in memory of eric

The world has always been a dangerous place. We have car seats for children but more cars and more stressed-out, distracted drivers. We have antibiotics, but an epidemic of obesity. And we have more fire arms with much less hard-headed instruction in gun safety and too little pragmatic commitment to gun safety.

In memory of Eric I want to state some things that too many otherwise sensible and educated people seem to have forgotten:

1. If you own guns, don’t gossip about it. It does not deter thieves; it attracts them. Don’t post brag pictures on social media. Don’t blab to your neighbors or co-workers or even your extended family. Don’t treat them like a toy in front of friends and family. (The same thing is true of investment coins, silver or gold bars, expensive jewelry, etc.)
2. Teach your children that gun ownership is private family business never to be discussed outside the house. You may have the most obedient, smartest kid in the world, but a wrong comment at the bus stop can make your house a target for a stranger looking for a gun.
3. You may have the most obedient, smartest kid in the world, but kids, especially teens, often have secret sorrows or friends and have a hard time anticipating the consequences of their actions. Do not assume. Secure all firearms.
4. Guns are tools, not toys. Treat every gun as though it is loaded. NEVER put your finger on the trigger unless you are planning to put a bullet in something or someone right now. If you do not understand what I mean by that, take a gun safety course or a refresher course promptly.
5. Do not mix drugs (including alcohol and prescription medications) and guns ever…not when hunting, not at a party, not when cleaning guns. Never. Never. Never.
6. Owning a gun is not just a right: it is a major responsibility and a significant expense. Guns are expensive and keeping current on gun skills includes firing ranges and ammunition all of which is expensive. No one should buy a gun that cannot afford a lock, or better yet gun safe.
7. Guns are tools that need to be properly cared for. If you inherited a gun or were given a gun or bought a gun that you don’t know how to handle safely TAKE A CLASS NOW. Know about the guns you have. Some guns have a tendency to retain a bullet even when the clip is out of the gun which otherwise appears empty. Any coroner can explain this in detail that you may not want to hear.  Treat every gun as though it is loaded. I said that before, but it cannot be taken too seriously.  
8. Never store guns in the top of closets or under beds. It is the first place even the most inexperienced burglar or home invasion perpetrator looks. Get a safe, for safety’s sake!
9. Remember, when you handle guns, little eyes are watching. You may think you can practice being James Bond to be funny, and you may even have just cleaned your gun and be absolutely certain it is empty, but a child who lacks your judgment and may even be too young to absorb any gun safety instruction can still become fascinated. BE CAREFUL.
10. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER leave your gun unattended for even a moment. When you are done using, or cleaning, or examining, or the police have arrived to help check out the sound of breaking glass in the basement PUT THE GUN BACK IN THE SAFE. After you have taken the deposit to the bank and you have come home, put the gun back in the safe. After you have been to the firing range, put the guns back in the safe until you have time to clean them. After you clean them, put them back in the safe.
11. If you are a gun owner but are trying to get your medication adjusted, have been getting very forgetful, have been fighting thoughts of suicide or homicide or been deeply depressed, or if anyone in your household is struggling with these issues, ask a trusted friend with a gun safe to hold on to your guns until things are resolved or you can arrange to get them sold. If your guns no longer are appropriate for your life-style, such as age or illness making your old gun too heavy or the action too hard, sell it or replace it. This is no time to be embarrassed.
12. A little paranoia is a good thing for a gun owner. Death by accident is just as dead as death by intent. Be honorable. Be vigilant. Be super cautious. Be safe out there.