Kids and guns: Teach, don't avoid

SPECIAL TO THE POST-DISPATCH ^ | 02/19/2007 | By Dana Loesch

[mmanager]

Can't believe this was in today's St. Louis Dispatch.

Man, what a lucky guy to be married to this! Other than my wife who is a crack shot with my AR-15 (maybe hers?)

[xcamel]

AMEN!!
RKBA (and teach, too)

[mmanager]

((PING))

[arizonarachel]

My husband and I plan on showing our son how to use our gun and that guns need to be respected - they are not toys! And what boys don't love toy guns, swords, etc?

[nmh]

Can you imagine the mental gymnastics these little kids will go through if it is up to THEM to someday DEFEND our country? They're being conditioned to be brainless pacifists. They won't care about the right to "bear arms". They'll be ALL for making guns ILLEGAL.

Just wait ... the fruits of this will make us a target that doesn't require force ... .

[Argus]

several mothers who were not only against guns, they were against toy guns

I'm sure even these numbskulls would expect the police to protect them from the bad guys and if necessary use a - gasp - gun to do it with. But I guess they think cops come from the lower orders of neanderthals and would never dream of their precious becoming one.

[nmh]

"I have a friend who likes to assign human qualities to firearms. “Guns kill people,” she says whenever given the chance. I’ve said this before, but in my 28 years on this earth I have never witnessed a gun get up and shoot someone all by itself."

Me neither!

It's perfectly NORMAL for boys in particular to imagine a piece of broccoli or a strong bean as a weapon! It's just in them to be that way. Stifling this is dangerous. When little is when they are supposed to pretend and learn the difference between what is right and wrong and NOT avoid or pretend that guns don't exist.

[nmh]

"I have a friend who likes to assign human qualities to firearms. “Guns kill people,” she says whenever given the chance. I’ve said this before, but in my 28 years on this earth I have never witnessed a gun get up and shoot someone all by itself."

Me neither!

It's perfectly NORMAL for boys in particular to imagine a piece of broccoli or a string bean as a weapon! It's just in them to be that way. Stifling this is dangerous. When little is when they are supposed to pretend and learn the difference between what is right and wrong and NOT avoid or pretend that guns don't exist.

[Shimmer128]

My dil wears combat boots! (active duty AF)

[Charlespg]

my kind of woman

[oldenuff2no]

I don't know where to start. I'm a gunsmith, a father of older children who hunt, a shooting sports 4H instructor, and a hunter safety course instructor.
I start teaching kids to respect firearms as soon as they can walk. I don't let them play with guns and I keep my firearms locked up, except my carry gun. I do have a work bench where you will find guns, gun parts, ammo and ammo components 24/7/365.
My youngest son will start hunting with me this year. He will be rifle hunting and archery hunting. Can you imagine these idiot mothers thinking about 12 year old carrying around a slender stick with pointed razor blades on the end of it??? They would be making cow pies in their panties!!!!!!! We live in a different world. I taught my kids to shoot beginning when they were 8 years old. They can load fire and make safe their own weapon. They know how to keep them clean too.

[Bob Mc]

A child who's mother is obsessed with irrational fear because of something like a toy gun, often grow up confused, unable to distinguish real from imaginary violence. Or, at best, they grow up realizing their mother is an idiot, and ignore her fears, even those that are rational. Either way, big problems ahead for dear mommy.

[Ladysmith]

I have a friend who likes to assign human qualities to firearms. “Guns kill people,” she says whenever given the chance. I’ve said this before, but in my 28 years on this earth I have never witnessed a gun get up and shoot someone all by itself.

Yeah, I keep checking this site for "assault weapon violence" to happen: http://www.assaultweaponwatch.com/

Totally agree with this lady. Teach them respect for life and responsibilities that goes with gun usage and ownership while they're young. Frankly, I believe they mature and make better life decisions earlier for it.

[cyclotic]

My seven year old son (with a little help) just taught the Eddie Eagle gun safe program to his fellow Cub Scouts.

Boys will gravitate toward weapons as they grow up. It's part of their DNA and should be encouraged. Toys should be toys and real ones should be used with great safety in mind.

The author should contact NRA and get a pack of Eddie Eagle Gunsafe supplies and teach this excellent program to the gang (on principle, i refuse to use nambly-pambly terms like "playgroup" and "playdate.")

[therut]

I lived on the road where the National Guard drove in convoy every summer. (now they go by interstate). My brother, sister and I dressed up in our "Army clothes" we got at the local Army Surplus store. Along with our BB guns and a large blue painted shell of some sort we stood in the ditch having Army Camp and saluting the guys when the covoy went by. The would honk and wave. It was soooo much fun.

[BradyBug]

When I ask my three and a half year old "What do you do if you find a gun?" He responds every time "Find a grownup"

I think if you take the mystery away from firearms, it reduces the accidents.

[Shooter 2.5]

Your wife sounds like she should be competing in NRA High Power Rifle matches.

[Shooter 2.5]

She needs better friends.

[P8riot]

My 5yr old is a crack shot with his BB rifle, and I just started teaching him with my old single shot Marlin bolt 22 rifle. His first shot was in the 9 ring at 20 yds (no scope). Both my wife and I carry around him, and he knows that we do it because we love him and want to protect him.

He is growing up around guns, and knows not to handle any weapons unless either Mommy or Daddy are helping him. I feel like I could leave the guns within his reach safely, but we still keep them locked up when they are not under our personal control.

[Joe Brower]

"Teach, don't avoid". Yes. Of course, your average cowardly liberal would much rather stick their head in the sand, and then label it "courage".

Being a Den leader of my local Cub Scout Pack (1001), I will be conducting an NRA "Eddie Eagle" safety presentation to the kids in just a few weeks from now. All my fellow den leaders have signed on.