House Guns
Growing up, I have always been around guns, but I use them to hunt and for sport, not for protection. At an early age I learned how to shoot, but I also learned how to be safe when around guns. However, it was not until recently that I begin to feel strongly that having a gun in your house for protection is very important.
A few months ago, my sister, Ashley, was at home alone when a strange vehicle came creeping down our driveway. Ashley, who is twenty-three years old, is well-educated on home safety. But since she was by herself, her heart immediately began to race. Our house is located on a small, private street back in the woods. Most of the time the isolation is nice, but it can be very spooky. As this foreign car slowly came down the driveway, she began to panic. When the car stopped at the house, the man in the car just sat there for a minute. I imagine that there was an eerie feeling to all of this for Ashley. When the man finally got out of the car, she could see that he was stumbling and staggering like he was drunk. As he approached the front door, he began to beat on the door and yelled, “Is anybody here?” Ashley called our neighbor and told him to come quickly. For some reason, she cracked the door and asked him what he wanted. Repeatedly, he tried to open the door and go in. Finally, our neighbor arrived and resolved the situation. As it turns out, the man was a friend of my uncle in high school. He fought in some past war and was mentally disturbed. Now, he is an alcoholic and sells army surplus. I am not sure if he would have tried to hurt Ashley, but if he was drunk you never can tell.
Since that day, my sister has wanted to know where my dad and I keep our guns. Recently, I showed her how to shoot a pistol, just for her own protection. My dad and I also have discussed a security plan to show my mother and sister where the guns are kept and the proper way to use them. My father expressed how important it is never to go to the door when they feel threatened and to always call someone and let them know what is going on. I believe that it is important to keep a gun in the house for safety. I know that crime is rising each day and the victims are the people that least expect it. I do not want some one in my family becoming a statistic.