Arsenal: (n) a collection of weapons and military equipment stored by a country, person, or group.
Growing up in an America which was so frightened of the Soviet Union that we produced enough atomic arsenal to destroy the world many times over, I was confused as to whether to wave my flag in glory over our prowess, or bow my head in prayer that we would never use it.
I guess I’m a little bewildered by the idea of an arsenal.
When people explain that they like to own a gun for protection or because they enjoy hunting, I nod my head because that seems logical–if not to me, then to them. But when people start storing up weapons and building up a cache of killing instruments, I wonder exactly what they believe their everyday lives should be.
An arsenal of anything is an admission that “I need to have more than enough” to scare or intimidate the world around me.
I don’t know if I can love people if I’m trying to be scary or if I find them to be threatening. And if I don’t love people, am I just looking for an opportunity to crack open my arsenal and let the bullets fly?
It is confusing, isn’t it?
I’m not trying to tell you I have an answer on the question. I can only select a pattern of behavior that suits my soul.
I don’t keep an arsenal of anything…simply because I believe a certain amount of faith is necessary to be pleasing.
Thank you for enjoying Words from Dic(tionary) — J.R. Practix
Words from Dic(tionary) 
Thank you for your terrific, articulate insight. As I said in the piece, I don’t have the answer. I challenge concepts because writers do that to evoke meaningful insight from folks like you. Without that bridging challenge we congregate in camps of agreement and make fun of our adversaries. I would assume that you would agree that not all arsenals are used in such a gentle and recreation way as yours.
My question addresses the larger issue, perhaps at the risk of appearing ignorant of the innocent gatherers of weapons.
Thank you for representing your lifestyle so well.
I will continue to pose the questions.
Thanks for reading and putting up with my probes.
My dad gave me a 22 rifle with a bent sight that frustrated me until I learned to compensate.
Yours,
Jonathan
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I would assume that you would agree that not all arsenals are used in such a gentle and recreation way as yours.</i?
And?
Then what? Because someone else commits a crime what should happen to me?
Hey, did you know that some guys are rapists; I'm sure that isn't an appropriately gentle and recreational activity. Should you have to be licensed, vetted by the government, limited on the number of dates you can go on?
I don't understand the concern about arsenals; even if every firearm related violent crime was committed by a different gun; only 0.88% of all the ‘arsenals out there would have been involved in a crime in a given year. That number is derived by taking the number of firearm related violent crimes, around 485K and dividing by the number of gun owners; around 55 million.
Now on the other hand, non-firearm related violent crime is 92% of all the violent crime. Seems to me if we made a 100% reduction in firearm related violent crime (an impossibility and would take terrible restrictions of our rights) we would only reduce violent crime by 8%.
Much less effort and less invasion of our rights could be directed at all crime. Even if we only reduced it by 10%- we would still have less crime as a hole.
What is the point of the post? To reduce the number of arsenals (directing effort at inanimate objects) or to reduce the lost of life (which means we need to focus on the living breathing people committing the crime)?
Bob S.
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First, I believe you are projecting your issues on to other people. I would be one of the people you consider to have an ‘arsenal’. I have more than enough guns for my immediate needs — but not as many as I want.
I have pistols because I carry one for self defense and have some for my family to use. Either for self defense or just recreation. I have shotguns because, well everyone needs a shotgun or two. I have rifles because I like collecting parts of history. I also like different rifles and pistols for different reasons. Some are cheap and easy to shoot, others challenge me.
Can most of my firearms be used for self defense; absolutely. Can some or most of them be used to hunt game animals; mostly. But that isn’t what I have used them for.
And that is simple recreation.
My 50th birthday party was celebrated out at a private gun range. I had nearly as many people as I had years join me to spend the day shooting, eating and in fellowship. That was an enjoyable day. And yes, I brought all of my firearms. I was pleased to see many different people shooting them. I even taught my grand-daughter (8 years old) how to shoot. On that occasion I borrowed a single shot .22 lr rifle from a friend. Now I realize I need to have yet another firearm in my arsenal.
And if I don’t love people, am I just looking for an opportunity to crack open my arsenal and let the bullets fly?
how about I love people enough that I want to be able to protect them?
Bob S.
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