Current Events > Do you support children using guns? (with their parents consent/oversight)

(+) Yeah! (+)

Video (below) of a little girl in Texas holding and shooting a handgun is sparking controversy.

In the clip, titled "The Firearm Princess," the child practices loading and firing a gun while her father watches.

"After our daughter finished her regular dry fire practice we play speed and skill games for the time," he said. "The speed reload game helps her find her sights fast and get off a shot and also helps with the speed that she actually does reload."

Some viewers praised the girl and her father. "In the land of guns, learning to use them safely can only be good as long as the right attitude on when to use them is also instilled," wrote one Daily Mail reader.

"Gun control should begin in kindergarten and requires a steady hand and a good eye," added another. "This little girl is far more proficient than most police officers I've served with and I'm so very glad this clip has been shown. Something to strive for."

"My brother taught his daughter the same way," wrote a third. "She is now a sheriff."

"It's best to learn these life skills, yes life skills, young," commented another person. "Since living on my own as a young woman, I have been harassed by random men. They feel non threaten by approaching a woman. Becuase of this, I want to be able to defend myself. Doesn't mean, I'd use it. But it might make those bad men back off. And it would definitely protect me. This girl's dad is protecting her."

Others blasted the parent for letting his child hold a dangerous weapon.

"Overwhelming odds she'll shoot herself or kill a loved one before she ever needs it to protect herself," sarcastically commented one person. "But cool family!"

"I own a gun and go to the target range," wrote another. "I am an adult woman. NO child this age should be handling a gun. The worst is when children are also shooting at the gun range. There is no need for it. Nothing more than an accident waiting to happen. I will leave the range when kids show up."

"She'll be shooting classmates in no time... I hope it's all on video so they'll play it at her parents' trial," added a third.

"Dumb," commented a fourth person. "Way to go America. replace the gun with a book about history, languages, being a better person instead of instilling fear and hate in her assuring her she NEEDS to know how to use a weapon. thats the problem with our present and future, right there."

Full Article: http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/guns/parents-blasted-letting-little-girl-hold-gun-video





There was also a story a little under 3 years ago where a little girl shot an instrutor, Charles Vacca at a gun rage in the head, killing him.

And his family is still trying to sue.

Conservatives say it helps ensure gun safety and maturity to have people as familar with, sensible with and trained with firearms and proper safety from as early as possible for as long as possible.

Liberals say children are by default immature and undiciplined and that it is not safe to give a child a live instrument of destrution literally designed to efficently end lives.

Where do you stand? How would you feel if your wife (Or husband for the 3 straight women on CE) wanted your son or daughter to use guns?
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I was taught firearm safety and use starting at around six years old. I've seen it done correctly with other children as well. That said, there's no way all training is equal or that all children have the same temperament or appreciation for these tools.

Edit: I'd be relieved and probably a bit happy if my wife wanted our child to learn what was taught to me.
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Of course. They're should learn to properly and safely use one.
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Lorenzo_2003 posted...

Edit: I'd be relieved and probably a bit happy if my wife wanted our child to learn what was taught to me.

Daww it was love at first trigger.
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UnfairRepresent posted...

Lorenzo_2003 posted...

Edit: I'd be relieved and probably a bit happy if my wife wanted our child to learn what was taught to me.

Daww it was love at first trigger.

Lol, I don't know about all that. Your comment did make me laugh. My point was that I'd be uncomfortable arguing with my wife over this issue. I think it's an important skill to have and people should learn it early, but obviously a lot of others disagree.
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Lorenzo_2003 posted...

Lol, I don't know about all that. Your comment did make me laugh. My point was that I'd be uncomfortable arguing with my wife over this issue. I think it's an important skill to have and people should learn it early, but obviously a lot of others disagree.

Well not picking sides but Charles Vacca's dead body and distraught family make quite a strong opening argument before a word is even said.
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I don't personally like it, but I wouldn't stop someone, including my own child, if they wanted to use them.
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If anything that's when I should start teaching kids so they learn how truly powerful weapon it is have some respect for it and learn how to handle it properly.


Something police can't even do
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UnfairRepresent posted...

Lorenzo_2003 posted...

Lol, I don't know about all that. Your comment did make me laugh. My point was that I'd be uncomfortable arguing with my wife over this issue. I think it's an important skill to have and people should learn it early, but obviously a lot of others disagree.

Well not picking sides but Charles Vacca's dead body and distraught family make quite a strong opening argument before a word is even said.

Well,yeah. It's guns. Guns can be deadly when used unsafely. I don't know the details of how that girl was trained, but I was eased into it. I was not shooting shotguns on Day 1, if you get what I'm saying.
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Yes. But only certain people.

Lorenzo_2003 posted...

UnfairRepresent posted...

Lorenzo_2003 posted...

Lol, I don't know about all that. Your comment did make me laugh. My point was that I'd be uncomfortable arguing with my wife over this issue. I think it's an important skill to have and people should learn it early, but obviously a lot of others disagree.

Well not picking sides but Charles Vacca's dead body and distraught family make quite a strong opening argument before a word is even said.

Well,yeah. It's guns. Guns can be deadly when used unsafely. I don't know the details of how that girl was trained, but I was eased into it. I was not shooting shotguns on Day 1, if you get what I'm saying.

Sure.

As I said I'm not picking sides.

There are kids who I would trust more than some adults.
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I think it's fine as long as the kid is never touching the gun without a parent present.

When they're a little bit older (in their early teens) and if they've demonstrated a high level of proficiency in marksmanship and gun safety, then I would think it's appropriate to give them more trust, like knowing where they key for the gun safe is and that they're only to ever go into it in an emergency.
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I'm all for gun education for anyone who could be allowed to use one. I think kids should go over gun safety considering all the entertainment that features guns. I would wait until they are a bit more mature before we start having them use firearms though. Even in households where they learn early there have been accidents due to improper use.
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-Gavirulax- posted...

Nope, this is one of the issues I'm very lefty with.

Same, being from the UK.

However, I think since guns are so widespread in the US, some firearm education is probably necessary. I don't know if this is the right age though... Either way, the person doing the training should have undergone training themselves and have a license to train others (or at least people under a certain age, maybe 16).