I didn't know it was loaded!

All guns.  All the time.   Should be treated as if they were loaded.  This is the first rule of gun handling   However, how many times have we read in the press, "I didn't know it was loaded."

I took the magazine out!  Ejecting the magazine only takes out the bullets that are nestled in the mag.  There can, and most often is, a round in the chamber, ready to fire.  Taking the magazine out is not enough.  You have to check and recheck to see if there is a round in the chamber.  Don't get the idea that glancing in the direction of the chamber means you checked.  Check.  When you do think about the damage a round can do if you don't check carefully.

It was unloaded when I put it away.  Maybe not.  When you are done shooting there are tons of distractions that are fighting for your thoughts.  How well you shot, or not.  Where is your cell phone?  You, of course, are late!  You have to rush to be the first to wash your so you can get to the restaurant.  You are tired.  Check your firearm every time you pick it up.  Check any firearm you touch or is handed to you even if you saw them check.  Did they really check or just glance?

I don't know how it went off!  Your finger was on the trigger.  The only time your finger should be in the trigger guard is when you are ready to fire.  If you have developed a habit of putting your finger on the trigger, you will not even notice when your finger is there.  That is why we spend so much time in the beginning of training to get folks into the habit of keeping their finger off the trigger.

The safety was on!  Safety mechanisms fail.  You forget to put it on safety - "Humm is the safety up or down?" "Hum, which thingie is the safety?"   That is why training tells you to follow the rules, keep your finger off the trigger, check and recheck if you have a round in the chamber. If you have a gun in your hand you treat it as loaded. If you  have the safety on that you treat it like it will fail.

I wasn't pointing at anyone.  Rounds easily go through walls, floors and, with enough power to hit someone on the other side.  Rounds and shrapnel bounce everywhere when they hit hard objects.  One of the rules we have with IDPA is that when someone yells "STOP" you halt, do not move a muscle.  The reason is that when people are distracted, they turn around to face the distraction.  In the case of IDPA you have a loaded firearm in your hand.  This is also true when you are holding a gun in your living room.

Locking the gun away gives you false security that no one you love will be shot by you.  Guns are safe in a safe.  People handling guns, without safety education, are the danger.

As Divas, we need to work hard to get gun safety into the process of owning a gun.  We can't make everyone take a gun safety course, but Divas as a group can advocate gun safety.  We can make it cool to for people to proudly earn a gun safety badge, pin, or certificate.  We also need loud words through our clubs and organizations that everyone needs to take a gun safety course.  Even those that do not own a gun but have them in the home or homes they visit.

Divas unite!  We need a women advocate for gun safety to be on the National Women's Hall of Fame.