One of the challenges perennially faced by firearms instructors everywhere: convincing family-minded people that investing in professional training classes for themselves is not a selfish use of family resources. In fact, it’s one of the least selfish things you can do.
Learning to protect yourself and the people you love is one of the least selfish things you can do for your family.
It’s a hard sell, because people who teach defensive handgun classes have traditionally emphasized self defense in their advertising. We talk a lot about being prepared to take care of yourself if the need arises. And it’s true that if you ever need to solve a criminal problem, you are the only person that you know for absolute sure-and-certain will be there and on your side.
But that’s not all there is to it.
If you’re anything like me or most people in this world, you have family members, close friends, people you love, people you care about and spend time with. So maybe you won’t be alone when trouble strikes. Maybe there will be other people there with you — a spouse or a significant other, a grown son, a teenage daughter, a best friend or a favorite niece.
- Are your skills good enough to protect the people you love?
- Is someone you love willing to protect you — but you aren’t sure you would know how to help them do it?
- Do your younger loved ones know what to do to help you solve the problem if the unthinkable happens when you are together?
- Do you know how to help the people you love learn to protect themselves, so that you are all better prepared to take care of each other?
It’s worth thinking about.
Is it “Selfish” to get a CPR card? Is it taking away from family resources to get first aid training?
Because defensive firearms training falls into exactly the same category.
The advice I give a single guy in his own apartment? “If you CAN, RUN LIKE HELL.”
The advice I give to a mom with a couple of kids?
You have to protect your babies!
I’m with you most of the time Kathy,but there is a point where you need to tell people to grow the Hell up. NO ONE is obligated to take care of your physical security. That’s YOUR job and no one else’s. sure, you might get lucky and never need any training or equipment. Are you willing to bet your children’s lives on that chance? Because that is what you’re doing.
Life insurance is expensive. Fire insurance is less likely to be needed than a gun. But if you need them (or your loved ones do) the expense will seem trivial indeed.
I’m all for being supportive. But there’s a difference between being supportive and coddling people who frankly, need a kick in the ass.