I Went To Virginia To Shoot A Gun
The Gun Debate And A Father-Son Day At The Shooting Range
By: Santos
I was crammed in a bus heading South to the good ole Richmond, VA to shoot guns for the very first time with my dad. I had never shot a gun and, aside from what I’ve seen in the movies, I had no idea how to use them. Modern day political discourse is largely strained due to our inability to step out of our comfort zone to better understand the other perspective. Gun control is one of those polarizing issues where we’ve seen very little, if any, compromise. My dad and I have very conflicting views on guns. He is pro guns and I against. With the gun debate in full force after Omar Mateen got ahold of a firearm and shot up an Orlando nightclub, I saw this as my opportunity to turn our heated and extremely unproductive conversations into something constructive and maybe gain a better understanding of the pro-gun argument.
Albert Camu was obsessed with humanity’s absurdist approach to life and I wonder if our white knuckle grip on the 2nd Amendment is in some way an attempt to find or maintain a value in a story that’s past us by. In American History the militia played a central role in obtaining freedom from British oppression, and the 2nd Amendment asserts their part in maintaining a free state. However, in modern times, does this role still exist? Are they the hero of a previous age who has lost relevancy? Or is this the finale plan to come back with vengeance and reclaim their right as the protagonist of this great spectacle?
Personally, guns just don’t make sense to me. Whether its hunting, sport, survival or protection, their application seems excessive and ultimately unnecessary. I can’t think of one area where one would fit. Maybe its a geographical thing. I live in Brooklyn, work in Manhattan. The food is great here, so there is no need to hunt. There’s always something to do, so its difficult to get bored. Space is limited, therefore shooting ranges either outdoor or indoor don’t make sense. Then, there seems to be an NYPD Police Officer on just about every other block. Maybe its a generational thing, but everything I read about Millennials and gun control suggests they’re relatively impartial to it. Regardless, I had no idea what to expect.
Just a few months prior my dad had bought an AR-15 and sent me a picture via text. As random as it seemed, I abruptly mentioned how much of a waste of money it was and recommended him to Budget Bootcamp. He quickly shot back with “my money, my life!”. That’s fair.
My dad picked up shooting in his retirement. Kind of like golf. Instead of walking the green chasing a little white ball, he would rather shoot stuff. On the way to the range, he provided some insight. Having served in the military, he was trained how to use guns and, therefore, sees them as dangerous only in the hands of dangerous people. That makes sense. I guess in modern times, guns seem to find there way into our lives fairly easily and in a variety of forms: hobbies like hunting and shooting and as protection.
Firearms make me uneasy. I see them like most people view things they don’t understand, as dangerous and discomforting. However, none of this takes away from my excitement to spend time doing something totally new and outside of my comfort zone. I find that experiences like these can be perspective changing, provide insight to another viewpoint, and develop my own understanding of a subject. Also, its cool to do things with my dad.
When I arrived to the shooting range, a vanilla white, no frills building off of Broad Street, the main drag in town, I had to watch a safety video and answer a few basic questions. Fairly obvious, while on the range, the gun should always be pointed down range with the safety on. To be honest, considering my lack of experience handling fire arms, I thought there would have been significantly more training. It was quite a laissez-faire occasion. So kick back relax and let’s shoot some guns.
After the tutorial, we walked into a sort of preparation room. Dark, grey and spacious with glossy tile up to windows, it offered a view into the range where I could see individuals of all shapes and sizes shooting all kinds of firearms. I still felt very “green” and apprehensive. I could hear the muffled clap of gun fire in the other room and smell hot metal. Very similar to when you forget you turned on the stove to start cooking and left the frying pan on it. As we prepared to enter the actual range, my dad took me through a few basics like ear protection and eyewear, however, my attention was consistently diverted by the unobstructed bang of gun fire that came with every swing of the entry door to the range.
The moment you enter the range your senses are bombarded with a wave of heat and the shear sound of erratic gunfire. Even with ear muffs the bang of every shot is vivid and demanding of attention. Each one sending a pulse down to your bones. Next thing you know, through all the sensory overload, the range marshal is quick to greet you with a smile. He exudes a sense of camaraderie that may only come from a social outcast finally meeting another friend. With a quiet and relaxed demeanor, contrasting to the environment around us, the marshal showed us to our respective lane and gave us a quick low-down of the range rules and his expectations.
Once we settled in my dad loaded the guns and we got to shooting.
After a few rounds the throbbing pulse in your hands from every shot feels less and less obtrusive. The fear of dropping the gun slips away from your mind, and for the first time a game begins to develop. Alternating between the AR-15 in one lane and the Glock 40 in the other, the goal and focus of every breadth was the target. Picking one of the numbers 25 yards away, the next three shots would go as close as possible. This may sound like something completely obvious to the regular shooter, but the moment the gun relinquishes attention, allowing you to focus on the target and actually shooting, is a significant point in the process of familiarity.
As I got more and more comfortable I became obsessed with hitting the target. Meticulously analyzing every nuance of my positioning and breathing. Anything to get a little bit closer. With every round of shots I saw progression and, as a result, I vocalized that confidence to my dad. Basically, I started talking shit and challenged my dad to see who’s better. One round, three shots each, who can get closest to the target wins the round.
I did well. On one or two occasions I gave my dad a run for his money, however, I was quickly sonned when my dad put three on top of each other multiple times. The master is still the master.
I get it! For some its their passion, sport or hobby and this is influenced by so many different variables, either community, geography and interests. This experience introduced me to a different context of guns not necessarily shown by the media. We all have hobbies, even strange ones, and any intention to take that away is not always the right thing. I am still against guns. They have no application if my life and are completely unnecessary. To others, not so much, but I understand that now. However, the concern, is the ease in which anyone can get ahold of a gun. At every family visit, dad and I continue to debate the topic, but now, in a more constructive, even intellectual manner. Now, I just need to get him to come on up to New York to get sonned doing something I like to do.