Don’t Shoot

Israelis with permits told to carry their guns
(TOI 7/4/2023)

I once visited the local gun range with a friend who needed to renew his license. It was a very frightening experience. Some twenty or so gun owners were lined up in front of the targets and told to place their weapons on the tables in front of them. Most were filthy, rusty, green with age (the guns, not their owners).

The targets were the face of a smiling man, presumably a terrorist. The would-be terrorist shooters each fired three or four magazines. That’s close to 50 rounds. By the end of the session most of the targets were laughing, not a bullet hole in sight.

I was reminded of the Duke of Wellington reviewing his troops:
“I don’t know what effect these men will have upon the enemy, but, by God, they frighten me.”

Despite not being able to hit a stationary unarmed target just a few meters away, everyone received their new licence.

Much as we hope that there will be an armed civilian handy to deal with the next terrorist attack, I fear that the greater danger is a bunch of inexperienced, panicking, civilians waving their guns around.

Perhaps we should tell terrorists not to carry their guns; we would all be a lot safer.