I've talked about the father being a hoplophobe, But was/is he?
My grandfather was born in 1906. He didn't hesitate to take a 20 gauge to rabbits in the yard. He didn't like to ace rabbits, certainly. But they were pests. Eating his garden. And he like his garden. He certainly knew how to shoot. So did my father.
If my father was into gardening for food I know he wouldn't live trap rabbits and have them spayed. He'd think, 'what would be the point?' He's borrow back the 20 gauge and do what had to me done. And he has raccoons, locally. Much cuter than rabbits.
And Dad, while in Air Force did indeed go rabbit hunting in New Mexico. It was more pest abatement than hunting.
I just think Dad came to a point in his adult life, post military service, where he may have decided that no, he is not going to take the life of another human being. Not so much a fear of firearms but your standard civilized human reaction to the taking of life. It's just a guess, but that's my impression of the matter when I think on it and him. I just don't see an angry bone in his body. Or at least one angry enough. And the denoument after a defensive shooting is not something that's easy, by any means, for most anyone, to have to process. I know I certainly don't want to ever have to see the other side of that, living the rest of ones life with that on your conscience, no matter how justified, is a burden undoubtedly.
One of the Hardest things I ever had to do was to pull the trigger on another Human Being. But it wasn't as hard as the realization that me and mine could be Dead if I didn't pull it. I'll take MY Life over a Goblin's Death any day of the week.
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