BY SARA VOWELL

This essay was quite an interesting read. In the beginning, Sarah Vowell writes about her father, and how different the two of them are. But, after reading the first six paragraphs I began to see how much the two of them were more alike than Vowell was willing to admit. I thought it was very cleaver,how in the very first paragraph, she used what she did not like,(i.e.subscription to Guns & Ammo) or did not do,(i.e. plaster NRA stickers on car) to describe which one was the Republican, and which one was the Democrat.
As I read on, I was thinking they both are actually artist. One uses their artistic expression in a creative and constructive way and the other in a more destructive way. She used her pen for creative expression and making guns was his way of expressing his creativity.
As a parent I really had a hard time reading this essay without judging the father's behavior,his glorification of violence and terrorism,and his obsession with guns. Why would he teach his children to handle a firearm at such a young age.(6yrs old) Even though they were twins,they were completely different. According to Vowell, Amy loved the backyard shooting experience,and she hated it. Vowell said her and Amy had no say in the matter of having to shoot the gun, and that it was her father's choice. However,later in the essay, she contradicts herself by saying both her parents were "hell-bent on letting them make their own choices.
The whole Bozeman story was really upsetting to me. especially the part about the Bozeman merchants leaving the Indians cyanide laced fresh baked bread to poison them. To be perfectly honest,the father did not strike me as a man of integrity. Telling his violent filled family stories with such pride makes me question his state of consciousness.
The Quantrill story about riding into Lawrence, Kansas in 1863 flying a black flag commanding his men to kill every male and burn down every house was just despicable.Her dad equated American history, family history(not a good one i.e. murderers)and firearms. As we can observe Republicans are now having "Tea Parties" all over the nation and people are showing up with their guns and firearms.The argument is President Obama is trying to take their American country away from them, and they want it back.Maybe many of these people that are showing up at these rallies had a father like Vowell. One who put a gun in their hands at six years old. The influence of our parents is with us from birth, and throughout our development into adulthood.
The Bridger Mountain excursion was--- Wow unbelievable. You can not shoot fireworks in the National Forest! But, yet, you can shoot a small cannon? Where is the logic in that? Now,when he shot the cannon, and Vowell said she felt compelled to sing the national anthem, I was thoroughly convinced that she was just like her father whether she realized it or not. It was actually the hiker's comment on her "shotgun microphone,"and it being quite a machine that made her realize how the both of them were the same person.
In the end Vowell insinuated she still did not like guns but the cannon was okay because it is a ceremonial object. I say it is a murder weapons just like the gun,and she and no one else can justify it for their own satisfaction.
I have only one question after reading this essay. Why are so many white American males in love with their firearms? And they teach their children to shoot weapons like it is a "rites of passage?" It was very unsettling to read and difficult to write anything positive about it. As a parent I know first hand how influential you are in your child's life. Therefore it is highly important, to always be continuing to grow in higher states of consciousness and exemplify the best behavior as you possible can for them.