A question that you’ve probably run across before — whether on social media, forums, comments sections (you’ll meet the nicest folks there, he wrote sarcastically) — is why there aren’t more positive stories about gun ownership. There are certainly plenty of negative reports, but why is it that more news outlets don’t publish good stories about people who own guns or do good things with them?
It would certainly be a welcome antidote to the typical if-it-bleeds-it-ledes coverage. Granted, it’s not as if atrocities and tragedies don’t happen; of course they do and guns are sometimes involved. But a little balance would be a welcome respite. One that we probably won’t be getting any time soon.
But just because they don’t make the national news, don’t they that positive firearm-related stories don’t happen and aren’t reported. Here are just a few:
An un-named Detroit man, who had a valid carry permit was recently accosted by an armed robber on the street in broad daylight. The citizen knocked the gun out of the way and drew his own pistol, firing at the stick-up man. The robber, one Sanchez Quinn, was taken into custody, according to Fox2Detroit, after being shot multiple times by his would-be victim.
The Bastrop Louisiana Daily Enterprise announced that two teenage hunters just downed their first bucks while participating in Louisiana’s youth hunting season. Both went home with 8-point whitetails.
In Chicago, a model city for gun control and the world’s largest outdoor shooting range, a burglar in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the south side forced his way into a home on Oct. 7, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The only problem: he broke into the wrong house. The occupant (neither man is named in the article) was a law-abiding citizen with an Illinois FOID card and concealed carry permit. The burglar was shot and taken to hospital by an accomplice. At last report, he was in critical condition, but will face charges should he live.
In Antioch, Tennessee, a man entered a church wearing a ski mask during Sunday services on Sept. 24, and started shooting at parishioners, according to the Washington Post. Seven were wounded, and one woman died. However, an usher, 22-year-old Robert “Caleb” Engle, struggled with the gunman. During the struggle, the gunman was shot in the chest with his own gun. Engle then retrieved his own gun from his car and helped hold the shooter until authorities arrived.
North Carolina Sportsman reports that a 10-year-old youth hunter in that state harvested a trophy-class whitetail on or about Oct. 9 near Summerfield. The 8-point buck scored 142 inches, which may not be Boone & Crockett territory, but would be for Pope & Young (if P&Y wasn’t archery-only) and the Buckmasters BTR system.
In the Fort Boise Wildlife Management Area near Boise, Idaho, Quail Forever hosted its annual youth pheasant hunt on Oct. 7, according to the Idaho Press Tribune. Twelve kids, both boys and girls, accompanied by parents or guardians, took part in the event, which included safety and hunting education, range instruction and a pheasant hunt. It isn’t reported if all participants successfully downed birds, but it is reported that several did.
These are just a few examples of positive stories of things people — everyday, law-abiding Americans — did with guns in the past 30 days. We have at least two licensed concealed carriers that put paid to the aspirations of violent criminals, and another man who stopped a mass shooting that took place in a church of all places. One of those gun-free zones in some states.
We also have three youth hunters (the eldest of the three was 12) that harvested quality bucks, and a dozen more that successfully hunted pheasant on public lands, which are conserved for the benefit of all citizens and are a resource worth protecting.
There are hundreds more positive gun stories out there. Unfortunately, horror stories sell more newspapers, get more clicks and shares on the internet, and get better ratings on air. And so it goes.
Sam Hoober is a contributing editor at Alien Gear Holsters and Bigfoot Gun Belts. He also contributes regularly to Ammoland, Daily Caller and USA Carry.
I post positive stories about firearms ownership (lots of DGUs) on Facebook on a regular basis… for several years now.
Drip, drip, drip. It’s working. I’ve converted a few!
“We also have three youth hunters (the eldest of the three was 12)”
I thought 12 was the minimum age for hunting. Were the other two poachers?
Just keeping things real.
Minimum again varies according to which state you are in. In MI, the DNR has a program to introduce hunters under 10 to hunting.
And here is another positive story about firearms from the Detroit metro area again: two armed men ambushed two victims in a car at a gas station. One of the victims in the car was a concealed carry licensee who managed to shoot and kill one of the attackers. Unfortunately, the other armed attacker escaped. Fortunately, neither of the victims suffered any physical injuries.
Editorial comment: had this happened in Los Angeles or Oakland, California, the two victims in the car would probably be dead and the armed attackers would be preparing to rob/kill their next victims.
http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2017/10/22/cpl-holder-kills-masked-shooter-highland-park-gas-station/788449001/
“In Chicago, a model city for gun control…”
When you write something like that, you make yourself look stupid. Thanks to a few court decisions, the laws have changed in Chicago. Educate yourself before you write.
Chicago has been THE model city for gun control for decades and has had to be forced kicking and screaming into the current level of moderately pro Second Amendment Illinois. FOIDs and permits and restrictions on gun stores and ranges, etc. are STILL all violations of the Second Amendment, even if the ability to get a concealed carry permission slip has been liberalized.
All of this has resulted in the people of Chicago, regardless of the current state of the law, being indoctrinated for much too long that actually owning and carrying a pistol for self-protection is a terrible and dangerous thing. This will take some time to turn around and is one of those things that makes Chicago such a model for gun control.
(Born and raised in Chicago, still have relatives there, some of them with permission slips.)
And because the EL is off limits for carry it is impossible for about 70% of Chicagoans to carry on a daily basis.
Something positive for a change, cool. We were target practicing(just blasting) today, everyone had good time, nice day, nice conversations, and the smell of gunpowder.
that retriever on the far right is the toughest, roughest retriever I have ever seen. it even has a pirate’s patch on one eye.
Pretty sure that is an English Setter. My dad has had four of them. Great Bird Dogs and Family dogs, unlike the German short hair pointers, the Setter has an off switch and is just as happy snoozing on the couch as they are in the field.
But they shed like nothing else, fine white hair everywhere and they love to rub up on your dark clothing right before you have to go somewhere.
Positive stories never make the news. We never hear about the cop that does his job right, or the pilot that safely lands his plane or the taxi driver showing up on time. Nobody talks about a charity donation or some normal person doing a good deed. Why would it be any different for guns?
Don’t forget the kid in broken arrow Oklahoma are who got three hits on armed home invaders with two shots from an AR 15
They ignore this as it answers the question of “who needs an AR”
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