What is on your bedside table?

[JAGG]

Originally Posted by Sparkle

I find it quite shocking as well.

That isn't a judgement about anyone owning a gun.

Guns aren't a part of my daily existence.

I am shocked so many people have them lying about on their bedside tables.
Because they're not a part of my culture, the casualness of having a gun about is foreign to me.

I had no idea one would leave one's loaded weapon out and about.









And I may be a little scared of you all now .... ...

They aren't out and about. They are hidden inside drawers and covered with boxer briefs or a notebook. Nothing to be scared of. I'm scared for you , not having one.

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by JAGG

They aren't out and about. They are hidden inside drawers and covered with boxer briefs or a notebook. Nothing to be scared of. I'm scared for you , not having one.

It seemed as though quite a few people have theirs out and about; but perhaps I misunderstood.

Thank you for your concern about me not having one.

I can't imagine having one - because I've never had one, no one in my family has guns (beyond hunting rifles), and I live in a region that is very low crime and gun crime is practically non-existent. I can't imagine a circumstance where I would need a gun. And I am grateful for that.

It's really fascinating to me, how different our experiences and expectations around guns are, I'm quite interested in understanding that actually. But I won't hijack deb's thread with a further digression - I'll have a think about it and maybe start a separate thread.

[imperfect_cupcake]

Originally Posted by JAGG

They aren't out and about. They are hidden inside drawers and covered with boxer briefs or a notebook. Nothing to be scared of. I'm scared for you , not having one.

Yo, Jaggster. Some of us come from places/cultures that just don't do guns. I've lived an a couple of countries, none of them were gun cultures. Even the cops in some of them didn't have guns.

I lived in very *very* tough neighbourhoods (one nicknamed "crackney") in one of those countries. I wasn't scared. I wasn't brought up to be scared. I'm not scared of strangers or being robbed or raped or... whatever. I'm just not. I don't feel I ever needed one, no matter how dangerous the situation - I never, ever, have ever thought "I wish I had a gun with me, I'd feel safer." because it's never occurred to me, nor would I want to.

I'm very confident of handling others when things get tricksey. I've been in situations with a large group of 18 year old hoodie boys and a tense "is this where a gay bash happens" and no, the thought of a gun didn't cross my mind. However we both knew the psyche of such a situation and kept our nerve and cool. Nothing happened save one bloke kicked me in the ass, then I spun and kicked him back showing zero fear. And walked on.

I've been in much worse situations.

None of the times I was raped was with strangers. None of the times I was robbed was by people I didn't know. My mom got robbed the other night - the car broken into - she banged on the window and pointed to her eye and then to him. He ran.

She never thought of a gun. No ever thought of getting one. Not even after getting her arm broken many years ago.

It's just to many of us, "gun" is not in our culture or background or vocabulary or even our thoughts. So it seems very foreign to read it. Extremely foreign. Like on another planet. I've seen hunting rifles. being used for hunting and being kept at a club or locked in a heavy duty locker in an out-house (kind of like a garage but no car).

Never actually seen a hand gun in my life. Most of my friends haven't either.

it's just a completely different way of being. And we aren't afraid from lack of gun, so I assure, you, there is no need to be afraid for us

[DapperButch]

Originally Posted by Sparkle

I find it quite shocking as well.

That isn't a judgement about anyone owning a gun.

Guns aren't a part of my daily existence.

I am shocked so many people have them lying about on their bedside tables.
Because they're not a part of my culture, the casualness of having a gun about is foreign to me.

I had no idea one would leave one's loaded weapon out and about.







And I may be a little scared of you all now .... ...

Originally Posted by Sparkle

It seemed as though quite a few people have theirs out and about; but perhaps I misunderstood.

Thank you for your concern about me not having one.

I can't imagine having one - because I've never had one, no one in my family has guns (beyond hunting rifles), and I live in a region that is very low crime and gun crime is practically non-existent. I can't imagine a circumstance where I would need a gun. And I am grateful for that.

It's really fascinating to me, how different our experiences and expectations around guns are, I'm quite interested in understanding that actually. But I won't hijack deb's thread with a further digression - I'll have a think about it and maybe start a separate thread.

[quote=[B]honeybarbara;708691]It's just to many of us, "gun" is not in our culture or background or vocabulary or even our thoughts. So it seems very foreign to read it. Extremely foreign. Like on another planet. I've seen hunting rifles. being used for hunting and being kept at a club or locked in a heavy duty locker in an out-house (kind of like a garage but no car).

Never actually seen a hand gun in my life. Most of my friends haven't either.

it's just a completely different way of being. And we aren't afraid from lack of gun, so I assure, you, there is no need to be afraid for us quote][/B]

------------------------------------------


I want to echo all of these sentiments.

I am glad to see that others chimed in to my original post saying this was completely outside of my frame of reference. I thought maybe I was the only one.

I am not sure I have even seen a hunting rifle (maybe as a kid, as my grandfather hunted?), and I am certain I have never seen a handgun.

I considered putting up a poll and/or thread about who has unlocked hand guns. To be honest, perhaps more exposing of my thoughts than usual around here...I actually don't want to know the answer to this question. Unnecessary or not, I have carried with me worry for each of the members here who have mentioned having a handgun at the ready, and don't want to add more of you to the list.

However, I am sure that just like the non hand gun owners (or those who do not have their hand guns available to shoot an intruder in the middle of the night), would tell me not to worry, and that their gun makes them feel safer. I personally would feel unsafe with a gun next to my bed.

[imperfect_cupcake]

No, it's not just you. I mainly talk with people in the UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, Holland and Greece. Guns aren't part of their cultures however canada/australia people have hunting rifles. The upper class in the UK have hunting rifles if they "go on a shoot" but you have to be pretty damn upper class for that.

So I never, ever hear them even mentioned. Haven't really hung around american boards much past few years so just kinda forgot about that concept. So yeah, it was a bit "oh yeah." to read it - sort of like having a distant cousin that talks about raising ostriches for meat. Outside of experience by a landslide.

[Sparkle]

Originally Posted by honeybarbara

No, it's not just you. I mainly talk with people in the UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, Holland and Greece. Guns aren't part of their cultures however canada/australia people have hunting rifles. The upper class in the UK have hunting rifles if they "go on a shoot" but you have to be pretty damn upper class for that.

So I never, ever hear them even mentioned. Haven't really hung around american boards much past few years so just kinda forgot about that concept. So yeah, it was a bit "oh yeah." to read it - sort of like having a distant cousin that talks about raising ostriches for meat. Outside of experience by a landslide.

Even as an American from a working class family that hunted, having fire arms for personal protection purposes is *far far* outside of my experience.

I'm genuinely interested in other peoples' experiences and in understanding the cultural differences that define either side of the issue. I am working on a thread on the topic, in a survey type format, to be posted later when I'm not at work.

[Bard]

for me it is a part of who I am and what I do as a cop I put people in jail they do not always like it and it really ain't hard to find where we live my off duty weapon is at close hand but not just laying about, also when I am at work I want to be sure Desd is safe my dad was a cop and I remember a person he had arrested came to our hose when I was bout 11 I was the only one home I hid under the bed with his service weapon

[Medusa]

My Kindle, a journal, and 2 books in a stack
a leather-scented candle
an egyptian perfume bottle
a small antique trinket-box with a few pieces of jewelry
a lamp
a stack of papers that I am reading through for my final in one of my classes
La Perla hand lotion

It would take me all night to tell you what's inside my night stand because it's a huge 3-drawer monster but most of the contents revolve around"
pens and highlighters
journals
hair clips
sudoku books
my other Kindle
more books
the bottom drawer contains special things like old letters and mementos