Gun owning liberal and watching Baggars shoot at a range
I'm not going to lie. I own three - two 38 snubbies (1 SW 19 and 1 SW Centennial) and one 12-guage. The 12 and 19 are at my parent's home locked away and the Cent is in a combo lock box underneath the bed for home defense. Have taken the CCW course in my area, 12 hours, but have never concealed due to being uncomfortable doing so.
My son, age 3, has never been shown it, nor do I ever intend on showing him it. I don't even like having it all that much, however, our home has had two attempted break ins over the past 10 years, an alarm has been installed and the police when contacted, when those two attempted break ins occurred, seemed rather indifferent about both instances. So, I found myself in between a rock and a hard place.
Now, I know that gun ownership CAN - I didn't say is - but can be seen as taboo by fellow liberals. And, they do have the full right to see it as such. But, I am curious about what others do say about it in regards to food for thought and not a means to argue, flame or go all wingnut on.
To watching Baggars...
Ranges absolutely love the Baggar bunch. Most of them are either young guys or cranky old boomers where they act like their piece is a trophy. It's an object to shine ass and they use it like it too. Also, there are far more customers using the range now than there were ten or fifteen years ago, so you know they're loving it.
I also find ranges interesting in the sense of what Baggars are really talking about in real time - body language, their condescending attitudes and clearly rehearsed swaggering. Know thy enemy. The internet is far too limited, reduced to what you'd expect - slogans, regurgitated talking points, insults and that's about it.
My god, the paranoia of them is absolutely astounding. Posted in printed paper in various places on the walls is all from the wingnut sites I've never heard of or read about - stories and claims so insane, you'd swear it's from a different planet. None of the math adds up, no sources are listed, it's purely emotional fuel on steroids.
Now it comes to take my turn. I do fairly well. 2 or 3 out of five are on the 8 and 9 areas of the target. Then, I watch these Baggars with their DTOM and other wingnut shirts on take their turns. They move their pieces around like it's a child's toy, almost no care of where it may be pointed while handling and it's as if their peripheral vision is completely absent. One would think people with such paranoia of Obama, roving invisible gangs of hillbillies and minorities would be careful. No dice. It's a trophy and they are there to smack their units together with their fellow "treaders". People with experience do not do this sort of thing - they always have it pointed down and only raise to discharge.
After a few more turns, where the success rate is same each time, I decide to leave. I feel my skill is plenty. Then I get into the car, turn on the ignition and have this incredible sadness and worry. And it's fueled by the same question I've always had, but this time it's more intense. The question is, "What in the hell is WRONG with these people?"
I don't ever expect them to become democrats or liberals or anything like that - and I'd never ask of it or try to persuade any of them to consider it. But, this isn't the republican banter I've grown up around. Something's much different now and it's very disturbing. It's not just only when these folks listen to the Conservative Media Complex - they seem like making it a way of life is not good enough - they want it to consume them completely. Watching them carelessly handle their weapon was almost more than I could take.
I just don't get it.
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You obviously are one, and you don't need them to prove what a tough guy you are right?
They move their pieces around like it's a child's toy, almost no care of where it may be pointed while handling and it's as if their peripheral vision is completely absent.
Jesus. Please tell me you stay far far away from them? And yes, it is toy to them. It makes them feel powerful, in control.
They see a black man as president, they read white people are going to be in the minority, and it's a threat to them.
Armchair Psychology! My neighbor collects firearms, believes no one needs more then 10 rounds in a magazine, and thinks the open carry showoffs are flaming idiots. He also has a locked gun safe.
ETA The internet is far too limited, reduced to what you'd expect - slogans, regurgitated talking points, insults and that's about
"far too limited" What do you mean? For us? For them? thanks!
I literally get a headache reading about the things they say. 
Btw, I like Ike too. I wonder what he'd say about todays GOP?
It sounds like you are THE responsible gun owner. Took the safety course, practices at the range, has a healthy respect and fear for what the guns can do.
My dad would be appalled at the behavior you describe. The carelessness with which those people were handling weapons. He always taught us to be aware of where the gun was pointed and always treat every gun as if it were loaded. While hunting, the gun was always pointed down as you mention. This had everything to do with the safety of the others with whom you were hunting. Also, always make sure you know what's behind that at which you are shooting. In the woods hunting, sometimes that's not so easy to know so one might not take a shot at game if one didn't know where the bullet might end up.
think? 
I think this would be a perfect T shirt myself! But seriously, why shouldn't you be able to wear an Obama T-shirt? What can they do to you? Are they that unhinged? 
In my state, we have public ranges that are run by the state Wildlife Resources Agency. They charge a small fee per visit and they don't put up with any shit. Somebody comes in there and sweeps the firing line with the muzzle or acts like an idiot, they get thrown out immediately. And they aren't nice about it. 
I feel that way every time I go shooting. Well, unless I go to the range at about 1 a.m. to use the indoor pistol range. Nobody else goes up there at that time of night, and it's in a basement in the middle of nowhere, so I won't wake the non-existent neighbors.
Going to monthly meetings makes me want to gag, with rather pathetic cracks about Adolf Cuomo, racist jabs at Chuck Schumer for being a Jewish Nazi (figure that out, you win a prize), calls for Hillary to do unnatural things with body parts she does not have, etc. Oh, and lots about a commie Kenyan Nazi Muslim that is in a house in Washington someplace. Which is weird, because that's usually written on a picture of a centrist Hawaiian who goes to church every Sunday... go figure. 
NOW, there are some (in fact, many) good ones. Some of the guys who take trap shooting super-seriously with their shotguns that cost more than my last four cars combined are generally pretty chill -- uber-competitive, but they're too busy to talk politics (and like their Medicare after 50 years at the plant). And as long as they aren't stupid about safety, the kids who bought AR-15s because they play a lot of CoD aren't that bad, either. The guys who don't shoot a lot, but come to sight in their rifle for deer season is generally pretty messy, but are usually nice and have a grasp of safety rules.
It's a few of the other ones who bug me. But it's enough to put a bad taste in your mouth, I know. I think it's time to have a liberal pistol league or something, lol.
IkeRepublican, those Tea Party shooters at the range you frequent, are they the ones who have all those unneeded "accessories" attached to their firearm to make it 'look cool'? Have you seen stuff like the picture below at the range?
(i think there's a pistol buried under all that bullshit)
From the website that had the second picture:
And what is your opinion of the whole "Tacti-cool" thing? Is it a fad, or a marketing gimmick, or is all that stuff necessary?
usually the range sells boxes of ammo, and it takes most of them fifty plus shots to ruin the first target, and they'll shoot all day long. I don't know why, but my pet theory is that people that aren't nuts practice shooting to become better shots. The nuts just want to make something shiny go bang.
What you described is why I don't go to public ranges. Fifteen people randomly waving guns around isn't my idea of a good time.
If I remember right, they were close to this batshit crazy over Clinton, too. It's been a while, so I can't readily recall all the conspiracy theories, but one of the huge ones was when Waco was proof Clinton was going to send the Army around to confiscate everyone's guns. There was another about abortion, sterilization, and/or mind control shit in the water back then, too. And the one about the Clintons having had more people killed than Al Capone. Maybe you just knew saner right wingers than I did. 