I've been asked by a local reserve muckety muck to consider participating in training exercises, but since this is of course the government my answer was I'd like to, but why not make it more of a hassle. Here's the deal; to stand around teaching part-time military kids how to shoot I'd have to either become certified as an NRA instructor or even worse. Not that I have anything against the NRA but at this point in my life I do not have the patience necessary to go through course after course just to walk away with a certificate that permits me to refer to myself as someone with a fair familiarity with firearms. I've assisted in the training of thousands of folks and if that isn't enough, then sorry. My dues-paying days are long past and that's all there is to that.
Now, it does bother me to no end to see young men pick up a rifle and be assured of hitting two things. The sky and the ground. My gut begins to rumble with the urge to grab the bloody weapon from their flinching hands and point out the better ways of learning how to kill the enemy, but maturity has tempered this urge so I fight it off. Pardon, but did I say kill? I of course meant instill a certain level of proficiency in achieving correct sight alignment and trigger control. Can't say kill. The police academy's refer to it as neutralizing the threat with the proper degree of force on force. What the military calls it seems to change from day to day so I've given up trying to remember what to say when I really mean "kill".
But there's this young guy who shoots his 16 so badly I fear for his life should push come to shove. Hell you say, so what's new. Thousands of young guys that can't shoot, what are you gonna do, stop by and have a talk with them all?
If there was a way, yeah. Then Lisa tells me she'll call a grownup to have a talk with me if I don't stop acting like a baby and I go back to shaking my head and hoping for the best.
But here's what we need: We need locals, from every walk of life, to donate their time and teach. Sure they have to be familiar with what they're teaching, but fer chrissake if a cluttered DD-214 isn't enough then somethings wrong. There aren't enough firing ranges and when was the last time ANYONE saw a high school program that was all about the use and care of firearms? Will there come a time when there are none of us who remember tossing a shitload of .22's into the back of a station wagaon after school and following a teacher to the range? Can you imagine spotting a car fill of kids loaded down with rifles? Nowadays?
So is it any wonder they can't shoot for shit. Who failed? Was it ALL just the politicians wanting to turn us into the Nanny States of America, or did we gladly relinquish our birthrights because, after all, the media tells us day in and day out how harried we are and how busy we are, and how no one has time for anything.
Anyway, I'll show them a thing or two...if they ask...whenever I can. Lots of local youngsters from the University of Florida looking for places to shoot and people to show them how. Dusting off the old .22 is something I've been meaning to do.
Now I need to find an old station wagon...
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