Getting Along w/Anti-Gun Friends and Family

[Phil3]

How do you manage your relationships with anti-gun friends and family? I'd almost rather not know what their opinion is so I can avoid forming an unfavorable opinion of them if they are anti-gun. But sometimes it comes out, and now you know. Does it change your relationship? How do you handle it? That person and I can agree not to discuss it, but I personally have a very difficult time with that, as this person is someone who votes in a way that harms my hobby, my 2A right. How I am supposed to be friendly with them when they support actions that are destroying a right and my interests? If a close relative or friend was a supporter, organizer, fund raiser for the Brady Campaign people, would that not affect your relationship?

Phil

 

[dickn52]

I have a brother who is so liberal it hurts to listen to him at times. But he is my brother, so I ignore him and smile a lot. His opinion is so radically apposed to mine that we would never meet half way. One time I handed him a bat, stood 20 ft from him and told him "If I had a gun, who would win this fight"? I then told him that he didn't have to have a gun, or carry one as long as I was around to protect his right to not have a gun. But if something was to happen to my rights, then we would both be swinging for the stars. He's a good little brother, but mommy must have dropped him once or twice.

 

[bheadboy]

my experience is those anti gun or hunting - are usually knowledgable - fear and ignorance are the worst combination,

so i try slowly to explain to them why i like to compete, hunt, spent 8 years in Army, how i grew up with a father that gave me a Win 67 on my 5th bd.

asked them question about they hobbies they have how they learned them, ? what if i wanted them to be denighed their right to practice them,

sometime this provokes an argument, (usually because they have no answer) but some times the will discuss reasonably.

Bob

 

[mytwo60]

Half of my family are liberals. Let's just say we don't dicuss politics at Christmas dinner. We made a mistake once and it got ugly. We didn't have Christmas dinner together for a few years.

Leave politics out of everything when it comes to your family. Friends? You can always find new friends.

 

[Old Navy]

You can't choose your family but you sure can choose your friends. Later! Frank

 

[gmitchell]

I think we should talk about our 2A rights with the anti crowd. I personally have never met anybody that was far left. I do know there are 10% far right and 10% far left and 80% that don't care either way. They are the ones we need to switch over to our side.

Gordy

 

[M-61]

In my experience, the 'anti-gun' friends I have seem to possess an enormous lack of knowledge when it comes to exactly WHAT is trying to be banned. It starts with the belief that "automatic weapons are the same as 'semi-autos' and from there grows to even greater confusion. The network news has not helped this one bit.

 

[newgun]

My wife works with a lady who's daughter had a baby. She was told by her daughter that the baby would never be able to come over as long as that gun was in their house.Some are totally void of all logic They do not care at all about your point of view or your feelings.

 

[VaniB]

I'm 59 and a sloooow learner. I finally figured out the hard way that when it comes to friends and family, you just don't go there!!!!!!!!!! Discussion about God, Guns, abortion, and politics are to be avoided. Unless you have a very fine knack for making new friends, and a verrry large family to pick and choose who you wish to be around, YOU'RE GOING TO EVENTUALLY FIND YOUR SELF VERY LONELY.

 

[stinnett1981]

My brothers wife is a anti. My old man and I last November had 2 deer strung up in a gumball tree in his backyard gettin ready to skin and butcher them. My brother and his wife pulled up and she literally started screaming and grabbed her daughter and covered her eyes and ran inside the house. I laughed my a** off. So then I decide to cut the heart out and bring it inside and put it in front of her face. Deer heart sliced thin and onions fried in olive oil and butter is great I told her ;D She about passed out. She would rather eat fast food I guess ???

Everybody is entitled to be dumb!

 

[Raythemanroe]

My best answer, you can't reason with most strongly opposing Anti-gun folks! There arguments turn to slander and feelings with no good reasoning...They were probably raised by the system believing everything the schools and lame stream media told them (perfect world crap)!! I try to reach out to people that are like minded but can't find enough gumption to vote (little push).. I feel that I need to raise my kids with the ability to think for them selves and strong understanding of our Constitution..Once in a while I can't stop my self when somebody I know is going on a Anti-gun rant and I'm sure everybody has some one like this in there family, but I like to be well informed and ready for the argument to not do anymore injustice to the 2A...I feel people need to speak up and show where not the minority like the media would like to make everybody believe...

A good argument to me is, Restricting somebody's right's only create victims! Usually you will get a return comment about the likes of Sandy hook or some crazy killing a bunch of innocent kids and my reply is the rights of those teachers and faculty being restricted by Anti-gun laws has created a mass victim environment for our children!

 

[Jet]

Arm yourself with facts in the event the conversation happens. Glenn Becks new book, Control, is full of facts (sources listed) that counters almost all anti-gun arguments. it's a paperback and a short read. Great source document to reference back to.

Jet

 

[22BRGUY]

I too have "friends" that think there is ONLY one purpose of a firearm and its not good. I simply and kindly state that a firearm to me is just another inanimate object.....like knives, baseball bats, drugs, sleeping pills, toxic chemicals; automobiles, golf clubs etc. Left alone to them selves, they do nothing. Only when a PERSON with his/her thinking uses one of these, do they become something good or evil. The idea that by getting rid of them will make evil thinking people change into good thinking people seems absurd and ridiculous to me. Above all, don't argue...and respect their right to have their opinion. Kindness has more power over the long run if anything can help

 

[RHux]

Had a political discussion with sons girlfriend....she said she did not want to have to fight for anything. I asked her if rape was inevitable would she go limp in protest....deer in headlights look.

 

[lal357]

My family and friends know exactly where i stand they also know if they don't like it they can go to hell....I haven't talked to or seen one brother in 13 years so be it

 

[mgx1138]

"I personally have never met anybody that was far left."

You clearly don't live in California. How nice for you.

 

[DRNewcomb]

My suggestion is that you keep your cool and have your facts ready. Generally I find that liberals have a lot of emotion and few facts. After you've educated them a bit, they may at least shut up and avoid the subject in the future.

 

[wapiti25]

The anti-gunners are not friends. I don't see the anti's that are relatives unless I'm forced into it. Yes it does cause problems

 

[VaniB]

My family and friends know exactly where i stand they also know if they don't like it they can go to hell....I haven't talked to or seen one brother in 13 years so be it

Precisely my point that I made earlier. If i maintained a "taking no prisoners" attitude concerning my core beliefs .......I'd lose family and friends in the process. I try harder these days to soften that kind of attitude and thinking. We are not in a civil war (yet) where it's necessary to take sides.

I hope you eventually work out your differences and find common ground with folks who you disagree with.

 

[LRPV]

I think that avoiding to talk about these issues is a huge mistake. Most people I come into contact with are uninformed or misinformed so I feel it is my duty to share what information I have. Communication is key and if nothing else it at least gives them something to think about later on. I have to take a step back to remember that this is still pretty much a free country and they are as entitled to their beliefs as I am no matter how misguided they may be. If I can at least let them know that not everyone thinks like they do and maybe they will then try to look at the issue from both sides.