GREENSBORO - Let me start off by saying this: I am not the stereotypical gun enthusiast.

I don't wax eloquent about the Second Amendment or the National Rifle Association. I don't think Democrats are out to steal my guns. I don't fear a zombie attack (the only reason that I can think of that even remotely explains why a private citizen would need to own an AK-47 or an M16).

Actually, I don't even own a gun, which is typically considered an enthusiast necessity.

Even so, I have gone shooting several times with my father and had expressed an interest in learning more. As a result, I found myself taking a concealed carry class Saturday in Greensboro.

It wasn't what I expected - for the most part.

About 50 or so people showed up to take the eight-hour course. They were mostly older men, but about 10 percent were women. I was surprised it was that many.

An instructor from a local shooting range ran the class. He showed four videos shot circa 1987, but the information they provided was definitely interesting. We were taught general gun safety rules, including the Golden Rule: Always point your gun's muzzle in a safe direction, i.e., don't point your gun at someone, even if it's unloaded.

We learned about what the NRA calls the "four levels of awareness," ranging from unaware (which included watching television, reading a book or sleeping) to alarmed (when a threat is imminent).

The final two videos dealt with the legal aspects of carrying a gun concealed. We learned where we could and couldn't carry (never, ever on the grounds of educational facilities, among many others), when deadly force isn't allowed (there are about seven circumstances) and that deadly force should always be a last resort.

That last one led to a discussion about why people carried. Those taking the class had different reasons, but they all boiled down to the same thing: What's my life worth? What's my spouse's life worth? And what would I do to protect them?

Heavy stuff.

So, was the class worth it?

Absolutely, even just as a means of becoming more comfortable and more familiar with guns and North Carolina's gun laws.

Is carrying for everyone? Absolutely not, which explains the extensive background check, eight-hour course and shooting requirements.

Really, how far each person is willing to go to defend themselves and their families (but not their property, not in this state) is up to them to decide.

I don't know if I'll carry myself, but it's sure given me a lot to think about.

Vanessa C. Shortley can be reached at (252) 559-1076 or vshortley@freedomenc.com. Check out Vanessa's blog at http://vshortley.encblogs.com.