Here's my response to Rafkin's article. >> The Times Are 'A Changing - San Francisco Chronicle Sunday Magazine Article Gun Nut : What happens when an avowed anti-gun crusader picks up a revolver? http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/07/20/CM141915.DTL SF Chronicle Magazine, July 20, 2003 ----------------------------------------------------------- Congratulations Louise! Now you know why tens of millions of your fellow citizens enjoy target shooting and firearms. Quite simply, it can be a lot of (dare I say it in California?) fun. Target shooting is a game of skill even if you are shooting alone. You compete with yourself to aim better, get closer to the bullseye and keep those shots together. Hollywood fantasies aside, shooting a firearm of any type accurately is not a simple task. I note that you teach martial arts and you'll find that target shooting has its own kind of Zen. The Zen comes from the pure discipline and concentration that pushes everything else out of your mind. While shooting, your concentration is (or should be) focused on doing everything right to hit the target. Safety rules, stance, grip, sights, inhale, cock the hammer, exhale slowly halfway, squeeze. Adjust your aim, repeat. If done properly, after firing you should feel relaxed, honestly introspective (did I really flinch on the third shot?) and slightly proud of the tight grouping. You should also feel some humility when you realize there are people who are so good they miss only 1 of 200 bullseyes. Part of the fascination, I believe, is in harnessing a firearm to do your bidding. Certainly it can be a deadly weapon, but so can the darts your friend recommended. Or a bow used in archery. Or a baseball bat. Though a firearm can be used to take a life, we recognize that a firearm can also save a life in dire situations. Like learning martial arts, it is what you do with your skill and knowledge that counts. Bill Caffrey, San Jose, Ca. Read some interesting information on gun control at my website at http://dragon.hematite.com/gunintro.html