On Saturday, January 26, when page three of my morning newspaper featured a story about four local homicides, and when people in cities across the country were marching under the banner of \u201cOne Million Moms for Gun Control,\u201d I went to a gun show.<\/p>\n

Actually, it was advertised as a \u201cGun and Knife Show,\u201d but the knives seemed to be an afterthought. Potential customers were urged to \u201cbuy now before the law changes.\u201d \u00a0The place was packed.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I hate guns. I have never owned or shot a gun. No one in my family has guns and, as far as I know, no one has any intention of buying one.<\/p>\n

So why did I go to a gun show?<\/p>\n

I told myself, in my self-righteous way, that I wanted to try to understand the gun culture. While I have often referred to people as \u201cright-wing gun nuts,\u201d I thought I might gain some insight into the way they think and behave. But to be brutally honest about it, \u00a0I thought I would hate the show and dislike the people. Then, I thought, I might write some high-minded piece filled with snarky comments that would convince people that gun violence has gotten out of hand here.<\/p>\n

The snark got off to a good start. My husband remarked that I had the only Prius on the parking lot. I retorted that it was fitting that the gun show was held in a hall next door to a Target store.<\/p>\n

Then I paid my $8, walked into a hall where the testosterone was so thick it could have been bottled, found an older gentleman with a collection of arms that I could confront, and….I fell in love with a gun.<\/p>\n

You cannot know how it astonishes me to write those last seven words.<\/p>\n

Wayne (we were quickly on a first-name basis) could easily tell that I didn\u2019t have a clue about what I was looking at. Because I\u2019m an older woman, and petite, he figured out that I probably didn\u2019t want an AK-47. He directed me to case where pistols were displayed, commenting that I was probably looking for something \u201cfor personal protection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then he placed in my hand a Walther 40-calibre handgun that cost $675.<\/p>\n

It was the most seductive thing I\u2019ve ever held.<\/p>\n

Just the right size. Just the right weight. I felt powerful, calm, and in total control.<\/p>\n

Wayne urged me to take a picture of the gun with my cell phone, which I did.<\/p>\n

When the camera clicked, my brain woke up. \u201cThis,\u201d I thought, \u201cis a gateway gun. This is how people become \u2018gun enthusiasts.\u2019 If holding one gun in a gun show can make me feel so good, just imagine how a collection of weapons could make me feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wayne would have sold me that Walther in a heartbeat, with no background check required because the gun is a part of his private stash. My astonished spouse grabbed my arm and dragged me away to view some assault rifles, which, fortunately, I did not lust after.<\/p>\n

There were other things about the gun show that surprised\/annoyed\/disgusted me: a table full of books, with titles such as \u201cThe Shooter\u2019s Bible,\u201d; specially-crafted fabric cases designed to carry assault rifles, with as many as a dozen pouches where ammunition can be carried, proudly proclaiming \u201cMade In The U.S.A\u201d; a brand of handgun for women that comes in a variety of colors, including lavender, raspberry and teal, and a small single-shot bolt-action rifle encased in pink plastic with \u201cMy First Rifle\u201d stamped on it.<\/p>\n

I was surprised that the gun sellers were so easy to talk to and so eager to answer my questions. I was amazed that so many of the young men who were obviously shopping wanted to get into the conversation. I was disturbed because so many people seemed convinced that the government is determined to take away their guns. And I was absolutely dumbfounded when, in a place where I was convinced that I would not know a soul, a loud voice called out, \u201cHey! Aren\u2019t you Barbara?\u201d It belonged to a man I had not seen in more than 30 years; we used to work together at a local hospital.<\/p>\n

After this afternoon\u2019s experience, what can I say about guns? I still hate them, despite my desire for the Walther, because I think their only purpose is to kill or injure others. I still think that the world would be a better, safer place if assault rifles and large-capacity magazine clips were banned. I still think that background checks for every gun purchaser should be required. I think gun buy-back programs are a good idea; I think conceal-carry legislation is a terrible idea. I think that organizations like the NRA have fomented fear among gun-owners and have created a climate to fuel paranoia. And if I ever have to choose between One Million Moms For Gun Control and a seductive little pistol that feels so good in my hand…..I\u2019ll stick with the moms.<\/p>\n

But today, I do understand a little better, and I wonder if there might be common ground for common sense gun control.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Saturday, January 26, when page three of my morning newspaper featured a story about four local homicides, and when people in cities across<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":100,"featured_media":21733,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1656,119,1528,834],"tags":[1510,1875,31],"yoast_head":"\n