TED Talk Why I chose a gun from Peter van Uhm

Why I chose a gun is a TED talk from Peter van Uhm the former Chief of Defense of the Netherlands’.  However his job does not mean he is pro-war. At TEDxAmsterdam he explains how his career is one shaped by a love of peace, not a desire for bloodshed — and why we need armies if we want peace.

I have some TED talks I use in teaching, and have learned a lot from them, but they do have a very noticeable liberal bias and rarely have videos that show a pro-gun sentiment.

I do have some questions on his soldier’s lack of familiarity with the manual of arms on the M-16 and her poor marching skills, but there is a lot of useful thought in the video.

Not everyone is familiar with or even likes guns.  However, how many people do you know who dislike what guns protect.  Guns protect people – families – kids.

My gun protects life.  Mine, my loved ones, and the lives of those in my community and nation.  My gun is for defense.  From protection against bad guys that use guns for offense.

General van Uhm tells a story about his father’s inability to stop the Nazi advance due to poor equipment.  He describes how that inability marked him for life.  The General speaks on why he joined the military to stop evil.

Why I chose a gun is a pro gun story from a guy that does not like guns.