As of this month, I am officially a new owner of a 9mm pistol.
If you know me in real life, the idea of me owning a firearm might be surprising. You're a well-educated liberal professional in a safe, middle-class neighborhood - what are you doing with a firearm?
Contrary to popular belief, not all left-leaning folks hate guns. Sure, we believe in gun control. But, gun control doesn't translate into removing all guns. Instead, it means making sure the wrong kinds of people don't have easy access to firearms, and ensuring guns are used safely and responsibly. Personally, I believe a handgun - like martial arts, or pepper spray - is just another tool for self defense. An self defense will become increasingly important in the years to come.
In Parable of the Sower, owning and being skilled with firearms was a recurring theme. In the Robledo community, members regularly practiced shooting and used firearms to protect food and livestock from theives. In the outside world, Lauren's band of strangers used firearms to protect themselves from violent criminals. And when Lauren and her Acorn family finally reached a new settlement, they knew the previous occupants' failure to keep watch (presumably with firearms) likely cost them their lives.
We may not be living in the insance world of The Pox, but as Donald Trump comes into power, I believe the populace will become desparate. The national order we have taken for granted will slip away as billionaires attack our meager safety net, science skeptics put our health at risk, and the climate crisis rips apart our quality of life. Simply put, I don't have many reasons to be optimistic about the future of this country, and I'm concerned this election has emboldened our nation's worst elements to become violent. A firearm may seem like overkill to many of my peers, but I'd rather have one and not need it than vice versa.
As for the hadngun itself, I'm a big fan. It's a Sig Sauer P320 M18 - a 9mm pistol. Before I purchased this particular model, I was originally interested in a Glock 43X since its small size makes it popular with women. But, once the store clerk learned I was purchasing my first firearm, he recommended going with a full-size gun instead so I could get used to the recoil. (Smaller guns have greater recoil and need more handling skills.) Once I heard his wife was a big fan of the P320, that was enough information for me to move forward. I'm a simple gal :)
Purchasing the gun was an easy process. Once I identified the firearm I wanted to purchase, I took a quick online workshop required by the state of Washington. (Speaking honestly, it was a quick 10-minute tutorial on responsibile gun ownership, peppered with lots of NRA propoganda.) After I purchased the gun, I waited a two-week period which included my background check clearance, then picked up the handgun at the store.
Now that I have the gun in hand, I plan to practice often using "dry fire," live courses, and time at the shooting range. I picked up a laser training pistol that's modeled after my own handgun as well as laser targets. This will allow me to get practice around the house using my gun safely without spending too much money on ammo. I also have three courses lined up for January: Pistol Orientation, Pistol Fundamentals, and Concealed Carry. Washington is a shall-issue state, so a concealed carry course isn't required, but I'd still like to learn from a professional anyway.