Mr. Mark Dennehy:

I would like to make two points, the first of which might seem like a small one.

Language shapes thought. We keep using the word "weapon". I have a very low expectation of what I would like to see from today. It will be on my Christmas list to try to get people to stop using that word. If they were to stop using it, I would be a really happy man. I do not have weapons. Unfortunately, I cannot submit my firearms certificate to the committee because it is an official document. If members want to read it, that is fine. The word "weapon" does not appear on the certificate or in the legislation that governs the issuing of certificates. We always train everybody from the first day they start target shooting to believe every firearm is lethal, or could be lethal if abused. The certificate is for my air pistol, which could be lethal. I would have to hold someone down and beat him or her with it in order to kill him or her with it. If I were to try to shoot someone with it, he or she would just get annoyed. If I wanted to harm someone with this thing, I would have to feed him or her the pellets in the stew from the cafeteria to give him or her lead poisoning. When I have presented the licence for it to customs agents in other countries, they have looked at me and said, "that is not a real gun; what are you talking about?" When people keep using the word "weapon," it sustains their rather unusual beliefs about what we do. They keep seeing Hollywood films in their heads. During the years I have trained approximately 1,000 people to shoot. I have never met one who knew what we did before he or she started. They are always of the opinion that it is nothing like what they thought it would be. When someone said our sports were like golf without the exciting bits, it was about the best description I had ever heard. When people keep using the word "weapon," it is confusing on one level and downright silly on another. I would love if we could stop using the word.