“...the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Amendment II of The United States of America

   It is the right of the people to keep and bear arms. It should also be the responsibility of the people to learn how to use those arms properly and safely.

   I grew up with a dad who was a hunter, fisherman, trapper, etc., a regular American country family. He kept his firearms and ammunition locked in a safe, and he firmly instilled in my siblings and I a healthy respect for guns, bows and arrows, and even fishhooks. We would watch while he cleaned up his guns. He would explain what he was doing while teaching us how to handle a gun and other safety rules. As we got a little older, my dad would bring us out to the old wooden shooting bench and teach us how to shoot at the targets in the field. I remember the gun feeling heavy as he helped me keep it steady as I pulled the trigger. The “kick” from the gun was powerful, and I hit the target sometimes! I was so proud of myself but kept a level head because dad taught me to have a healthy respect for firearms.

   I attended a hunter safety class when I was 12 years old. I learned the same safety rules my dad taught me. These teachings have stayed with me as I’ve grown older, and I’ve taught my own children firearms safety. I have also enrolled my children in hunter safety classes as they’ve gotten old enough. It is very important that we teach our children how to handle guns safely. The same way we would teach them to handle a knife or anything else that could hurt them.

   Firearms training using shooting simulators is a good, safe and realistic way for people to learn and practice the skills that are needed to use guns. Law enforcement officers need to train for many different scenarios. Using a shooting simulator is ideal for this because the technology of the simulators allows for practice in many different situations. It is also very important that policemen and women shoot very accurate when they need to. This is another reason why training and practicing shooting using shooting simulators is important.

   Many people own firearms for their own protection. It is imperative that we know how to use them, the proper ways to store them and the current laws regarding firearms. Responsible gun owners should educate themselves about the way the gun works to reduce the chance of getting injured when using or cleaning it. Citizens should know the current laws that are in place for gun owners.

   As years have gone by and the times have changed, I feel that using shooting simulators is a very good way to teach people the proper way to use firearms. It is much safer than shooting at a range using real ammunition.

Another benefit of using shooting simulators is they require a much smaller area than a shooting range. For this reason, they could be in urban areas where there are more people. As technology advances so do the possibilities of customizing the shooting simulators to train people in many different scenarios. I believe that knowledge is valuable, and firearms training can be a lifesaving piece of knowledge.