Oh, Shoot.

Linda Dillon and I have been having a debate about guns.  We decided to continue the conversation on neutral territory, so we met at the Hollywood Rifle and Pistol Club.  It seems Linda was going to win this debate, one way or another.

In reality, Linda and I are friends, and we arranged that I would come to the club to shoot with her.  And experience what we're talking about.  She told me to come at about 1:00 or so, since she was shooting in a competition just before then.

Not being entirely obedient, I showed up early, at about 12:15.  As it turns out, the competition was over, and Linda was done.  As it also turns out, which Linda learned a bit later, she won!  I saw her target, which she punctured repeatedly from 50 yards away.  There are lots of small targets on one larger piece of paper.  How she could have seen them from 50 yards away is beyond me.  How she got so many bullseyes is astonishing.  The bullets were 22s, which are very small, and the bullseyes are exactly the diameter of the bullet.

Linda brought a 22 pistol for me, and she set me up with a more respectable target.  I could see it, and it was about 15 yards away.  I was satisfied with how I did, and so was Linda.  Every shot hit the target, and some were 9s.  Not bad, since I haven't held a gun since summer camp, literally 50 years ago.

Linda and her friends at the club are very serious gun owners.  And they're very responsible.  When I arrived, early, Linda was orienting a new member.  She told him the rules, and she told him about the two people who were kicked out of the club for not following them to a T.  Safety is rule 1.  It's also most of the rest of the rules.  Everybody's careful, all the time.  There are no cowboys and no wiseguys at the club.  These gun enthusiasts enjoy their hobby, they know how to have fun with it, and they are very respectful of the enterprise.  If all gun owners and users were like that...

If all owners and enthusiasts were as careful and respectful as the Hollywood Rifle and Pistol crowd.  If only level-headed and not rageful people had guns.  If the people who bought guns kept them locked securely away all the time, and didn't sell them to someone else, whose intentions and level of respect were not as reliable.  If guns didn't get stolen from people who know how to appreciate and respect them, by people who only want trouble.

Linda will never change her mind about guns.  If all gun owners were like Linda, I might change mine.