On my way back from Hilo applying for my first permits here in Hawaii I stopped by to see some friends.
Now, these are good people, intelligent... but also very liberal. They'd almost have to be seeing as they are a lesbian couple of about 25 years. Both lived much of their adult lives in Marin County outside of San Francisco before they moved here.
"So, how was Hilo? What brought you down to town?"
Oh. Right. It was a polite question but I wasn't too sure they would be all that interested in the answer. Still....
"Oh, I started the process of applying for a long gun permit today. Hawaii makes it a little difficult for law abiding folks to buy firearms but I wanted to get the process started."
I kid you not, here was their response:
"A gun? Why do you need a gun? Do you need to shoot someone?"
After I picked my jaw up off the floor and shook my head a few times trying to recall that these really were intelligent human beings just a few moments ago...
"Uh... no. My dad was a target shooter his whole life and its something he and I used to do together. Its something I really enjoy."
Wow. Just.... wow. These same folks had had one of their cows slaughtered with help of some neighbors just a few months back. Neighbors killed the cow with a gun. So... really? First place they had to go was that I needed a gun for shooting a person? (sigh)
edit: To clarify... this is a personal story that the article reminded me of. Just in case that wasn't clear.
