I read Dave?s post on Kid?s and Guns and the string that followed. I was impressed.

If that had been in Wyoming instead of Texas it could have been my brother and I in the pickup with him.

I come from a tight knit family. Some of the best times I had growing up was hunting and fishing with my dad and brother. As kids my brother and I learned our values from my dad and we listened to him because we respected him.

As a young boy Dad would take us out hunting with him, it was hard to keep up with him but as for me I worked hard because I didn?t want to do anything to jeprodise ?going with? when he went hunting.

I remember how proud I was around eight or nine when my dad let me carry the single shot bolt action .410 he bought for my mom. (he even gave me a shell to go in it!)

I soaked up everything he said about gun safety I didn?t want to goof up and loose the privilege of getting to carry the shotgun. As we walked my dad talked about other things besides guns, things that didn?t seem as important at the time like being nice to a kid at school, or telling the truth or about the how the animals we hunted needed space to live and that we needed to look out for their interests as well.

My dad taught us when he knew we would be listening even if my brother and I didn?t know it at the time.

My point is this, I know guns are dangerous. ?You can bet your life on it.? But this debate isn?t about guns in my opinion, It?s about ?trust.? I couldn?t help but love an respect my dad, because I knew he believed I could do the right thing. He trusted me with a gun and the fact It was under supervision never crossed my young mind. But later when he let me buy my first Revolver at the age of 18, even though he doesn?t use handguns and has never really liked them. Proved again that he trusted me to use it responsibly. (Unsupervised)

Those people in the government and law enforcement that don?t believe I can safely use my .41 mag. Single six (my first handgun), or my 9mm semiauto or for that matter an AR-15 with a folding stock, flash hider and a 30 round mag. Don?t trust me.(no matter what they say)

This scares me because if they don?t trust me with managing a firearm, then what other inherent right in their infinite wisdom might they decide I?m not ?Trustworthy? of? I try not to let it get personal. I try and respect others opinions even if I disagree. But it?s hard to trust and respect someone who doesn?t trust and respect me.

Steve