User:Nerdle

Note: The following essay was assigned so the students could practice their editing and also consider biases, which is part of their Wikipedia assignment. Shalor (Wiki Ed) (talk) 15:32, 16 January 2018 (UTC)

When I learned to like guns

Growing up in the 80s in the East Bay of California, I adopted the idea that guns were only owned and used by drug dealers and robbers. (besides the obvious Police use to stop the fore mentioned). My ideals were confirmed by my parents, teachers and the D.A.R.E. program, as well as action movies. I held this idea well into early adulthood.

My now husband, divulged, while we were dating, that he owned a gun. I immediately assumed he was dealing drugs and pressured him to tell me what he had gotten himself into. He explained his viewpoint and experience with guns, based on a childhood of G.I. Joe , and a dream of becoming a soldier. This was not enough to change my viewpoint. He agreed to not have it around me, because of my strong feelings about it.

He eventually introduced me to his childhood friend, the one who ignited his interest in guns. This fellow was an experienced marksman for the US Army. He introduced me to the history of guns. He provided me safety training with guns at the shooting range. I respected and admired this person, and as my comfort level with guns changed, so did my opinion on who owned and used them.

About 2 years later, we moved to Washington State. The general social ideas of guns are shown in completely different light in this State. We met many men, and women, that are interested in shooting for sport and hunting. I was reintroduced to guns in a totally different manner. I now own several guns, and enjoy shooting for recreation with friends.

I related this experience to the "“illusion of explanatory depth”, as discussed in the article Why Facts Don't Change Our Minds, by Elizabeth Kolbert. Explaining the idea that we believe we nkow much more about a subject than we actually do. My initial conviction about guns was based on what I thought I know, and not actual facts.