In my high-school we had a shooting range for our Bisley club. I shot with a .22 rifle for the first time at my school when I was 12. While I recall the whole trying out for the bisley team as fun, and I was a reasonable shot, I haven’t fired a real gun since.
I recently watched this documentary and despite recognising similar traits in families I knew in South Africa, it still left me perplexed.
Guns are a part of life. Providing good training when the child is mature enough demystifies the gun and teaches safe handling. High power or fully automatic weapons are not necessary to this process and only present additional risks. It is a matter of common sense.
Regardless of NRA debate, I have to wonder: if this child picked up her dad’s power saw or drill (or some other power tool found in almost every garage), would this child’s parents say: “Let me show you how to use this safely and then you can use it yourself”, or would they say, “Put that down. It’s dangerous.” ?
I ask this in all sincerity, with no malice intended: what is it that makes parents think that children need to be exposed (first-hand) to products which are built specifically to be lethal? I have a neighbor who feels that his four-year-old daughter is ready to learn to hunt. How young is too young?
Here’s a suggestion. They all want “military style” weapons? Okay, child or adult, make their first use of a firearm an M-79 grenade launcher with a shotgun round. Tell them to hold the butt of the weapon an inch away from their shoulder, and pull the trigger. After you pick them up, treat them for a broken collar bone, and let ‘em go, they’ll never, ever, want to pick up a firearm again.
@ Night-Gaunt49: Darn right! No self-respecting American 9-year-old girl wants some foreign firearm! (There might be Ebola germs in it!!!!) She wants a Genuine “Hello Kitty” M-16 rifle! [/snarkasm]
OmqR-IV.0 over 9 years ago
In my high-school we had a shooting range for our Bisley club. I shot with a .22 rifle for the first time at my school when I was 12. While I recall the whole trying out for the bisley team as fun, and I was a reasonable shot, I haven’t fired a real gun since.
I recently watched this documentary and despite recognising similar traits in families I knew in South Africa, it still left me perplexed.
OmqR-IV.0 over 9 years ago
Oh yes, this cartoon isn’t far off, you get “pink” guns for girls. That was…just too weird.
Theodore E. Lind Premium Member over 9 years ago
Guns are a part of life. Providing good training when the child is mature enough demystifies the gun and teaches safe handling. High power or fully automatic weapons are not necessary to this process and only present additional risks. It is a matter of common sense.
Observer fo Irony over 9 years ago
Common sense is the average opinion of the group, lower the average and intelligence becomes less common that is how sense changes.
Observer fo Irony over 9 years ago
“Forget the candy, have an Uzi instead little girl.”
I Play One On TV over 9 years ago
Regardless of NRA debate, I have to wonder: if this child picked up her dad’s power saw or drill (or some other power tool found in almost every garage), would this child’s parents say: “Let me show you how to use this safely and then you can use it yourself”, or would they say, “Put that down. It’s dangerous.” ?
I ask this in all sincerity, with no malice intended: what is it that makes parents think that children need to be exposed (first-hand) to products which are built specifically to be lethal? I have a neighbor who feels that his four-year-old daughter is ready to learn to hunt. How young is too young?
Dtroutma over 9 years ago
Here’s a suggestion. They all want “military style” weapons? Okay, child or adult, make their first use of a firearm an M-79 grenade launcher with a shotgun round. Tell them to hold the butt of the weapon an inch away from their shoulder, and pull the trigger. After you pick them up, treat them for a broken collar bone, and let ‘em go, they’ll never, ever, want to pick up a firearm again.
reynard61 over 9 years ago
@ Night-Gaunt49: Darn right! No self-respecting American 9-year-old girl wants some foreign firearm! (There might be Ebola germs in it!!!!) She wants a Genuine “Hello Kitty” M-16 rifle! [/snarkasm]
braindead Premium Member over 9 years ago
Yet another victory for gun violence advocates.