Danny Oakley

I just got back from my Intro to Handguns class. It was unusual, to say the least. There were 10 people there including myself. One was a 20-something woman, one was British and one was Korean. I was the only one who had ever fired a gun before. There was also a team there from the Japanese TV network NHK -- a male cameraman and a female reporter. They were doing stories on the gun culture in America. Since I was the blond one, I was the one they interviewed. Barely understanding the girl's English, I told them that self-defense was not a political right but a human right. I explained that a gun is just a tool. And told them that although I don't think of my gun any more than I do my watch or my wallet, I do feel safer carrying one. After the interview, the reporter and I had a long conversation because I lived in Japan for four years, working for the Far East Network -- the military radio and TV network there. This was the first time I'd touched a handgun since I was a teen. I fired .22 and .38 revolvers, 9 mm semi-autos and a .45 semi-auto. To my great gratification, I put my first shot dead center at a range of 15 yards. I wasn't that accurate all the time, but none of my shots strayed out of an area the size of my palm. The people who had never fired a gun before in their life were having a ball. I think every one of them is going to pursue their concealed carry permit. Even the Japanese reporter had fun while she was shooting. But, I found it boring. Once I determined that I still had my mojo, I was ready to go home. I got a coupon for one free hour on the range. I might cash it in just to fire my own gun. Or not. I think my skills are good enough to get my through any situation that might require me to defend myself. But I won't spend a lot of time on the range improving my skills or engaging in competitive shooting. CSI would have had no problem determining that I'd fired a gun, because after an hour of shooting, my fingers were black with carbon. Next gun experience: Tomorrow night I'm going to a meeting of the Virginia Citizen's Defense League. That should also be interesting. Now: Looking forward to feather pillows and fleece sheets.