German guy
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2010
- Messages
- 5,187
- Reaction score
- 4,255
- Location
- Berlin, Germany
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Moderate
Ive been shooting with my kids since they were 3-4 years old. They shoot with their kids. HEck, my granddaughter has a 'bedazzled' set of ear defenders. All of my grandkids have their first gift from me...a Ruger 10/22 rifle. I buy it for them when they are babies, they get it when their parents feel they are old enough to handle them. When they are in use they are with an adult. When they arent in use they are in a gun safe. Guns have never been stigmatized in our family and have never been a big deal. My kids werent 'fascinated' by them because they were commonplace and were always treated responsibly and safely.One thing that totally amazes me about America (well, certain regions in America at least) is that guns are considered such a normal everyday tool that even children are provided with guns. The other day, I even heard that there exist certain rifle models that are designed for kids and advertized as such.
Being European, this is culturally totally alien to me. And it strikes me as completely insane, no matter how I turn it. I bet the reaction of most of my fellow countrymen is similar. When there were cases in the news about 4 or 5 year old American kids shooting their younger siblings with guns their parents had given them, that was just one big "I told you so"-moment, as horrible as these cases are. I really think the parents should go to jail for this irresponsibility.
Seriously: How can anybody give a child a gun? How stupid can one be? Guns are not for kids, period.
Or do you seriously think kids should have access to deadly weapons that can kill in an instant and are exclusively designed for that purpose, but are not responsible enough to drive before they turn 16, or to drink alcohol before they turn 18/21?! (Or to have consensual safe sex, for that matter.) That simply does not compute.
So what do you think? Which age is appropriate for kids to have access to guns?
One thing that totally amazes me about America (well, certain regions in America at least) is that guns are considered such a normal everyday tool that even children are provided with guns. The other day, I even heard that there exist certain rifle models that are designed for kids and advertized as such.
Being European, this is culturally totally alien to me. And it strikes me as completely insane, no matter how I turn it. I bet the reaction of most of my fellow countrymen is similar. When there were cases in the news about 4 or 5 year old American kids shooting their younger siblings with guns their parents had given them, that was just one big "I told you so"-moment, as horrible as these cases are. I really think the parents should go to jail for this irresponsibility.
Seriously: How can anybody give a child a gun? How stupid can one be? Guns are not for kids, period.
Or do you seriously think kids should have access to deadly weapons that can kill in an instant and are exclusively designed for that purpose, but are not responsible enough to drive before they turn 16, or to drink alcohol before they turn 18/21?! (Or to have consensual safe sex, for that matter.) That simply does not compute.
So what do you think? Which age is appropriate for kids to have access to guns?
Ive been shooting with my kids since they were 3-4 years old. They shoot with their kids. HEck, my granddaughter has a 'bedazzled' set of ear defenders. All of my grandkids have their first gift from me...a Ruger 10/22 rifle. I buy it for them when they are babies, they get it when their parents feel they are old enough to handle them. When they are in use they are with an adult. When they arent in use they are in a gun safe. Guns have never been stigmatized in our family and have never been a big deal. My kids werent 'fascinated' by them because they were commonplace and were always treated responsibly and safely.
You use an anomaly to form an opinion? Sometimes people do stupid and reckless things. One of the things that bothers me about the rush to exploit every tragedy as an opportunity to seize other peoples guns is that we lose the opportunity to focus on some very VALUABLE lessons. Weapons safety and responsible gun ownership should be at the forefront of the discussion. Instead, people will take an incident involving a single shot pink hello kitty rifle and use that as their justification to impose assault weapons bans, magazine capacity bans, gun limits, etc.
I don't know the correct answer as I have neither, but at what age should a child have wine or a beer? I imagine that anything that should be used responsibly requires exposure and education.
Its a false analogy. You can have few guns and treat them irresponsibly and you will be far more likely to have mishaps than with an armory handled responsibly. One person that buys a handgun and rather than securing it leaves the weapon in a purse and leaves the purse where kids can get to it...thats a recipe for tragedy.Thanks for your view. It's an interesting perspective.
I'd just argue that the more guns you have, you will inevitably have more gun related "accidents". And the more kids you provide with guns, the more kids will die. That's simple math, unless you ignore reality.
I know back in kindergarten, we even got special low-risk scissors for kids. Normal "adult scissors" were taboo. Obviously, we have a very different background.
Thanks for your view. It's an interesting perspective.
I'd just argue that the more guns you have, you will inevitably have more gun related "accidents". And the more kids you provide with guns, the more kids will die. That's simple math, unless you ignore reality.
I know back in kindergarten, we even got special low-risk scissors for kids. Normal "adult scissors" were taboo. Obviously, we have a very different background.
I'd argue that cars/motorbikes and low-alcohol drinks are much less dangerous than guns and rifles, and thus the latter should not be given to kids before the former.
One thing that totally amazes me about America (well, certain regions in America at least) is that guns are considered such a normal everyday tool that even children are provided with guns. The other day, I even heard that there exist certain rifle models that are designed for kids and advertized as such.
Being European, this is culturally totally alien to me. And it strikes me as completely insane, no matter how I turn it. I bet the reaction of most of my fellow countrymen is similar. When there were cases in the news about 4 or 5 year old American kids shooting their younger siblings with guns their parents had given them, that was just one big "I told you so"-moment, as horrible as these cases are. I really think the parents should go to jail for this irresponsibility.
Seriously: How can anybody give a child a gun? How stupid can one be? Guns are not for kids, period.
Or do you seriously think kids should have access to deadly weapons that can kill in an instant and are exclusively designed for that purpose, but are not responsible enough to drive before they turn 16, or to drink alcohol before they turn 18/21?! (Or to have consensual safe sex, for that matter.) That simply does not compute.
So what do you think? Which age is appropriate for kids to have access to guns?
It is always interesting when Europeans scratch their heads and wonder what the deal is with Americans and guns. They will never grasp how they represent freedom to us. It is not only the freedom to stand up to a potentially out of control government but the freedom to protect yourself and feed yourself. I got my first gun around 10 years old. Some of my best memories are rabbit hunting in the desert with my dad.
One thing that totally amazes me about America (well, certain regions in America at least) is that guns are considered such a normal everyday tool that even children are provided with guns. The other day, I even heard that there exist certain rifle models that are designed for kids and advertized as such.
Being European, this is culturally totally alien to me. And it strikes me as completely insane, no matter how I turn it. I bet the reaction of most of my fellow countrymen is similar. When there were cases in the news about 4 or 5 year old American kids shooting their younger siblings with guns their parents had given them, that was just one big "I told you so"-moment, as horrible as these cases are. I really think the parents should go to jail for this irresponsibility.
Seriously: How can anybody give a child a gun? How stupid can one be? Guns are not for kids, period.
Or do you seriously think kids should have access to deadly weapons that can kill in an instant and are exclusively designed for that purpose, but are not responsible enough to drive before they turn 16, or to drink alcohol before they turn 18/21?! (Or to have consensual safe sex, for that matter.) That simply does not compute.
So what do you think? Which age is appropriate for kids to have access to guns?
It is always interesting when Europeans scratch their heads and wonder what the deal is with Americans and guns. They will never grasp how they represent freedom to us. It is not only the freedom to stand up to a potentially out of control government but the freedom to protect yourself and feed yourself. I got my first gun around 10 years old. Some of my best memories are rabbit hunting in the desert with my dad.
One thing that totally amazes me about America (well, certain regions in America at least) is that guns are considered such a normal everyday tool that even children are provided with guns. The other day, I even heard that there exist certain rifle models that are designed for kids and advertized as such.
Being European, this is culturally totally alien to me. And it strikes me as completely insane, no matter how I turn it. I bet the reaction of most of my fellow countrymen is similar. When there were cases in the news about 4 or 5 year old American kids shooting their younger siblings with guns their parents had given them, that was just one big "I told you so"-moment, as horrible as these cases are. I really think the parents should go to jail for this irresponsibility.
Seriously: How can anybody give a child a gun? How stupid can one be? Guns are not for kids, period.
Or do you seriously think kids should have access to deadly weapons that can kill in an instant and are exclusively designed for that purpose, but are not responsible enough to drive before they turn 16, or to drink alcohol before they turn 18/21?! (Or to have consensual safe sex, for that matter.) That simply does not compute.
So what do you think? Which age is appropriate for kids to have access to guns?
those on the American Left are embarrassed by the so called "gun culture" in America .
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