Andrew Schow

Criminal Justice 1010-007

September 2, 2015
Gun Safety
I have been using pocket knives regularly since I was 9 years old and in boy scouts. I was
taught by my dad how to handle them safely and make sure that nobody around me, including myself,
was hurt. I have come to view pocket knives, and knives in general, as tools. They are items that have
come in handy more often than I can remember.
A few days ago I used my pocket knife to open a package of food. When I was finished, I
folded the blade and put it back in my pocket. Later, I reached into that pocket to get my cell phone
and upon pulling my hand out, I felt something stab the side of my palm. At first I wasn't sure what
would have cut me, but because it was the only sharp object I was aware of, I checked it anyway.
Doing this, I learned that while I had followed all of the safety protocol while handling a pocket knife,
there were some elements for which I could not prepare. The knife, one I have had for years, has been
loosened enough to allow for a small amount of movement. That, combined with the pressure of a tight
pocket, caused my hand to catch on the tip of the blade. The cut was shallow and didn't bleed for long,
but it still taught me an important lesson. Every precaution should be taken when handling knives but,
even when you have taken all possible precautions, some things are just beyond your control. This
applies not only to pocket knives, but to many things, including firearms.
Incidents involving accidental discharge are made to seem common when, in reality, the
statistics say otherwise. In 1994, according to Gordon Witkin, there were around 216 million privately
owned firearms in the U.S. (24). With that in mind, it is also important to note the number of deaths
and injuries attributed to accidental shootings. According to one source, the Detroit News, at least
9,485 people were killed and another 127,000 wounded in unintentional shooting from 1993 to
2001 (Claxton). Not to discount the casualties due to improper handling of firearms, they are surely

tragic. These statistics also fuel, for many, a desire to lobby for gun control, which seems to be an
attempt to remove guns from public hands. With proper measures taken, the casualties caused by
weapons discharge can be lessened. But an attempt to stop weapons from being sold is not the answer.
The answer is in learning gun safety and proper handling of firearms. By doing so, the death toll
attributed to accidental discharge of firearms can be drastically reduced.
The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States guarantees the citizens' right to
bear arms (U.S. Constitution). This right is guaranteed to all citizens in order to protect themselves and
their families. It is also guaranteed that it will not be infringed. Because of this amendment, the
necessity for proper education in safe gun handling becomes even greater. There will always be people
who don't care about the law, so a law prohibiting guns will only take them away from good men and
women who would not be a threat to those around them. Said Sammy The Bull Gravano, a gangster,
"Gun control? It's the best thing you can do for crooks and gangsters. I want you to have nothing. If I'm
a bad guy, I'm always gonna have a gun" (Interesting Quotes). Gun violence would continue in spite of
gun control laws, however that same violence can be deterred in the presence of an armed victim.
Rarely is anyone shot in these incidents, Kleck says; in fact, the defender fires in fewer than 1 in 4
cases. In most instances, the mere display of a weapon is sufficient to scare off the intruder (Witkin).
In addition to their usefulness for self-defense, gun owners also find that their weapons can be
used for sport. Anything from hunting to target shooting at a local range. One man, J. B. Gleason, says
this: After 20 years of carrying a firearm as part of my job, I view a pistol as a tool, much like my
radio or flashlight... As I moved on to other endeavors, I began to enjoy the opportunity to shoot for
fun... and have been shooting 3-gun matches when my schedule allows (Gleason, 16). Three gun
matches are simple. You use a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol in a competition during which you, and
others around you, go through a course shooting at targets looking for both reaction speed and
accuracy. Gleason speaks about the importance of preparing for a 3-gun match, and the lengths he
went to in order to give himself the best advantage he could. Even to the point of having his gun

modified slightly to improve performance. These modifications didn't just improve the performance of
the gun, they also improved his ability to operate the weapon safely by enhancing the weapon's
performance for a left-handed shooter (23-25). Things like that are important to the enthusiast, because
the safe handling of a firearm doesn't affect just those around you, it also affects you as the handler of
the gun. A gun that does not function properly is just as likely to harm the one shooting it as it is to
harm a bi-stander.
Upon returning to my house the night I cut myself, I promptly cleaned the cut, and sanitized the
knife. This practice is one that I have done for years, as keeping a knife clean and sharp is important
for safe use. A clean, sharp knife, when it cuts a person, will cut more cleanly and the cut is much less
likely to become infected. Likewise, a clean, well maintained gun is far less likely to misfire, causing
injury to the person holding the firearm and those around him.
Knowledge is power. By knowing how to handle a gun safely, whether or not you do so on a
regular basis, will greatly improve your chances of walking away unharmed if you ever encounter a
firearm. This could be in your hands or those of someone around you, be they friend or foe. It may
well be that you never have to worry about that, but it is better to be safe than sorry.

Works Cited
Claxton, Melvin. "With No Oversight, Defective Firearms Go Unchecked." Detroit News (Detroit, MI).
Dec. 16 2003: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 09 Nov 2012.
Bill of Rights The Charters of Freedom. Amendment 2. the U.S. National Archives and Records
Administration. n.d. web. 3 Dec 2012.
Gleason, J. B. 3-Gun Hammer Surefire Combat Tactics. Fall 2012: 16-25. Print. 30 Nov 2012
Interesting Quotes for Thinking People. Mouseguns.com n.p. n.d. web. 4 Dec 2012.
<http://mouseguns.com/texts/quotes.txt/>
Witkin, Gordon. "The Great Debate: Should You Own a Gun?" U.S. News & World Report. Aug. 15
1994: 24+. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 04 Dec 2012.