Formerly Rapid Anti-Gunner Tells How Coronavirus Changed His View On Guns

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Amidst all this Coronavirus craziness and panic taking hold of (seemingly) everyone, it’s refreshing to get a bit of good news here and there.

So, what is good news to us? Obviously, if you are healthy and able to feed your family, that is great news, but we’re a website about guns, so good news for us also includes a recent article by a formerly rabid anti-gunner who changed their mind about the need for private gun ownership due to the Coronavirus panic around him. Someone by the name of Ilya in Michigan writes,

If you’d have met me three weeks ago, you’d unequivocally know my stance on guns. I was not only against the ownership of AR-15s, I was in the minority of folks who thought all private gun ownership should be illegal.

Fast forward to today: I own a GLOCK 19 Gen5.

I’m still in a bit of disbelief that there is a dangerous weapon in my house: one that more frequently contributes to accidental deaths, violent homicides, and suicides, rather than the romanticized personal protection experiences.

What happened? The world changed overnight and my opinion…evolved.

I’ve always been a strongly opinionated person, but I pride myself on the idea that my beliefs are loosely held. Strong opinions are great, but what you don’t want is to be egotistically blinded by them. I don’t want to be held hostage by a belief that is no longer valid, given new information.

My hat is off to Ilya for doing what so few anti-gun people will do: look at the evidence and change their mind about guns when they see the truth. Ilya continues,

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At about the same time [that I was reading about countries shutting down due to the Coronavirus and supply chains falling apart], I was chatting with friends who are gun owners and they mentioned the long lines at gun shops. People were buying out all of the guns and ammo. But instead of my typical reaction of “guns are bad and those people are crazy,” my mind started wondering about all of the tail risk possibilities during this event.

What happens when food supply chains fail? What if my area becomes unsafe? Do I need to learn how to hunt? With what? Will civil unrest break out?

People will do anything they can to ensure the survival of themselves and their families. Our preparedness models are based on past assumptions of stability and civil obedience. But we’re in an uncharted territory.

The question I asked myself: What do I need to do to feel safe and protect my family?

I called my friend, who advised me that for personal protection, I should get a handgun. The next day, I walked into a store I never thought I’d set foot in. The line was long. I patiently waited while periodically watching the Fox News station on TV.

The store employees were all armed — very stern, but also very nice. I’ve never felt as safe around so many firearms. That’s when I filled out the background check form and I bought my first gun.

This former anti-gunner gets it: it’s about protecting yourself and your family from people who are dangerous and without scruples. And that is why private gun ownership needs to be legal everywhere at all time.

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22 COMMENTS

  1. Wish more civilians would realize that guns are used for self protection and not how the media portrays them. Hope the citizens vote accordingly for pro gun candidates. When the S.H.T.F. it will be too late. Lets not be too late but safe and not sorry. Church Pastors better realize that God gave us guns for self preservation.
    VOTE TRUMP! VOTE REPUBLICAN! VOTE in 2020!

  2. This is what anti-guns people don’t know! No Police officer or military going to protect you if it happens in your area. So we true Patroit AMERICANS know that Northam and Bloomberg are breaking the CONSTITUTION LAWS of the second amendment. Who going keep you and your family safe? CRIMINAL don’t care about laws! Food is out at store, you will not be able to stop a group of hungry mob!

    • Right on, Wyatt! In fact, ruled decades ago that police have no obligation to protect any individual, just the “Pubic at large.” What does that mean? For openers it means solving the crime afterward. Their sidearms are for their own protection. Basically, it also means that we are on our own regarding self-protection.

      A gun in the hand is worth more than the entire police department on the phone. Whwn seconds count, the police are minutes away. Or longer.

  3. As a former FFL, I sold many guns to people who had never owned one. I will say to all who come to the conclusion that the 2nd Amend, is for WE, THE PEOPLE, CONGRATULATIONS!!! I also would take EXTRA time to educate the person on the mechanics of the piece, because they are the ones who needed more time to familiarise themselves with one. I never wanted to read that one of my customers hurt themselves or someone else through ignorance of the weapon’s mechanics. If you have purchased your first gun, and it is used, go online and look up your model and you will be able to read all about the features of it, if it is new study the manuel, and if you have children, keep it locked up in a safe and central location, or on your person at all times. If you don’t have children, keep it where you can get it quick, or again, on your person. I know many people keep their handgun in a night stand, that is fine, without children, but not too smart with them. They are always going to be fascinated with a new “Toy” and start pushing levers and pulling triggers, like they see on TV. NOT Good! Stay safe everone!

    • Very good advice , It is very very important that young children are taught at the earliest time that a Firearm is a tool and can be very dangerous , My youngest Daughter was a good shoot at 10 years old and knew how to safely handle a Firearm , My oldest Daughter is a Marine Corps MP

  4. Pliska: Well said.
    ANYONE WHO KEEPS A LOADED WEAPON IN A HOME WITH CHILDREN IS AN IDIOT !!
    Did THAT get your attention? But IF you do that, here are some Qualifiers that keep you from being such an idiot:
    Keep it locked up. Where YOU can get to it quickly when needed – but your kids can’t. Oh, you’ve trained them, you say, so it’s OK? You’re still an idiot. Did you train every single one of the neighbor’s kids or visiting relative’s kids, or ANYONE who would enter your home? Don’t think it cannot happen, because it does. Do NOT be part of probably the hardest and longest HEARTBREAK on this planet…..kids and your guns.
    There are dozens of ways to lock the weapon up safely. DO IT. EVERYTIME. And keeping it unloaded and on the top closet shelf is NOT a substitute. Kids climb. Kids find bullets. Kids watch TV and they know how to play with guns. LOCK IT UP. Save yourself LOTSA lifelong grief……

  5. Finely someone from the good times coming to the realization that prepare for the worst but pray for the best is not just a saying it is something every one should do …
    Now go train for use and safety …

  6. Please fix your headline. It’s “RABID anti-gunner,” not “rapid anti-gunner.”

    You’re not helping the pro 2nd Amendment cause when you write stuff like that. It makes us look ignorant.

    Having said that, it is refreshing to see someone suddenly awaken to the truth!

    • You are so right, Roy Carpenter. Such sloppy mistakes are indefensible. Furthermore they damage the credibility if the writer. The writer should have caught his own mistakes…even without a copy editor.

  7. A gun is just a tool it won’t do anything on it’s own. For first time buyers i strongly taking a short safety class. You’re gonna have a proud and very safe feeling afterwards

  8. Californian walks into a gun store: “Give me one of those 40 millimeter Glockety 14s with an automatic 100 bullet clip, and I’m in a hurry so just use the gum show loophole”
    “What do you mean you can’t?”

  9. A gun is no more a dangerous weapon than any tool in a toolbox. Safely handled, used and stored, it doesn’t contribute to murders, suicides and accidents, anymore than a hammer does. All three of those scenarios requires a user to perform the undesired action. People commit murder, kill themselves, or through unsafe handling and storage, allow accidents to occur. The “deadly weapon” didn’t jump up, aim and fire itself. A person picked it up and squeezed the trigger. It’s ignored by the anti-gun crowd, but the reduced suicides by gun seen with red flag laws, also see a corresponding increase in suicides by other means. Completely negating the often touted theory that firearm availability increases suicide.
    Congratulations and welcome to all newbies. Please take a Gun Safety Class, and learn to be a responsible gun owner.

  10. Whoo-boy, raised in s.e. Tex. mostly, never felt threatened much if ever, in the past, we always had some shotguns and a rifle (Savage) at home, no sidearms, just long guns.circa 1945-95.
    Now as I take inventory after 60 + years, me, crippled from auto accident, on a walker: find now, we have (wife, also licensed to carry, 1.] .38 spec for her largely, 2.]two Glock 27s,(both .40 cal.) an extra good buy for one of them, 3] a .40 cal. Smith pistol, 4] .22mag or 22LR. frontier model revolver (2 cyls] 5].22 winchester rifle(60 yrs old) 6] an A-R 15, 7] a remington .12 ga. 11-87 18 yrs old, 7]a remington 870, 5 yrs old 8] a 16 ga. Crescent Arms sgl shot, also 110 yrs old 8] a 16 ga. sweet sixteen by Savage, 70 years old… Would appear from what I’ve bought and inherited over the years, reckon I’m now a collector, mostly sentimental value in the older weapons, the .22, and the .16 sgl given me by my Dad when 12, the .16 sgl. was given him by his father when he was 12, also the 22 Mag. Revolver purchased by my Dad, given to me at his demise, as were a couple of the long guns.
    Said all that to say, now keep one of the Glocks in the remote pocket of my power chair….Who knows, anymore, who the next guest may be? I don’t want to disappoint them! That 870 knock-off>China is very improved cylinder, should quickly clear a room. Just want to keep the field as level as possible- others probably won’t be on a walker! Just sayin!

  11. The inevitable follow-up will be; Ilya visits the range to actually fire her new Glock, realizes how fun and challanging shooting is and is smitten. Fast forward 10 years and Ilya has a collection of different weapons and is proficent with them; seen it before.

  12. StreetSweeper, “Ilya”, despite its ending in “a”, is a male name, not a female name.

  13. It’s now been well over a month since readers have told you about the “rapid” mistake & yet you have still not taken the few seconds necessary to correct this headline error. Why not? Lazy? Don’t care to be accurate & correct? Don’t believe there is such a word as “rabid”? What gives, proof reader?

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