Today, I Shot Guns with My Teenage Daughter

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By Daisy Luther

The day after the most deadly gun-related massacre in America (at that time) I took my 15-year-old daughter out to shoot guns.

I’m a firm believer in refusing to be a victim, and this philosophy carries over to the way I’ve raised my children. We had planned to take a course together from a new instructor for a while. My daughter, 15, hadn’t ever shot a gun before our class. Since I lived a good part of my adult life in Canada, I’ve only been using guns a couple of years myself.

When the day dawned, we were eager to get out the door and be there early. We didn’t turn on our computers or check the news.  I took a cute photo and posted it on Instagram and Facebook, and we popped a CD in the player in the Jeep.

 

It is a beautiful day to shoot guns

When I posted that photo, I had no idea that a man pledging his loyalty to the Islamic State had opened fire at a gay nightclub in Florida and murdered 50 people. With a gun.

If I had known, I might not have posted that particular picture with that particular caption. Tact isn’t always my strong point, but even I can grasp that some would find it upsetting.

But I definitely would have still taken my daughter shooting.

Guns are the greatest equalizer.

On Friday night, the very night before a man with a gun took lives in a horrific mass shooting, a woman with a gun was safer because of having it.

It was after supper when the dogs in the back began barking. A car had come down my long private driveway and pulled to a stop. I live way down a long country road, and my driveway is the last one on the road.  Uninvited visitors are extremely rare. We’re too far out there for the usual smattering of Jehovah’s Witness, little girls selling cookies, and neighborly drop-offs of homemade jam.

I looked outside and saw that two men had gotten out and approached my daughter while one waited in the driver seat of the car. My daughter, 15, was doing some of the after-dinner chores. I had a bad feeling immediately. I knew it because I was adamantly told by that gut instinct that doesn’t hint something is wrong, but pounds your heart like a drum to get your attention, and screams it inside your head. 

I stopped for just long enough to grab my loaded Glock 19 and for the first time since purchasing it, I racked the slide and chambered a round for a reason other than target practice. For the first time, I did so because of another human being. I did so because there were 3 men out there with my child and they were bigger than both of us. They were undoubtedly stronger, and we were outnumbered, and I knew that there was the potential for something bad to happen.

I stuffed the gun into the side pocket of my hoodie and hurried out. I asked the men brusquely, “Can I help you?”

One was the talker. He was bearded, overly friendly, and ingratiating. The other hung back. He was blond, thin, and moved constantly. I never got a good look at the driver due to the tinted windows in the vehicle. But I noticed the older, beat-up vehicle had no license plate. Another warning sign that this was not right at all.

The bearded one, the talker, told me that his vehicle was overheating and that they needed to come in and make a phone call. I said, “No, you’re not coming in.”

He asked if they could at least have some water.

I wanted to hustle my daughter into the house right that moment and lock the doors and call 911 and wait for a speedy rescue, complete with sirens and flashing lights.

But they were closer to my daughter than she was to me. They were also between her and the house, so that was not an option.

I let them have a bucket of water, even though I could tell that the car was not overheating. I know cars.

The bearded one kept up a friendly patter the entire time, pretending that the radiator cap was hot, jumping back as if to avoid billowing steam that didn’t exist. While he pretended to work on the car, the antsy blond fellow was whispering to the driver. Without me bringing it up, the chatty one said, “Can you believe our license plate just fell off? If you noticed we don’t have one, that’s what happened. We just discovered it at the gas station.”

“Wow, that’s a shame,” I said, playing along. “They’ll charge you an arm and a leg at the DMV.”

I finally positioned myself to the point that I was between them and my child. Whether they’re 5 or 15, in moments when you fear for them, they are your precious child, and they are every age they ever have been and ever will be. Any person who has ever loved a child can easily imagine the relief I felt. I felt like I could breathe again.

I said calmly and firmly, “You need to leave.”

The bearded one looked hurt. The blonde one looked watchful. I still couldn’t get a good look at the driver.

“I just need one more bucket of water and then we’ll be on our way,” the bearded one said, putting his hands out in a manner meant to calm me down.

“No. You need to leave now.” I raised up my shirt and put my hand firmly on the gun at my hip, index finger along the side like I’d been taught to do.

Suddenly, there was a shift. I wasn’t the one backing away and trying to get in a good position. The bearded guy slammed the hood of the car and walked slowly backward, his hands up and out, to the passenger side, while the blonde guy got in the back.

I never drew my firearm.

I never pointed it at them.

I never shot them.

But the very sight of my hand on the butt of it, and the fact that I was clearly determined to use it if necessary was all the deterrent that was needed in that particular situation.

Suddenly, a woman and a child were more than 3 grown men wanted to tangle with.

Suddenly, we weren’t weaker. We weren’t victims. We had the power to protect ourselves.

I want my daughters to be truly empowered.

Let’s talk about biology.

Biological fact: due to testosterone, in most cases, men are physically stronger than women. Obviously, there are exceptions, but if you were going with percentages, they’d be on the side of this fact.

As equal as people would like to say the sexes are, biology defies the politically correct ideals. If my daughters were to ever find themselves in a position where they had to fight to save their own lives, I would far rather they be armed with the handgun of their choice than any number of weekend self-defense classes. Nothing is going to empower them more than a firearm that they can use with comfort and accuracy. Nothing is going to be more likely to end a conflict before it erupts into violence than seeing that the person you thought was going to be your victim is willing to fight back with deadly force.

Anyone who is against the idea of women learning to handle a firearm cannot truly call themselves pro-woman. The idea that we all need to hand over our guns and then the world would be a safer place is nothing but a silly,  rose-colored daydream.  If that offends you, then you need to sincerely think about the fact that under your guidelines, the smaller, weaker person will always be the victim.

We all have the natural right to protect ourselves and our loved ones.  Why are some people so terrified of the idea of taking control of their own safety?

There is no way to guess how many times a firearm in the hands of a would-be victim deters a criminal and saves a life. I would hazard a guess that situations like the one that happened to my daughter and me are not unique. The mere sight of the firearm at my side did not cause violence. It prevented the violence that was brewing.

I’ve written before about the fact that those involved in the preparedness lifestyle need guns, and this horrifying incident in Florida only makes me more certain.

If a person at that nightclub had been armed, he or she could have at least stood a chance against a truly evil human being. Instead, people had to hide. To cower behind the flimsy cover of a bathroom stall door. To hear others die and not be able to do anything but pray, cry, or text goodbye to someone they loved.

The same goes for Paris, San Bernadino, the New Year’s Eve rapefest in Germany…the difference between a victor and a victim is the ability to successfully use greater force. We may not like it that this is the case, but if you are faced with someone who is determined to commit evil, greater force is all that matters.

And I have to say it. If you analyze all of these scenarios, there is one common denominator that goes unsaid. Innocents were raped, disarmed, or murdered, but it seems politically incorrect to say that violence in the name of Islam was a factor in all 4 horrific events. So great is the cognitive dissonance that it’s just far easier to weep and blame the guns than it is to step on the toes of someone’s religion.

Even though guns weren’t used in all of these massive acts of violence, it’s easier to say “ban guns” than it is to say “ban a religion that tells it’s followers to murder non-believers.”  (And before the flurry of indignant messages begins, I don’t believe in banning stuff. Not guns, not Islam, not plastic grocery bags instead of paper.) But banning a religion because of some people who use it in a terrible way while most do not, is just as illogical as banning a firearm because of some people who use it in a terrible way while most do not.  In both cases, deaths occur.

If I said, “Ban Islam” people would think I was a horrible human being.

So why is it acceptable to suggest banning guns when they are the most effective way to meet such brute force head on? Is it just that people don’t really want the responsibility of taking the power into their own hands?

You can go hide in the bathroom if you want to. As for me, I carry.

Today was a beautiful day to shoot guns.

So today, I shot guns with my teenage daughter.

When we left the house this morning, we were completely unaware of the tragedy of 50 people who lost their lives to a religious zealot. When I learned of this, I was even more glad that I took her out to learn to safely and effectively handle a firearm from a fabulous instructor.

I won’t always be there to protect her but I can do something even better. I can give her the tools, the skills, and the power to protect herself.

And that is how you empower your daughters.

Picture of Daisy Luther

Daisy Luther

Daisy Luther is a coffee-swigging, globe-trotting blogger. She is the founder and publisher of three websites.  1) The Organic Prepper, which is about current events, preparedness, self-reliance, and the pursuit of liberty on her website, 2)  The Frugalite, a website with thrifty tips and solutions to help people get a handle on their personal finances without feeling deprived, and 3) PreppersDailyNews.com, an aggregate site where you can find links to all the most important news for those who wish to be prepared. She is widely republished across alternative media and  Daisy is the best-selling author of 5 traditionally published books and runs a small digital publishing company with PDF guides, printables, and courses. You can find her on FacebookPinterest, Gab, MeWe, Parler, Instagram, and Twitter.

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  • You are a good mother and a wise human being. I’m sorry you and your daughter had to go through such a scary ordeal, but what a relief to know you were prepared and were not harmed as a result. I don’t understand why so many people are against gun ownership. Thanks for speaking up on this.

    • Rose, agree: Women like me living in cities advice to women, children, even men living alone: never answer the door to any stranger incl even women, teens. Most the time they are selling something, but don’t open door. Shop and run errands in the morning if possible. If anyone suspicious is near your car, go back into the store and ask for someone to walk out with you. There are beggars loitering (men and women) in parking lots at times, asking for money for taxi, etc. (their car broke down, etc) So, ignore them and drive off. In cities and larger towns, best to stay home after dark if possible. Get a carry permit if working shift work.

      • RE: ‘There are beggars loitering (men and women) in parking lots at times, asking for money for taxi, etc. (their car broke down, etc) So, ignore them and drive off.’

        That’s a tough one. On the one hand, I agree, and know why. On the other hand, it’s contrary to ordinary decency and the instructions of Christianity.

        Is it a fine line to walk, or…?

        I mean, on the one hand, being cautious is wise, while on the other hand, it sure does seem like TPTB are pushing everyone to distrust everyBody All the time. …What kind of culture is that? A.k.a. survival isn’t ‘everything’.

        Anyway, I don’t know about you all, but I liked the photos.

  • Daisy, you are right on the money about needing to be armed to protect your self. My self, I put on my gun when I put on my jeans and it is loaded for bear literally. They do come through the yard sometimes too.
    There is a conflict with a situation like the night club where this mass shooting took place. As far as I know venues that serve alcohol are among schools and federal buildings are gun free zones even in states with constitional carry. (The exception being restaurants that primarily serve food). Perhaps at least the bouncers need to be armed but I’m not sure I would want to advocate having a bunch of drunk people armed. It seems that world wide clubs are targets since the islam is against alcohol, homosexuals and partying females. Personally I avoid night clubs.

  • Wow, thank you for sharing that incident. You handled it like a Momma Grizzly. Our homestead is situated much like yours. We greet all strangers just like you did.

    Right next to our entry door hangs a sign, ‘This Home Protected by the Good Lord and a Gun. If You Came to Steal or Do Harm, You Might Meet Both’, complete with the picture of a Glock.

    Side note: Orlando tragedy reminds us again: Be an Armed Citizen 24/7, avoid crowds and do not attend any public event which requires you to disarm. Refuse to be a victim!

  • Thanks for this moving story. As long as you’re going to be so hard on Islam, the vast majority of whose practitioners are peaceful, loving individuals, I think that another religion, starting with ‘C’, would deserve to have its many bloodthirsty practitioners highlighted as well. Islam is far from unique in having some of its followers use it as an excuse for mass murder.

    • I hear what you’re saying. Christians have killed, and it seems any religion can get skewed. But here’s the thing, if you read the Quran, Muslims are allowed to kill unbelievers, or people who convert out of Islam. It is encouraged, and that’s the truth. I support an organization called Voice of the Martyrs. They help the persecuted church of Christians around the world. I am constantly reading about people who have to flee from there own family, who are not members of ISIS, because they themselves have become a Christian and their own father or brother or everyone in their family is planning or trying to kill them. And they would be legally allowed to do so. In many middle eastern countries this is the case.
      The Christians who kill unbelievers are not encouraged to do so by the Bible, they do it on their own accord out of their own sinful heart.

    • Perhaps that VAST majority of peaceful, loving individuals should get OFF of their collective asses and TAKE BACK their so-called “Peaceful, loving” religion…the sheer fact that they HAVE NOT DONE SO tells us all that that phrase “peaceful, loving individuals” does not describe adherents to that religion. I believe your tactic has failed. You’ve used it in the wrong venue. Move along.

    • Just curious… What recent happening are you referring to, where a Christian killed a bunch of people, simply for not being Christian? I’m not thinking of any offhand, but my memory may be failing me. Thank you.

  • I think you wrote a magnificent article!
    I can’t speak for Canada, but here in the US it is clear that demographic change ensures that the right to keep and bear arms will be eradicated in a decade or so…then people will know what it is like to live in South Africa…

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/10/19/the-nra-will-fall-its-inevitable/
    The NRA will fall. It’s inevitable. Just look at the demographics.
    The Washington Post, October 19, 2015
    by Adam Winkler professor at UCLA School of Law

    The fastest-growing minority group in America is Latinos. Between 2000 and 2010, the nation’s Latino population grew by 43 percent. Hispanics, which make up 17 percent of the population today, are expected to grow to 30 percent of the population in the coming decades.

    Gun control is extremely popular among Hispanics, with 75 percent favoring gun safety over gun rights.

    Asian Americans also represent a growing anti-gun demographic. Although only about 5 percent of the population today, the Asian American population is predicted to triple over the next few decades. A recent poll of Asian American registered voters found that 80 percent supported stricter gun laws.

    • Hi, Sven!

      Thank you for the kind words. Actually I live in the US – northern California. I started the blog when we still lived in Canada.

      Those are some fascinating statistics you shared!

      • RE: ‘Gun control is extremely popular among Hispanics, with 75 percent favoring gun safety over gun rights.’

        I don’t understand that stat. Every single ‘Hispanic’ I ever met was in favor of self-defense and A-ok with gun ownership.

        I must be mixing with the right crowds.

        Do you suppose those stats are as unreliable as every other goobermint/goobermint friendly stat out there these days? I mean, for instance, we’re in an economic ‘recovery’ according to the stats,… can’t you feel it?

        • That has been my experience as well. Most of the Hispanic people I know are completely in favor of owning guns. Where do these numbers come from?

  • I don’t think there was anything wrong with your caption “today is a beautiful day to shoot guns.” As people were getting shot inside that Orlando nightclub it certainly was a beautiful day to shoot guns. To shoot back at the aggressor.

  • The issue here is not banning handguns for personal protection, it’s banning weapons of war. The man who killed all those people had an assault rifle, which is why he managed to undertake such a massacre. The sensible way is not gun banning for those who need protection, but gun control to see that assault rifles and such are only allowed to specific categories of the population. Also, laws are such that although that shooter was known to the FBI and had links with terrorism, nobody could stop him from acquiring an array of weapons. The danger is if any deranged or dangerous person can get a firearms permit. What are your thoughts, Daisy? I’d love to know. Dani

    • According to one article I read the shooter had a license to be armed security agent which required an FBI background check so any background check for the purchase of fire arms would be approved. Also if we have a societal breakdown a person armed with one of these so called assault rifles would have a far better chance of standing off a mob trying to rob him or her. I personally do not have any semiauto rifles but I live 200 miles from the nearest population center so I am not worried about mobs.
      Consider too that the muskets and kentucky rifles of the turn of the nineteenth century when the second amendment was written were the “assault weapons” of the era.

    • I’ll take a stab at the answer, Dani.

      Dani says, “The issue here is … banning weapons of war.”

      Are you asking if the unitedstate should stop selling weapons of war worldwide, or just stop providing them to the police state forming in every community?

      Are you aware that the anti-war crowd miraculously disappeared when the Nobel Peace Prize El Presidentea took control of arms sales?

      Are you aware that, ‘Gun-Free Zones Are Killing Zones’?

      https://www.lewrockwell.com/2016/06/andrew-p-napolitano/gun-free-zones-killing-zones/

      The man who killed all those people could do so because he was in a gun free zone. Do you recognize that?

      I mean, it seems what you’re really asking is, is Daisy Ok with having a government which acts as a parent, one which decides which, ‘specific categories of the population’ are allowed rights and which, ‘specific categories of the population’ are denied rights.

      Being a free person has no bearing in your thought process?

      The meaning of a right is the same as a privilege in your mind?

      What if your definition of an ‘assault rifle’ is more accurately described as a self-defense tool?

      Why don’t you see banning handguns for personal protection the same way as you do for banning any other self-defense tool?

      You say, “The sensible way” as if it is.
      It’s anything, but.

      You say, “Also, laws are such that … The danger is if any deranged or dangerous person can get a firearms permit.”

      Yeesh, with the many deaths on the hyways, why haven’t cars been banned? Or kitchen knives, or bathtubs (many people die in bathtubs) or flour? Yes, flour. It’s dangerous as hell in powered form. I mean, let’s look under every kitchen counter to see what’s dangerous. Can you see how ridiculous your question seems in that light?

      All the while everyone ignores Geoengineering and pretends it doesn’t exist. How sickening!

      WHat a world we live in. Are you a paid hack, or just a Bot?

      If, miraculously, you’re neither, and still capable of thinking critically, I do hope you’ll consider the questions – and the link – I posed above.

      • @Helot
        Right on,,, spot on.
        Some people just dont get it, including my current girlfriend, think i need to make a change with that, otherwise shes going to eventually get me killed.

      • Helot, not a bot at all. Thank you for your reply, I appreciate the debate as I am truly open to it and I will gladly listen. Dani (ps I live in Europe, the American reality is different to mine)

    • NOBODY has the right to tell me what flavor my self protection comes in.
      When you can prove to me that the wotld as a whole is safe and i dont need to be concerned about government “Demociding” me, then ill think about it, until then,
      MOLON LABE,
      I very purposfully own nothing but military grade hardware.
      Good piece Daisy, Thank you,,

    • DANI,I think you and your family will love being in SLAVERY in china or russia,SEEING as how you hate the US CONSTUTITION,no doubt you hate anyone with a weapon,I know you never thought about it BUT what in the hell do you women think saves you from criminals everywhere you go,PEOPLE with a weapon in their pocket,LISTEN,why don’t you move to where you’d really love living,SAY SAIDIA ARIBIA,then you won’t have to worry about who has a weapon and who don’t,CAUSE you won’t have any rights,and I know you’d love to have freedom for you and no one else,SO PLEASE MOVE THERE RIGHT AWAY……..

    • There is no such thing as an ‘assault rifle’. It’s just a rifle with a scary look to it. Automatic weapons have been banned for civilians for many decades now. If the perp had not been able to get ahold of a rifle he just would have carried multiple handguns to compensate. This has happened before. The core of the issue is allowing into the US people whose religion expressly tells them to kill, and the legal mass disarming of citizens.

  • I truly wish people would quit using the term “assault weapon”. That is a term purposely used by the liberals and the gun control crowd to scare everyone. (Sounds scary – push the term to the sheeple!) An AR15 was used in the Orlando shooting. It was not an automatic weapon, not a military weapon, and is not even as lethal as a deer rifle (which is not black and scary looking). Technically speaking, any weapon, including a kitchen knife, can be used to “assault” someone. I have an AR15 that shoots .22 bullets. I would not want to be shot with a .22, and it is possible to kill someone with a .22, but you would need to shoot them more than once in very strategic places. No, he didn’t use an AR15 that shot .22 bullets. But we will never learn from the media what caliber he used, but that’s a moot point now. An AR15 is a black, military-looking gun, but it is NOT a military quality rifle. The military uses M16s and other more lethal weapons. To protect yourselves from liberal-speak and government taking our liberties, please at least educate yourself by researching what constitutes an assault weapon and what does not.

  • Mercy, no wonder the Republic is in so much trouble. Folks don’t understand the basic foundation of their government. Sorry Sven and others but America is NOT a democracy. A democracy is like the 2 wolves and the sheep who voted what’s for dinner. Our Republic is one governed by rules of law, not rules of men. It is not functioning as one today because of the above-mentioned lack of understanding.

    Sven says Hispanics are not if favor of guns? I guess the Mexican cartels didn’t get that memo?

    And helot, how silly you saying, “Being free is just not compatible with our Republic.” With all due respect I’ll go with John Adams (he was our 2nd President) who said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

    Helot, I’ll agree with you on one point, Washington DC is evil. FedGov is the biggest bully, terrorist and arms dealer in the world. So many decades of lies and shedding of innocent blood. DC is today’s Sodom and Gomorrah. It is the biggest threat to our liberty. Why do you think Patriots are Preppers?

    Lastly, a word to Dani. You are searching for the truth. That is awesome. If I could make one suggestion it would be: keep your eyes on greater evils. Terrorists like the mafia, gangs etc. murder in ones, tens and possibly hundreds. But governments throughout history have murdered THEIR OWN in millions. They always start with disarming their people. Contrary to Sven’s prediction, we will not become the New South Africa.

    Take a look at this ‘Death Chart’: http://jpfo.org/filegen-a-m/deathgc.htm

  • Daisy;

    Excellent article!! The Lovely Bride & youngest girl took a C.P.L. class Memorial Day weekend. I heard talk of a trip to the county clerk’s office maybe today… it seems we think alike..

    Thanks for the Link to the sign… will have to check it out

  • Thank you for an excellent article. I am so pleased to see that you are setting the example to your daughter that nobody needs to be a victim. It is my policy to avoid gun free zones as much as possible as I see them as fish in a barrel zones were all the odds are stacked against the innocent.
    In my area of the country (Central Florida) concealed weapons permits issuance is at an all time high. Yesterday I was talking to a clerk at my local Walmart in the sporting goods section. Without me bringing up the subject, she confessed she was planning to get her concealed permit. I strongly encouraged her to follow through with good training.
    Quoting an old saying “A well armed society is a polite society”.

  • Sorry to have to OPEN your eyes, but you are already a victim of a system that steals your money, uses it for nefarious means, such as murdering babies at home and abroad, and fills your child’s head with garbage. Real Americans have already given their lives or have left the insanity for greener pastures. What’s left in America are disillusioned wannabee patriots who are nothing less than dismally anemic and self centered – or knowing participants of the mark. America will crumble at the hands of its largely unrepentant and narrow minded slave residents, not it’s “leaders.” It’s one thing to have a gun… it’s another to know in which direction to point it. The government (internal and external) will one day take that slick newly fired weapon of yours either by consent or by preference; prying it from your cold dead hands… heroes are made only by opportunity, and the present one is passing rapidly. You sheeple make me ill with your conceits and arrogance. You really have little idea of the big picture. Where are the George Washingtons now? All asleep or morbidly intoxicated with idolatrous envies for superfluous and valueless manipulated products of a constrained and hijacked capitalism. You will one day look out towards the horizon through FEMA bars and wonder why you didn’t take care of your family more intelligently and appropriately. Get your head out of your arse and appeal to Christ… he is the only solution to a world that’s been rotting for thousands of years. In reality, we are in the mother of spiritual battles, not a secular one: Be as little children, and make yourself perfect even as your father in heaven is perfect.

  • Daisy, all I can say is Thank God you and R. are safe…..prayers go out to you from me here in Canada….wish we could run over to Tims for a nice cup of coffee and chat! Keep safe….S.

  • Wow! You handled those guys like a scene right out of a movie. We need more people willing to stand their ground & not be afraid of seeming impolite. Good for you!

  • Wow, I am always amazed at what jerks we have in society and why we NEED to protect ourselves.

    Religion or not, violence is going to happen anyways.

    Its happened since the dawn of age. Its happened even before religion ever came out and will always happen with ANY kind of religion. It falls down to the individual and how they read each passage, or go with their own analogy of the way life should be.

    My view on this subject is right on target with Daisy’s.

    Being a mother of 4 very beautiful girls (I’m seriously not just saying that) and being preyed on myself and seeing men prey on my kids, really pisses me off. My mother bear, comes out then.

    I fear for their safety, and yes, I’m in a safe country, I’m in Canada.

    I WILL NOT travel to other countries with my children, in fear of someone or a group of people kidnapping or assaulting them and never being able to get them back.

    I don’t like being a victim (having been one a few times throughout my life) and I absolutely refuse to be one anymore.

    Through my previous experiences, I was determined to learn how to fight, with or with weapons, which is both a very real thing that we, women/girls/any smaller statue person needs to do.

    People get so defensive, when they think that we will arm ourselves or get training to protect ourselves and really most men are pretty supportive of us being able to protect ourselves.

    I find that those people who are against us protecting ourselves are usually the ones who don’t like power taken from them, and won’t find it easy to victimise us.

    This is from my own personal view.

    Also, I always say, make sure you can clearly “SEE” what you are shooting. Don’t be shooting blindly.

    Also make sure that you are doing it with a clear heart & only for protection issues.

    Best wishes for your safety and independence.

    • This is the quote of the day:

      “I find that those people who are against us protecting ourselves are usually the ones who don’t like power taken from them, and won’t find it easy to victimise us.”

      I agree wholeheartedly.

  • What a great article. I just forwarded it to my brother. His teenage daughter has been brainwashed to hating all cops and loving the BLM movement.

    Hopefully he can install some sense into her as you have with your daughter.

    • Thank you! It can sometimes be hard when kids are influenced by others who just don’t understand. I hope the article helps!

  • Daisy, is that your home address in the lower left hand corner of your home page? If so, you may want to remove it.

    I think those guys who visited you have been watching you. They may return, but at night. You didn’t mention a guard dog. Do you have a well trained, protective dog?

    A guard dog in your bedroom will hear and sense something amiss way before you do, especially at night.

    I’ve had very protective family dogs that I trusted completely. When my daughter was about 10, she wanted to stay home alone and I told her she could as long as Princess, an Australian Shepherd/German Shepherd mix stayed inside with her. I drove to the store, made a u-turn and went home. I was gone 20 minutes. Daughter was thrilled to be trusted, and she told me Princess was on alert and let her know when I pulled into the driveway.

    We took her everywhere, and while camping, a young family stopped by to say hello. Princess was friendly to mom and both children, but when the man took his hands out of his pockets to pet her, Princess bared her teeth, the hair on the back of her neck went up and she growled. He had to keep his hands in his pockets. He must have been abusive to his family because Princess disliked him intensely. She was tethered, but I think that if the man had made a threatening move to any of us, nothing would have stopped her.

    Dogs are the best protection there is. I know, many people prefer guns. But you can’t cuddle with a gun and you know, even a small dog like a Chihuahua can do considerable damage.

    • Hi Susan!

      Thank you for the great advice. 🙂

      The address is a business mailing address in a different. Bloggers are required by law to put an address on emails that we send out to people.
      We have a trained 160-pound guard dog who lives outside. We are expanding our fencing this week to give him access to the entire perimeter of the house. We also have an inside dog who is a fierce protector. I agree – dogs always know!

      Princess sounds like a gem!

      • Whatever the dog wants, the dog gets!

        Princess died years ago, my daughter is now 42 years old.

        In 2009 I house sat for a woman whose neighbor had horses. One day a van full of men drove up to take some firewood she’d advertised free for the taking. There wasn’t a fence between the properties, so as I watched the men work, a huge horse named Dancer came up behind me and put her head on my shoulder. The men nervously asked if she would bite and I told them I didn’t know, but we’d find out.

        They increased their speed in loading the wood and when I told them they could come back later and get more, they declined the offer and sped away.

        I later learned that Dancer was protecting the weakest member of the herd, me!

        Thank God for animals, they are a joy and a blessing.

  • Hi Daisy,

    After reading the comments for this article, which I think was excellent, I would like to throw in this bit of information. The rifle used in the Orlando mass shooting was not an AR-15, instead it was a Sig Sauer MCX. It doesn’t change much in the aftermath of the shooting, the victims are all still either dead or will carry scars for the rest of their lives. Just think the AR-15 gets enough bad publicity. Here’s a link for reference: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2016/06/14/the-gun-the-orlando-shooter-used-was-not-an-ar-15-that-doesnt-change-much/

    Ralph

    • Hi, Ralph! I’m An AR-15 fan myself, and obviously I was paying attention to the wrong sources when researching the shooting. Thank you for the clarification.

  • Hi Daisy,
    Thank goodness you were home when these men came by your home, I am thankful everything turned out well. As a single woman myself I think or we should anyway try to prepare to defend ourselves, to include playing out different situations with a trusted friend or if nothing else in our head. I know I have.

    Happy to hear you are teaching your daughter to shoot. I am pleased that both my daughters not only carry but have taught their children to hunt. I worry less knowing if they had to they could protect themselves. In today’s world and I think you would agree it is almost a must.

  • Awesome post ! Been following you for a little while now and admiring your courage in saying things like they are, taking a stand against the BS that we are all asked to swallow every day.

    Everyone has a right to defend themselves. In olden days it was a different world – today there are few of us that are conditioned physically, mentally and tactically to respond to threats by real bad guys. I’m middle aged, healthy, in reasonable shape, smart – but none of that would mean much if a guy came after me who knew how to fight, or who was prepared for conflict. I’d get my but kicked, maybe dead. A gun is an equalizer. It lets me say, “no, you’re not going to rob, beat or kill me without a fight”.

    And it’s one thing to think of yourself, but if you have kids you owe it to them to think of them as well. What is Daisy going to do in that situation with 3 men who are clearly bent on badness ? Talk them down ? Run ? Scream for help ? All it took was a hand on a hip gun. Didn’t need to draw or threaten or wave it aorund or fire shots in the air – just a hand on the buttstock.

    Most men are kind and good and love women and girls. Most would never dream of harming you or your daughter. But like gangbangers in the ghetto and pitbulls in the park, you have to use some common sense. Don’t put yourself in a bad situation. Leave the situation as soon as you realize it is bad. Call for help. Use interpersonal skills. But if these aren’t an option, or if they have failed, then be glad you have a weapon and know how to use it.

    You and your daughter are doing it all right.

  • Good for you Daisy, I wish my wife were more like you in the shooting secuity aspect, but in 49 yrs , she hasn’t changed. And the part about not answering the door to strangers in the city isn’t limited to just the city. A cousin of mine’s wife had a real scarey experience happen to her many yrs ago and now she won’t answer the door for anything or anyone unless her husband is in the front yard. they live some distance out in the country. knowing my cousin, there is loaded shotgun behind the front door ( not mention other loaded firearms located around the house ).Oh, and did I mention the big dog in front of the house.

  • I’ve had to pull a gun on intruders as well. My husband and I have a place at the river. There is a problem with theft at the site, so any time it is not occupied, we try to keep a close eye on it. I have a .22 revolver. It’s not much, but I tell myself that James Brady was shot with a .22, so it can slow them down.

    We had some Monrovians show up. One started yelling that he owned the place and we needed to get off! My husband was by our van, talking to him. I stood outside of my door, with the gun pointed up and told them “You need to leave”. The driver noticed my weapon and got his friend in the vehicle. I’d written down the license plate and reported the to the cops. They said they have been looking for these folks for theft and drugs.

    We intend to buy more weapons and apply for a concealed carry permit. I am tired of being bullied at my own property. Both my husband and I were raised around guns, but it’s taken recent events for him to realize how much we need to be armed. It is not a safe world out there.

  • In John Wayne’s last movie, “The Shootist”, his character is an aged gunfighter dying of cancer. He tells an admiring teenaged Ron Howard that in a gunfight you have to be more than fast, more than accurate, you have to be willing. You proved to your adversaries that you are willing. Thankfully, that was enough to make the threat go away. I think your message to us all is that we need to learn to be willing to do whatever it takes to protect ourselves and our loved ones. We should not be willing only to be victims.

  • One of the many thousands of instances where the mere presence of a firearm in the hands of someone will stop what could have turned ugly…..as Ms Luther points out, firearm was not drawn or fired to accomplish the message of “Back Down”. Had multiple occasions in my own life where this has happened.

    But something else I’d pass on: Have multiple layers of security. Your firearm is the last layer.

    We live out on a place that almost fits Ms Luther’s to a T…..end of a small county road, long driveway up to the house, can’t see the house from the county road end. We used to get lot’s of “tourists” (drive up, turn around just to see what is up here), Jehova’s Witnesses (etc), meat salesmen with the freezer in the back of pickup truck, and just plain shady looking characters looking for “John Doe”.

    The cure to that is a GATE at the end of your driveway. Not only does it stop all that traffic, but it puts a crimp in the plans of anyone thinking about burglarizing your place when you’re not there, as they don’t KNOW if you’re home or not, and most crooks are too lazy to hike up a long drive. Make it a practice to keep the gate closed ALL THE TIME…home or not home. We finally put an electric opener on ours after years of getting out to open/close the gate, but either way….GET A GATE.

    Also, dogs. Not vicious or trained attack dogs….just barkers. Someone that will walk up your drive way (had utility workers, hunters, census takers), dogs tend to bark at walking people a whole lot more than people in cars….because walking people move lot slower, giving the dogs more time to see them… and are more ‘out of place’ to the dogs than vehicles.

  • Bravo! No one could have said it better. So many people think they are protecting their children by hovering over them, always doing everything for them and giving them everything they want. Whatever happened to raising your children to be strong, confident and capable of taking care of themselves when you aren’t there? Thank you for this article and this website. I’m a 61 yr old single woman who lives out in the country, peacefully with guns and 3 huge dogs. When people smirk and say, “What are you afraid of?”. I say, “NOT A DAMN THING!”. Hahaha!

  • Years ago when I did social media, I posted a picture of my 5yo daughter shooting my adult daughters 38. With my help of course. The caption I posted said “dads teach your daughters to shoot because a restraining order is just a piece of paper “ All of the “that’s child abuse !!!” Crowd were WOMEN! Being a victim is a choice and the specific circumstances are irrelevant. Keep up the good work.

    • You are a great dad! As Rory Miller, one of my favorite violence dynamics authors and instructors, often says, “Nobody who really loves you wants you to be weak.”

  • “Shall not be infringed” means that if they want to “infringe” by expanding the government’s authority to nullify, limit, license or restrict that they don’t have, they must go through the Article V Amendment process in order to ‘acquire’ the lawful authority to legislate limits, licenses or to nullify your Rights. If they have no authority to pass such a law or ordinance (haven’t complied with the the lawful Amendment process) then the Supreme Court stated in Marbury vs Madison that: “All laws which are repugnant to the Constitution are null and void.”
    https://resistancetononsense.wordpress.com/2018/06/29/our-preexisting-irrevolkable-right-of-self-defense/

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