get them to do it repeatedly after that. All-in-all it’s a lot of fun.
Even the biggest liberal is surprised by how well they have done, feels safe and has fun. That can’t be a bad thing. I don’t talk about politics with them, just safety and marksmanship.
Then there are the husbands/boyfriends, “Hey little lady, try this 3″ mag 12 GA or this 300 Win Mag”, etc. I’m not sure the point of sabotaging a new shooter, instead of creating a competent marksman? I’ve seen it many times, I guess it’s insecurity on the man’s part or fear that she will exceed his less than stellar abilities.
I’ve brought many women and foreigners to the range for ‘first time’ sessions.
They go from having a ‘fear’ of firearms early in the process to having a ‘respect’ of firearms afterwards.
Those who referred to them as ‘weapons’ quickly realize that’s an incorrect term, as it infers an ‘offensive’ usage. Their new term usually becomes ‘firearms’.
Funny how once they handle a firearm they suddenly understand it’s simply a tool. The good (or evil) always resides in the person holding the tool.
“I’m not sure the point of sabotaging a new shooter,”
Someone mentioned motorcycles already above. We see the same sort of thing with bikes. Some chick has never been on a bike in her life, so some jackanapes puts her on a 650cc crotch rocket, just to watch her get injured.
Idiots everywhere . . .
we had a pretty good shooting team in college…one night I asked who our competition was?…the response was “a bunch of chicks”…chuckled a bit and said “this should be easy…by the way, what do they call themselves?…his response was “the Annie Oakley’s”….[uh, oh]
I have a friend who teaches guns and training for first time women only. He often has a large group for his classes (w/ he, his wife, and adult son). Told me that many times a majority of the classes so enjoyed themselves that they ended up purchasing their own guns and have taken up the sport. And usually most of them had never touched a gun before.
“…they ended up purchasing their own guns and have taken up the sport. And usually most of them had never touched a gun before.”
Seen that same exact reaction myself. It’s empowerment.
And boy, it freaks the Left out something *fierce*… 🙂
Well, it’s fun! Many disciplines to practice each with their own unique skill sets and tiers. I’m sure the constant demonization has sprinkled in a hint of naughtiness for many making it ever more entertaining.
For every “journalist” squatting naked in the shower crying over their blown out shoulders there are thousands of people simply having a good time.
What exactly is a “holistic and multifaceted perspective on gun usage.” I suggest she join the Marines. They will give her all the “holistic” and “multifaceted perspective” she can handle.
Perhaps when Obiden is gone (and wokeism is in retreat).
No, wokeism is far from being in retreat or dead.
It hasn’t even *peaked* yet… 🙂
What do you suspect the peak of wokeism would look like?
Dave see Weimar Republic for an introduction.
wokeism is a bit like whack-a-mole…it just keeps popping-up everywhere…fun to swing that mallet, though….
My thought exactly. I have no idea what that meant. Clearly she thought her intended audience would understand the sentence but I have asked a couple of Millenials and they were as confused as me.
“You can put that on a monument and it will stand the test of time.”
Happy to be here, grateful for the opportunity, proud to serve.
(second blind squirrel moment in the last seven days)
A change of heart must often precede a change of mind. Pride can and will get in the way of changing the mind, but lived experience can slowly and quietly change the heart without the pride noticing.
To me, David Yamane is a hero. He is that rare professor that bucks the herd wisdom of his profession, researches the facts, and then publishes and teaches those facts. He is an excellent observer of humans and their natures. I don’t think he’d like to be labeled as on our side, nor would he want to be ID’d with the gun control crowd. Instead, he’s a classic, true, educator, following the facts wherever they take him. May his tribe increase.
“He is that rare professor that bucks the herd wisdom of his profession, researches the facts…”
Musta missed something. All the facts reported on were guns are heavy, guns are loud, and he could hit the target several times. While those are facts, not sure they constitute a learning moment, nor a potential teaching moment for his students.
“Musta missed something.”
Er, you did. Note the formatting and attribution. It is an excerpt from the essay written by Amelia Baker, one of Yamane’s students who participated in the exercise.
“It is an excerpt from the essay written by Amelia Baker, one of Yamane’s students who participated in the exercise.”
You are correct. I left the “s” off of “she” hit the target.
when you consider the vast amount of ignorance displayed at the beginning it’s a start….
While most of working career was in the big city I was exposed to those who fear and hate firearms. Since my country butt was still enjoying hunting, and shooting sports, I would invite a variety of people to come out to a public range with me. The resistance, or acceptance to that invitation seemed to run along a bell curve. With those who had either very limited education, or those with very high levels of education either refusing to even consider going along to learn something new, or scared of what might happen.
One of my regular shooting partners was a police officer with the ST. Paul PD. So I can understand why some of the less educated might hesitate. And, since he was a black man, I can understand why some of the over educated limousine liberals may have refused to go out.
The most receptive to the invites were those with anything from an H.S. education to Master’s degrees in useable disciplines. Those with liberal arts degrees seldom accepted such an invite.
At the age of 13 I joined the UK Army Cadet Force. In the Army Cadet Force I was instructed in the use of the Service Rifle -at the time the LEE-ENFIELD No4 .303 ,and the BREN .303 LMG. At the age of 16, just before I joined the Royal Air Force as an Aircraft Appentice [Armourer], I passed the UK Army Marksman Examination for Rifle and LMG Standard and got Badged to prove it and that standard was high I can assure you.
But it did not turn me into a rabid pro-gunner even though eventually I did become a Sergeant Smallarms Instructor in the RAF.
But there again I was a professional and not some bloody Rambo wannabe!!
LIAR…
https://youtu.be/u-LBTMi6Xis
And the wind blew, and the s*** flew, and Albert the Lying Ponce of a Fake-Brit, Fake-Military was gone for a day or two. Wanker, at this point, I doubt you’ve ever actually fired a real firearm in your life (else you wouldn’t post blatant idiocy like “no one needs more than 25 rounds”).
You are a pathetic poseur of a poor Potemkin pretend “expert”. Go roger yourself, vigorously, up the arse with a Louisville Slugger, wrapped in barb wire and lubricated with battery acid and habanero juice, you lying t*** of a Fake-Limey.
“I have only ever seen guns used in movies, and my perception prior to the visit was that it was relatively easy for anybody to pick up a gun and shoot something in an instant.”
I’m always befuddled when people admit things like that. I think, “Really, you thought you were getting useful data from a movie?”
Here’s a tip for anyone out there who says things like that: Movies are fiction.
MyName,
You mean “John Wick” isn’t REAL????? Say it ain’t so!!!!
I haz a sadz.
🤣🤣🤣🤣
fiction most of the time…then there’s Alec Baldwin…
“To better understand the crisis of gun violence and mass shootings, I know that a holistic and multifaceted perspective on gun usage and ownership is essential.”
Ok, well this is BS. “gun violence and mass shootings” have nothing to do with “gun usage and ownership” – criminal “gun violence and mass shootings” are about inflicting evil and harm and not about “gun usage and ownership”.
If you want to “better understand the crisis of gun violence and mass shootings” from the criminal you need to face the criminal evil and harm that it is like lawful gun owners have and understand. You are not going to do that on a ‘feel good’ field trip to a shooting range to have an excuse to write an article so you can pretend you know what you are talking about.
Yet here is another sociologists who focuses on the legal gun owner with the excuse it solves the criminal problem and it doesn’t.
You’ve touched on what I think is one of the fundamental disconnects that the anti-gun types have with the pro-gun types. That is: The anti focus on the gun while the pro focus on the person. One would think that a sociology student would be prone to focusing on the person (or, I suppose, the people) but, alas, I guess not. The inability, or unwillingness, on the part of the anti to disconnect the means from the motivation is why the phrase, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people,” rings so true to the pro-gun and is so annoying to the anti-gun. That simple phrase points out, succinctly, that their focus is misplaced. I have had many friends and acquaintances who, when they find out that I am a gun-owner, recoil in horror as if that fact alone makes me suddenly more dangerous or, to use one person’s term, “sketchy”. When I remind them that I am the same person they knew 30 seconds ago, some laugh it off while others cannot seem to leap over that particular hurdle. When they discover that I don’t own just ‘a’ gun but a lot of guns, I push them on their perception that it is the quantity of guns that are the problem in our society. If I, a person who owns many more guns than most people think is “reasonable” or “necessary” but is not killing people with them, how can it be the guns that cause the killing? Some go into brain-lock at that point and some engage in the conversation. A handful have even changed their minds.
The false narrative is a part of the group think in universities nowadays and especially in the humanities courses. The peer pressure is unbelievable.
most mass shooters start out as legal gun-owners…we’re not talking inner-city here…two different things entirely…the left fears what a legit gun-owner might do…not what the stats say they actually do…the idea that 99% never do anything criminal is irrelevant to them…
A large fraction of mass shooters are not “legal gun owners” until they’re well into the planning stages of their rampage. This is a point that needs to be driven home to people like Miss Baker and her friends at school. Don’t fear the people you meet at the range, the killers aren’t lurking there, they’re at your school.
Give the girl a while for her experience to sink in. She mentioned little of the experience, but she didn’t forget those short conversations and people she met at the range. Her last couple of sentences are very telling : “After firing a few rounds, I started to feel less anxious, and more focused. I felt satisfied when I hit the target multiple times in a row, which I hadn’t expected.”
Isn’t that sort of reward what keeps us all going back time after time. B. F. Skinner did it with rats in a box pushing a lever for treats, we do it with bullseyes or broken clays at the range.
“After firing a few rounds, I started to feel less anxious, and more focused. I felt satisfied when I hit the target multiple times in a row, which I hadn’t expected.”
It is prudent to remember, while we welcome everyone into the gun community, that Dims/Socialists/Authoritarians/Leftists are buying guns to defend themselves against us, POTG.
Sam,
And they have as much right to do so as I have to own guns to (in part) defend against them. OTOH, you and I know the difference between “I have a gun, too”, and “I have several guns, have been trained to use them, practice regularly, and understand what is involved in employing a gun for self-defense”.
If dacian the demented and MajorStupidity are examples of “Leftists with guns (allegedly)”???? I like my chances.
shrinking that group is absorbing activity…and while you’re doing it you tend to block everything else out…it’s a pleasant way to seek escapism….
Thank you for keeping an open mind to go to a range to learn about a subject that you knew nothing about, especially as a sociology student. There is a phenomenal uneducated bias (Marxist driven) against anything to do with firearms in the humanities circles. I graduated with a B.A. in Sociology in 1973 before Social Work degrees existed and I currently have an MSW. I, like you, had little to no experience with firearms, except for a second hand BB gun my dad procured. Being a veteran of World War II who lost a brother, my father wasn’t all that excited about having guns in the home so I never really learned about firearms until I was in ROTC in college for two years, leaving it before I had to sign on the dotted line. So I inherited a nervousness about firearms although I wasn’t against them. Then after Obama was elected and I saw through his charade, I truly “woke” (the correct usage of the word) up and bought a revolver 45/410 for snakes and self defense as we lived in the south in the country at that time. By the time Obama left the White House, I had a couple semi-automatics and had lessons on how to use them, now being very comfortable and proficient enough to defend myself and my family if need be. What I learned the most from the whole event is how it’s easy to have an opinion about something without any experience or knowledge on the subject and courage is to seek the truth about something even though we might be uncomfortable about it. I am glad you followed through unlike the large majority of you contemporaries.
Seeking to better understand gun violence and mass shootings by visiting a gun range is rather like trying to understand baby-eating by visiting a synagogue. It implicitly buys into a false narrative about a relationship between the two that does not exist.
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