By Gerard Valentino

Every vocal pro-gun advocate is familiar with the condescending look of so-called friends or family members who are sure we're nothing but bloodthirsty members of the NRA cult. We've all been there when someone belittles our judgment by asking, "I hope you have those guns locked up so your kids won’t get them" or "aren’t you afraid you will shoot a family member by accident?" And then there's my favorite silly anti-gun statement, "you know, someone who keeps a gun in the house is 75% more likely to kill a friend of family member than an intruder."

Personally, I have a family member that is a self-described intellectual and, based on the desire to feed his feelings of superiority, he looks down his nose at anyone who carries a gun for self-defense.

A common answer when asked, "why do you keep a gun in the house with those kids," is to simply answer, "I have it because I love my children and value their life." (Jim Irvine, Buckeye Firearms Association’s Chairman delivers the line better than anyone I’ve met, with equal parts sarcasm and scorn. His delivery is a joy to behold.)

Usually, that is followed by a nod as if the person asking the question understood my answer, and then a puzzled furrowing of their eyebrows.

(Columbus, OH) - Midwest Retail Giant Meijer, Inc. has ended its promotion with the nation’s largest anti-hunting organization.

The leadership at Meijer, a Michigan-based regional chain of retail superstores, has responded to the concerns of the sportsman community and ended its partnership with the anti-hunting group, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), in an online pet photo contest.