Tam is not sure how to feel about a number of internet “posters” on the “Armed Mommy” Facebook page, which say things like “Don’t be fooled by that sweet smile… She’ll shoot you dead if you mess with her family,” “I don’t call 911so there won’t be anyone to save you if you break into my house,” and “My gun is loaded with Christmas cheer… in case you had plans to break in this year.” Other than the last one not making much sense, I load my guns with lead, not Christmas cheer, I can identify, and don’t really have a problem with them. I obviously support self defense, and don’t have a problem with spreading the word. I think things like Oleg Volk’s work has done a lot of great work to illustrate the problems with gun control and disarming law abiding citizens.

Things change quite a bit when you get to things like “How do I feel about gun control? Break into my house one night and find out!”and “Don’t mess with me… because I’ve been dyin’ to try this baby out.”

Sorry, but you should never be “dyin'” to “try out” a gun on another human being. And don’t break into my house, I’ll happily tell you how I feel about gun control. Self defense, and the decision to take another person’s life, are not something to be taken lightly.

As George Zimmerman found out, even a justified shooting comes with a lot of legal baggage, and things could have gone even worse for him. What I have heard from people who have been in the situation also indicates it usually comes with a lot of emotional trouble, as well. As much as I prefer being able to defend myself, I would prefer even more to use situational awareness and other preventative measures to not have to.

This also is probably not a helpful image to be projecting to people that are not sure about self defense and gun ownership.

Furthermore, for me, as a Christian, I am commanded to love my neighbors, enemies, basically everyone. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t shoot someone in self defense; that is entirely about staying alive myself, and not about how I feel towards the attacker. But I can’t rejoice in, look forward to, etc. the idea of killing someone, no matter how much they “deserve” it. Maybe it seems like a small distinction, but I don’t believe it is.

Yes I have and carry guns. And I really, deeply, hope that I am never in the situation to use one in self defense.