I have followed the gun debate with some interest.  I am Texan and have lived with guns my whole life.  I also have children and estblished the same house rules for my own kids that my parents established when I grew up.

My mother had a few hard and fast rules. Ammo was NOT to be kept with guns at home.  Treat EVERY gun as if it’s loaded, even if  you unloaded it yourself.

My Mom and Grandma ALSO taught me that no woman should permit a gun in her house that she did not know how to use and care for. Dad taught me how to shoot and when to shoot.  He cautioned me never to point a gun at a man unless I intended to shoot to kill.  The thought was indeed a little daunting, but he told me that if the man was only wounded, he would kill me.

My daughter works in a bad section of a large city. She asked me once if she should get a pistol to carry in her purse. I replied that yes, she did have the right — but she needed to understand that in order to carry the pistol, she’d need to be prepared to kill somebody with that pistol. She settled on mace instead, and things have worked out nicely.

In other words, Guns are NOT toys.

So, what do I need a gun for? Well, if one of those strange noises at night does indeed prove to be an intruder that my basset hound can’t take care of, I have a shotgun.  Also, since I live in Texas, which is a Castle Domain State, bad guys can pretty much assume that homeowners are indeed armed and would not hesitate to defend their property.  We have very few home invasions, and almost no car jacking. And, living in a place where almost anyone could be packing, folks are just a tad more polite. She can also  clean a gun with grace and alacrity. [FIFY. – Ed.]

What don’t I need a gun for? I do not need to overthrow the government. That’s what my BALLOT is for. I’m not a hunter, and I have no plans to rob a bank or a 7/11.

Finally, owning a gun exercises an Amendment Right. It is a mark of trust from our Founding Fathers.

And, thanks to Erick for helping me sign in back home to Red State.