I remember my older brother getting the Red Ryder bb gun for Christmas back in 1978 or 1979 and we had tons of targets to shoot at. For whatever reason, I aimed the gun toward a bird flying above me and I shot it dead to the ground.
It was the most traumatic experience in my young life. My parents used to have crazy fights around this time, but they are vague in my memories, but seeing the dead bird on the ground changed me forever. I knew then, that I would never be a hunter.
We are all so different, because one of my best friends in high school could shoot birds out of the sky all day. We had so much in common, but I couldn't understand his ability to shoot a bird out of the sky without having any remorse. Don't tell my mom, but he shot one of my mom's hummingbirds out of the sky. It broke my heart, but he was one of my best friends and I still consider him a good friend, but I will never forget it.
I believe in survival hunting or hunting for food, but hunting for sport is when it hits my heart.
I'm always imagining someone hunting me down, just because he or she wants to. I'm terrified of the idea, that up to 50 serial killers can be roaming the United States according to an article I read yesterday.
Imagine that as you are reading this post, several people are maliciously killing other human beings. Even if someone deserves the punishment, if you believe in the "an eye for an eye", it would be hard for me to pull the trigger.
I pray that I never have to defend myself or someone I love to the death. I'm @runridefly, and I just made myself very nervous and anxious.