I Am 18 And I Can Not Wait Until I Am 21
Start writing a post
Politics

I Am 18 And I Can Not Wait Until I Am 21

It's not a license to kill, it's a license to protect.

57
I Am 18 And I Can Not Wait Until I Am 21
Brianna Lyman

I’m eighteen going on nineteen, I wear pink dresses in the spring, I like getting my nails done, and I like going to the shooting range.

I wasn’t raised around guns, and as any child should be, I was scared of them. Mean, scary, dangerous; a gun is something everyone fears at such a young age. We are taught that guns kill, and so, as a seven-year old, I firmly believed that a gun could kill someone on its own. I was too naïve and young to understand that a person had to pull the trigger to make the gun work, that a person had to be intent on using a gun in a devastating way, that a person was responsible for what a gun is aimed at.

For most of my young life I never imagined shooting a gun, let alone owning one. My parents never spoke of them, I’d never seen one in person, and I didn’t think that they were as important as I heard some people say. When I was a freshman in high school my dad got his concealed carry permit, and soon after my mother did as well. Even then I didn’t see any guns in the house, and so it wasn’t a big deal to me. However I did hear my dad talk about them, he talked of the importance of picking out a good safe, the importance of making sure that all guns were properly stored and out of sight. Hearing this, I thought that if there were to be guns in my home I should know how to use one, how to handle one properly, and most importantly how to respect one. Thus sparked my interest in shooting.

The first gun I ever shot was a .22 rifle, and from then on I’ve been privileged to shoot other types of rifles and handguns as well (yes, I can shoot a handgun in states like Connecticut and Vermont). I have pink ear plugs, pink glasses, and a pink bag to put all my shooting accessories in. I’m as ‘girly’ as you’ll get, which is exactly why I need a concealed carry permit.

As a female in a big city, the potential dangers I am subjected to are numerous. Just as Hillary Clinton gets armed body guards to make her feel safe, I want to feel safe as well, and I have no problem protecting myself. The government, on the other hand, takes issue with the idea that I want to use my second amendment right.

At 18 I am allowed to enlist in the army, giving me full access to guns. I can go and protect myself with a weapon in a foreign country yet if I choose to remain a civilian I am stripped of the liberty; how does that make any sense? At 18 I can buy a rifle and not a handgun. I don’t feel safe walking the streets of the city with nothing but my high pitched scream and maybe a whistle if I’m lucky. I’d feel more safe knowing that I am carrying an item that could save my life if ever the need arises. I would feel safe knowing I don’t have to hope that a police officer gets to me in time if ever I’m physically threatened by a man or if I am ever the subject of an attempted rape/kidnapping/burglary. Women face these threats more so than men; women are assumed to be incapable of physically defending themselves based on our typically smaller body frames and stereotypes. I don’t want to be a textbook case; I don’t want to have to worry about whether or not my survival is contingent on whether there is a police officer around to do exactly what I could do myself if the need ever arises.

I treat my rifles with the same care I’d treat a newborn baby with. I use extreme caution, I research, and I never do anything alone without consulting a range officer. I’ve been taught how to use a gun by former Marines, cops and NRA members who are licensed to instruct. I know how to properly handle a weapon, and I know that that weapon protects me. So I ask Big Brother, am I in any more danger in three years from now? Will I automatically become more responsible in thirty-six months? Where on the Constitution is there a prerequisite regarding the age when my right kicks in?

If the government and celebrities (many who are anti-gun) feel that I don’t deserve to use my second amendment right to protect myself and make me feel safe, then I ask you to ask your bodyguards to disarm, because hey, do guns really protect you?

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

931104
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

106198
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lots of people sat on the cinema wearing 3D glasses
Pinterest

Ever wonder what your friend meant when they started babbling about you taking their stapler? Or how whenever you ask your friend for a favor they respond with "As You Wish?" Are you looking for new and creative ways to insult your friends?

Well, look no further. Here is a list of 70 of the most quotable movies of all time. Here you will find answers to your questions along with a multitude of other things such as; new insults for your friends, interesting characters, fantastic story lines, and of course quotes to log into your mind for future use.

Keep Reading...Show less
New Year Resolutions

It's 2024! You drank champagne, you wore funny glasses, and you watched the ball drop as you sang the night away with your best friends and family. What comes next you may ask? Sadly you will have to return to the real world full of work and school and paying bills. "Ah! But I have my New Year's Resolutions!"- you may say. But most of them are 100% complete cliches that you won't hold on to. Here is a list of those things you hear all around the world.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Ultimate Birthday: Unveiling the Perfect Day to Celebrate!

Let's be real, the day your birthday falls on could really make or break it.

46051
​different color birthday candles on a cake
Blacksburg Children's Museum

You heard it here first: birthdays in college are some of the best days of your four years. For one day annually, you get to forget about your identity as a stressed, broke, and overworked student, and take the time to celebrate. You can throw your responsibilities for a day, use your one skip in that class you hate, receive kind cards and gifts from loved ones and just enjoy yourself.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments