Are you a hoplophobe?

Seattle Gun Rights Examiner ^ | 3 August, 2009 | Dave Workman

[marktwain]

Years ago, the late Col. Jeff Cooper, deemed by many to have been “The Father of Modern Handgunning” or simply “The Guru,” coined a term that has now become part of the American lexicon and has actually been recognized as a genuine phobia.

Hoplophobia: An irrational fear of firearms and other forms of weaponry.

I’ve recently finished the manuscript of a new book, with Alan Gottlieb, called Assault on Weapons: The Campaign to Eliminate Your Guns to be published by Merril Press. We take a look at the movement to eliminate or at least severely restrict gun ownership, and there are several examples of hoplophobia in that text.

The most common manifestation of hoplophobia is the idea that instruments possess a will of their own, apart from that of their user. - Col. Jeff Cooper

Hoplophobia should not be mistaken for outright social bigotry against firearms and the people who own them. One often leads to the other, but they are not the same thing. The social bigot believes himself or herself to be superior to the firearms owner in any number of arenas, including education and salary, whereas the hoplophobe is genuinely fearful of firearms.

So I’ve cooked up a little quiz that may help people determine if they are suffering from hoplophobia. Give it a go and see where you stand. Results are not scientific.

1. Does the presence of a firearm make you feel uneasy? Yes ___ No ___

2. Does it bother you that other citizens may be carrying concealed handguns, even if it is legal? Yes ___ No ___

3. Do you believe only police and the military should have guns? Yes ___ No ___

4. If you saw a person openly carrying a firearm, would you immediately call the police even if the armed citizen was simply minding his own business? Yes ___ No ___

5. If you were hiking on a trail and encountered another hiker who was armed, would you: a) Argue with that person that guns don’t belong in the forest b) Turn around and leave the area c) Demand to see that person’s hiking permit d) Just walk past, say hello or say nothing at all, and mind your own business e) Chat with the person, ask what kind of gun he/she is packing and show him/her your gun

6. Would you support or oppose a ban on legally-carried handguns on public property, including municipal, state and national parks, national forests and wilderness areas? Support ___ Oppose ___

7. Do you think gun owners should be required to have licenses, and their guns registered with the police? Yes ___ No ___

8. If your new neighbor mentioned that he belongs to the National Rifle Association or the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, would you invite him to a neighborhood barbecue? Yes ___ No ___

9. Do you now, or have you ever owned a gun, and would you allow a firearm in your home? Yes ___ No ___

10. Would you accept an invitation to go target shooting with a friend, or on a date? Yes ___ No ___

11. Have you ever considered enrolling in a gun safety class? Yes ___ No ___

12. Would you support, or oppose the inclusion of gun safety as part of your local public school curriculum, including the NRA’s Eddie Eagle program for young children? Support ___ Oppose ___

If you answered “Yes” to Questions 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7, you’re probably a hoplophobe If you answered Question 5 with either “a,” “b,” or “c” you’ve got a problem; stay out of the forests, especially in the autumn. If you answered Question 6 with “Support,” you have it bad! You should be running for the office of Mayor of Seattle. If you answered Question 8 with “Yes” you may or may not suffer from hoplophobia, and this is one way to inoculate against its onset. If you answered Question 9 with a “No,” you need to broaden your horizons If you answered Questions 10 and 11 with “Yes,” you are already broadening your horizons. Next step: Get a subscription to Gun World, Gun Week, Gun Digest, American Handgunner or Guns and Ammo If you answered Question 12 with “Support,” you will probably be shunned at the next meeting of the National Education Association, so join the NRA or Citizens Committee at once, and you will find lots of friends.

Okay, so the quiz was kind of tongue-in-cheek. Or was it? How many people know someone who would fit the descriptions outlined above? Pass this test around, see how your friends, neighbors and family members might answer.

[WOBBLY BOB]

that’s all I’m wearing right now.

[mylife]

TMI!