Don't vilify responsible gun owners. Celebrate them.

We should urge them to promote and represent a different attitude toward gun ownership — one that is cautious and realistic, not exhibitionist or ostentatious

A hunter and protesters.
(Image credit: Illustrated | Image Source / Alamy Stock Photo, AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

My first memory of holding a gun is burned into my brain. I remember very clearly what I was told: Always act as if a gun is loaded, even when you know it isn't. Never point it at anyone. Never point it toward yourself. Keep guns locked away and out of reach — never lying around your house or car.

The lesson was clear: Gun caution wasn't restricted to the shooting range or in the forest. Merely touching a gun necessitated sobriety and expertise.

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Gracy Olmstead

Gracy Olmstead is a writer and journalist located outside Washington, D.C. She's written for The American Conservative, National Review, The Federalist, and The Washington Times, among others.