Liberal writer goes to gun club. Assumes that people who would join a gun club are "must be some kind of militant, gun-toting, camoflauge-wearing guy resembling the offspring of Ted Nugent and G.I. Joe". Not so, it would appear.

...Not a single gun club member looked anything like G.I. Joe or Ted Nugent. In fact, most of the members I met on that second visit were children, and well-behaved children no less.

I was amazed at how seriously the kids took the competition. They were careful with and, most importantly, knowledgeable about their guns and shooting sports. They were also very calm and patient, not like any kids I’d ever seen.

It was also comforting for me to learn that most the people involved in the gun club are not hunters. Most of them are interested only in shooting sports. There were some hunters. All of them, however, had the same concerns I had about guns. They were worried about guns falling into the hands of the wrong people and people owning guns and not learning about how to care for them and use them properly. Though we had different ideas about how to solve these problems, the concern was shared.

After learning a little more myself, I was asked by members of the club if I’d like to try shooting a .22 rifle. I did and, as it turns out, I’m not a bad shot. Members of the club invited me to a ladies’ fun match, at which I placed fourth (out of only nine, two of which tied for second place. The third place winner was only 11-years old.) this past Sunday. As it turns out, shooting a gun accurately takes more concentration than I ever thought. Through this experience I’ve realized that guns are what you make of them. Guns are violent if you use them for violence. I found that it takes a certain amount of serenity and meditation to accurately fire a gun, two things I never thought could be associated with guns.

I walked into that gun club with the worst thoughts about the place and I walked out with a completely different opinion. It never hurts to try to learn a little more about the things you don’t like and the people you don’t agree with, you may find out you didn’t know enough about them to have an opinion in the first place.

All emphasis mine.

That's the problem with people, both flaming liberals and right-wingers - they have preconceived notions about "the other side" and defend those notions at the cost of logic and common sense. I know I'm guilty of it too. We all are. However, it seems that some people make their ignorance their life. To me, this is most apparent when it comes to gun ignorance.

All the gun rights activists I know don't want guns in the hands of criminals. Nobody I know honestly thinks that every single person should be armed to the teeth, only those who are willing to protect themselves. The few people I know who own guns and are hotheads don't have the patience to get a concealed permit and therefor don't carry. And every single person I know who has guns and children do everything in their power to keep them out of reach whenever possible. None of us want criminals using .50 BMG rifles to shoot down planes.

What we differ from anti-gun people is primarily the way we want those things to happen.

Because I honestly believe in what I say, I am always willing to take a non-shooter to the range. I think that once you're exposed to the truth, like Sara, you'll see your misconceptions and walk away with a positive experience.

Hat Tip The Real Gun Guys