Am I a "Gun Nut"?

When I was about 13, I came into possession of my grand dads' Winchester 1890 22 short, rifle (hexagonal barrel). I don't recall exactly how. I learned much later that 22 short rifles were the "BB Guns" of eighty years ago. Every little boy got one sooner or later. And this was in NEW JERSEY! I got pretty good at shooting rats in the swamps and creeks nearby. YES! I occasionally shot a bird, and I am not proud of that, but I was a stupid kid. I have taught all my kids to shoot. I own two handguns, two rifles, and two shotguns. Am I a "gun nut"? I don't think so. I don't kill living creatures for pleasure. I did serve in Vietnam. Enough said.

I know how to use and "respect" firearms, as do my children. I don't share the FEAR that many people have of firearms. I suspect it is a fear born of ignorance. The KEY POINT here, in my opinion, is that the police/authorities etc. cannot PREVENT crimes; they can solve them and sometimes catch the "bad guys." But the first line of defense has to be the individual. To me, it's not complicated. I used to walk several miles each week, sometimes in the evening. One evening, about dusk, I was accosted by a "gentleman" with a knife, who was looking for "change." I asked him whether he had change for my "forty-five" which I prominently displayed. He "left" in a hurry. I never reported the event to the authorities. I solved the problem without help from the authorities who were, of course minutes and miles away. Why would anyone call me a "gun nut"?