As I was sitting and conversing with a fellow veteran for lunch Friday, he mentioned this. "I don't think anyone one should have an semi-automatic rifle"!

I just sat there and he explained, "No one needs an AK-47 or AR15 or even a 30.06 to hunt with"! I looked at him and I could see in his eyes the hurt he had from a tour in NAM!

He has a lot of issues and has been working through some. He told me that he sold all his guns years ago. Fearing for his own actions of past might flair up.

I usually try to speak lightly about current things, but the issue in Texas has been so pronounced in the media its tough.

He actually is involved with the VFW for some years. Actually becoming a district rep as well. The same day he said he was getting out of it.

He has always been quite stubborn about issues and difficult to discuss things with. I will try to continue to contact him and bring him along with my conversations.

He attends a local church often and still has trouble mixing with people in the church.

I know some of you out there have people like this. What's your take on them?

The guy probably needs your friendship and support, but that doesn't mean you have to let him get away with statements like that. You can explain where he is wrong, or where you disagree, without being overly forceful about it.

He's entitled to his opinion--just like everyone else.

My father is one of those. He's a rock solid social and fiscal conservative and lifelong republican. He was an alabama republican in 1960 long before it was cool.

But when it comes to modern sporting rifles or anything that smacks of pushback he just wants to be left alone and considers it foolish to make yourself a target.

Basically, he hasn't been engaged in the culture wars since Reagan.

But he turns 80 this year so I've quit trying to get him more involved.

Exactly.

I do try to discuss things of all sorts with him. He saw some nasty action in NAM in 1969-70. He was an forward observer. Directing artillery for Army in the field.

He has an honorable discharge. But as of late his ghosts of past have crept in on him. He's retired and running a lawn service in the summer. It keeps him busy and brings in some additional monies.

He is married for the second time now. Thats about 10years to this one now. He has 2 children all grown and away from home.

He is 72 or there abouts. He graduated with my brother in 1967. There are a lot of similarities between my brother and him.


But my brother has gotten better in the last few years. He was over there in 1969 also. He was in country for 90 days and got hit twice.

Losing his hearing badly and receiving shrapnel from a grenade. He was sent to Japan then stateside. Rotated out after some surgery on his ears.

I will continue to talk with this friend and work on things.

Brain washing can get to the best of folks , kinda like Cancer , it doesn't discriminate

Ask him if he remembers this guy….who took advantage of unarmed citizens

A man who has fought for our rights most certainly has those same rights.

Well ya can't force the guy to buy one of those black rifles. But you can't force the folks that have or want tone to give them up either. And as said so many times before, the 2A has nothing to do with hunting. Unless you are hunting tyrannic politicians.

That's all you can do. Like I said earlier, I bet he needs and appreciates your friendship.

He’s probably remembering a lot of guys this weekend.

There's a consultant we use for work that I've known through work for 15 years. We've become friendly, although I don't really hang out with him other then at work. I like the guy. Very smart. Always an interesting conversation.

He asked what I thought about universal background checks. I told him I didn't think they would do any good. Every "mass" shooter has either bought the gun with a background check or got the gun from someone who did. But I didn't say much else because I respect the guy. We did talk about the whole gun issue some more later. I let him talk more than I talked.

But I finally told him that the second amendment has nothing to do with hunting or target shooting. The writers had just overthrown an oppressive government and they believed that governments always, eventually, become oppressive. They wanted the power to remain with the people and wanted us to have the power to keep our government in check or even replace it when necessary.

I'm friends with a Nam vet, a Marine....It's still all vivid to him and he's convinced he's going to (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) because of the things he and his squad did...

But, He's still buying guns and thinks everyone should have a room full.

The "need" argument is probably the weakest argument to make against guns for the purposes of the second amendment. To make that argument, the assumption has to be basically a one on one duel situation, which coincidentally was legal for a long time in this country.

This is highly relevant. To anyone who doesn't understand......I suggest they watch the Ghetto scene from the movie Schindler's List........the part where a small handful of armed German soldiers roll in and round up a whole neighborhood of helpless Jews. Why didn't they fight back? Because they couldn't. They had all been disarmed....their guns confiscated.

So that's a movie and can't happen here? Tell that to Roger Stone. He had 29 heavily armed FBI agents and Swat team members show up and his house one morning to arrest him. For what? Obstruction of justice into congressional investigation into Trump Russian collusion investigation that we now know didn't happen.

Tell that to Catherine Englebrecht.....the founder of True the Vote and 2000 mules fame. She came under the wrath of the Federal Government too.....IRS audits, FBI investigations etc. What were her crimes. Looking into and exposing voter fraud.

Critical that the American civilian population remains armed......as they can no longer trust a government that among other things, has already attempted to establish a ministry of truth. The list is long and growing.

I was not old enough to be in Nam. But I know a lot of guys who were. Most have lead normal lives......some have scars......visible and others.....not so much. They deal with it in their own way. About all I could ever think of was to offer friendship and understanding.

And even those that seem unscathed probably were not. My dad was in Italy during WW2. Throughout his life.....he only told us the good stories. It wasn't until later years that he began to mention the darker stuff. He had buried it deep......but it was still there.

A good friend of mine upon returning from Vietnam purchased a 30-06 to go hunting with. He also seen death and destruction in that war. Several of my uncles brought back some captured bolt actions rifles when they returned from Word War 2 to go hunting with. They all hunted to the end of their lives. Some handle their war experiences different than others. I sympathize with those that can’t and respect their opinion.

Cannot fix stupid so he is entitled to his opinion without any rebutal.

This is a soul-searching topic and I agree with both sides. I own a 742 and a 10-22, not what I consider assault weapons by any stretch but some politicians might disagree. My 742 hasn't been used in 30 years because my hunting style is different now. All my deer hunting is with bolt action rifles. I have two 1100 shotguns (one for waterfowl and one for skeet and clays), and two Model 12 pump guns that I have never fired. All are stock configurations in original wooden stocks. I have never wanted a combat or tactical weapon other than some pistols I have.

I was a military Reservist for 27 years and really enjoyed days at the range. I qualified expert with pistol and rifle. We also shot combat courses with 870s using 9 pellet 12 gauge buckshot. The pistol and shotgun courses were fun and designed to prepare me to kill if necessary. I never felt the need for an AR, and don't even enjoy range time when they show up there. On my last visit to a public wildlife range, a "long-haired hippie freak" to my left was blasting away with an AK he had just acquired. To hear him, you would have thought he was a combat vet and firearm historian, which he clearly wasn't. He couldn't hit a garbage can at 50 yards. I guess he enjoyed the image he made for himself. His brass often hit me at the next bench. I packed my gear and left. A private club I belong to doesn't allow assault weapons. They don't even allow human or animal-shaped targets. They do everything possible to maintain their relationship with a spreading community that has surrounded their once-remote property.

Times are changing. I'm not judging anyone, but during the ammo shortage, the factories catered to the AR owners at the expense of hunters, and that has sort of turned me off.

Just blowing steam here.