A woman’s perspective on gun rights

VCDL member and Second Amendment Sisters Virginia coordinator, Sandy
Eisner, sent me this article written by one of their members.
Definitely strikes a true chord:

A SAS Perspective

As a female gun owner, I’ve learned that I have an untapped,
ever-growing power. It goes much deeper than the fact that I am able to
protect myself from an attacker. I have the power to influence others
within the gun-control debate, perhaps more than any other faction
within the pro-firearms, pro-self defense camp.

A woman with a gun usually (especially to those not familiar with
firearms) conjures the image of a burly, Harley riding, beer-drinking
gal who’s more masculine than feminine. That’s not me, nor is it the
many friends I have who value their right to self defense or enjoy
hunting and target shooting.

I am a 26-year-old mother of one, with another due in early November.
I’ve never been one to stand out in a crowd, yet I can attract a little
attention if I have my hair and make-up done. I have a Mechanical
Engineering degree, but decided that the Engineering field didn’t allow
me the time that I wanted to devote to my family, and have decided to
stay home with my little ones. I’m an everyday woman, if not a little
more old-fashioned than many in my generation. I don’t even really LIKE
to shoot – it’s too loud and gets my hands too dirty – but I DO
understand the importance of my right to defend myself and my family,
and the importance of our Second Amendment.

It’s in presenting THIS perspective – the simple truth about female gun
owners – that women have more influence than we’ve ever realized.

When women who have never really thought about the issue, or only heard
what the media (such as Oprah) has to say, are introduced to another
woman just like them who has the facts and has conquered the modern
taboos of learning to shoot, their minds open a little bit. When they
realize that firearms don’t kill nine children a day unless you count
the nineteen year-old gang members, and that more children actually
drown in a five gallon pail than from firearms accidents, they can’t
help but start to wonder. And when they learn that over two million
lives are saved every year by using a firearm for self-defense, their
minds begin to weigh the different arguments they’ve heard and perhaps
they will be even more receptive to the facts.

It is important to reach these women. In my generation, when hunting
and fishing are no longer really part of the suburban lifestyle, if Mom
says, “No guns in this house,” that’s usually the way it is.

Broaching the subject can be difficult. I’ve learned
to just toss it into the middle of a conversation as if it’s no big
deal, such as, “This weekend, my husband and I are going to the range to
shoot.” Then the follow-up question of, “Have you ever shot a gun?”
flows naturally. It takes guts, but so far the reaction has never been
hostile, and is usually one of curiosity. Discussion and education
are the keys to combating the lies that the everyday citizen hears on
television.

Yet women are not the only ones who will listen to us. Men are still
the majority in most of our government bodies. It is amazing to see the
male legislators’ interest pique when a woman stands up to speak against
so called “sensible gun control” that will only affect law-abiding gun
owners. The men on these councils and legislative bodies are familiar
with the NRA and other firearms groups’ lobbyists. The new face, that
of a wife or a mother, draws attention like never before. It also
allows the pro-firearms side, which is based on facts, to draw on
the emotional appeals the other side has perfected. When a woman pleads
for
her safety, it becomes political murder for a legislator to ignore her.
And when her emotional pleas are backed by facts, it’s very difficult to
defend a vote against her self-defense. This is especially true at the
grass-roots level, where the actions of the body are more likely to
affect our everyday actions and ways of life.

Second Amendment Sisters, Inc. is a national organization formed in
1999. Five women decided that they couldn’t let the country believe the
Million Mom March spoke for them. They formed a counter-rally to the
MMM’s in Washington, DC and, little did they know, their organization
would continue to grow beyond the rally. The organization now has
chapters in most of the 50 states. When I realized that Second
Amendment Sisters believes what I believe, as stated above, I couldn’t
help getting involved. As the California State Coordinator, I am doing
my best to get women out to the range by organizing Ladies’ Seminars
throughout the state, and by lobbying our legislature in Sacramento.
Although it’s discouraging here in California at the state level, we
continue fighting the good fight. Our ladies are commanding attention
in legislatures throughout the country and at local committee hearings.
We are making a difference!

Emily E. Berg
SAS CA Coordinator
Rocklin, CA