Gun education and the Catholic homeschool

Now he was ready to load the gun again, and Laura and Mary must help him. Standing straight and tall, holding the long gun upright on its butt, while Laura and Mary stood on either side of him.
The gun was always loaded and always above the door so that Pa could get it quickly and easily any time he needed a gun.

Long Rifle, from Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder.


A few weeks ago, I submitted a piece to a Catholic, pro-homeschooling site for publication.  In the piece I wrote:

 I’m going to get my concealed carry.  It’s time we started
exercising our second amendment rights and I just think it’s a good
thing for the kids to know too.  I actually grew up around guns so in
a way, this is getting back to my roots.

To my surprise, the piece was rejected because the editor was, “uncomfortable with running an article that includes mentioning a concealed carry permit and training children in the use of firearms.”

I was flabbergasted!  It never occurred to me that legally carrying a gun (or packing heat as Mr. Pete likes to refer to it) or teaching my kids about guns was in any way objectionable or controversial.  Oh what a sheltered life I lead right!???

When I was growing up it was no big deal to have a gun in the house; in fact, my grandfather possessed several.  He kept them in a gun cabinet that was at the bottom of the stairs where they were kept with the ammunition and UNLOCKED!!  My sister and I passed by the case several times a day and once in a while my grandpa would have me open the case to get something for him.  It was no big deal.

When I was about 10 or 11 years old, he took me and my sister behind the barn for our first chance at target practice, but one kick back of the tun into my bony shoulder was enough for me!!  Perhaps I would have liked it if I tried again when I was older, I don’t know, but I do know that I certainly didn’t mind my grandpa or uncle or any of their friends when they went hunting for rabbit, or pheasant or even fox or deer on each others farms.  It was a way of life.

I’ve been more motivated to have a concealed weapon because of the times we live in, and because I am a woman and also because of my daughters.  I was also inspired by the training and responsibility my oldest adult son has had in acquiring his shot gun and;  he also encouraged me to get a concealed carry weapon.

In Ohio, gun licensees are required to get training before they apply for the license. And it’s pretty thorough and rigorous training too!

There is training available for kids including marksmanship, and also gun safety, which is certainly what I had in mind when I wrote that I wanted my kids to know about gun ownership.

For many Americans, having a gun for protection and hunting is just as much as part of their household and culture as it was for Pa Ingalls a little over a 100 years ago.  Letters and stories from my grandparents and parents made it clear that having guns and hunting were very much a part of my heritage.

As an American, it’s my constitutionally protected right to own a firearm.

But more importantly, as a Catholic, it is legitimate for me to do so.

There’s

As a homeschooler, I can definitely see the importance of teaching about responsible gun ownership and gun safety elementary kids, and then even making it a course elective for high schoolers. It’s not just something to be tucked away in history books or in children’s books!  In fact, I think the passage from Little House in the Big Woods, reminds us that this used to be a part of real “home” education.  It’s certainly not something we should be “uncomfortable” with. In fact, as is most often the case, the best way to get comfortable about something is via education!