Kids don't kill kids, right? Guns kill kids. If they have guns, that is. So why is England's Lord Tebbit advocating giving guns to kids? Simple. To make them more conscious of what guns do.
In other words, kids will learn not to point guns at each other later in life when they get all hormonal and angry if they've had some experience blowing the heads off small furry animals. Makes sense, right? Sort of?
But I'm guessing that the average kid is going to react one of three ways to going along "on shoots" (aka hunting parties):
1. AAAGH! Bambiiiii! Guns are bad! Take me home, Mommy!
2. Cool. Can we do it again tomorrow?
3. Boring. What's for lunch?
I agree that kids should be aware of what guns do, but I'm not sure that shooting at animals is the best way to do this. What about you? Were you raised in a gun-friendly culture, and do you plan to also expose your kids? Surely knowing all the requisite safety aspects about guns would be a good thing, but I'm not sure I can stomach this: "Once you see what a gun can do to a small animal you are less likely to use it on a human being." I mean, really? Or don't you simply become desensitized?
Or are you as a parent completely put off by guns, let alone the thought of your kid touching one?
Or can there be a double standard—guns are okay for adults but not for kids? Where do you fall on this?
Photo: www.radionetherlands.nl
