"Honey, it's Time to Buy a Gun"

by Kim D.

Last night my husband said, "Honey, it's time to buy a gun." It's not the first time he's said this to me, but this time his words were backed with steely-eyed determination. Yes, perhaps it is time that as a family we take responsibility for protection, knowing that if something epic and horrific were to happen, a firearm may make the difference between survival and succumbing to the evils of this world that are becoming increasingly difficult to deny and avoid.

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I know it might come as a shock that not everyone in Texas wears a cowboy hat and holsters a six-shooter at the side, especially here in the eastern part of the state. We are fortunate (not privileged) to live in a low-crime area in a suburb of Houston, but these days that bubble of safety is nothing more than a mere illusion. We've lived in our home for almost nine years and have only had one garage theft of a generator and leaf blower, which basically was chalked up to our stupid fault for not locking the garage door.

However this country, it's current leadership, and the politics of division (rich v. poor, white v. color, Christian v. Muslim, etc) have shattered the safety illusion. Even potential crises, like an Ebola outbreak and the ineptitude of the federal government to plan and execute preemptive measures to ensure public safety, prove that it is foolish to expect adequate protection. More disturbingly is the attitude toward those who enlist in the police force as community defense. The constant bashing of those men and women who wear the badge and uniform, the majority of them remarkably good and decent members of the community, has led to an abundance of police caution. If we cannot depend on the police for intervention and rescue, then we are living in sad times.

My "gun sense" hesitation over the last couple of years is directly tied to the fact that we have a young, curious, and active son, and I am not an impulsive mom. Every huge decision we make in regard to our family unit is explored, sometimes to ad nauseam. The decision to become a gun owner should be no different. 

Thus the new year has brought another dilemma to deal with along with selecting a new health care plan. It's obvious we need to add security measures, but what exact kind and how do we ensure that the chances of misuse or accidents are non-existent or, at the very least, kept at a minimum? I'm sure once we hammer out these important details that I will be back to report that we, as a family, are taking advantage of the rights our forefathers gave us.