Posted on 05/02/2013 8:33:46 PM PDT by Colonel Kangaroo
...there is no reason a child should be in possession of the firearm anywhere but a gun range.
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I understand you’re talking of the present time.
I’m a War Baby (’42) (the gen before the Boomers). Grew up in area of Dallas where there were about a dozen or so boys within a block, ranging in age from about 6 to 18, when I was around 8. Two blocks South were fields. Three blocks East were woods.
ALL of us would walk down the streets with our guns to go hunting, with the older boys carrying .22s or .410s and the younger boys carrying Benjamin pump pellet guns or Daisy BB guns. ........No adult supervision and no one was ever injured, because our dads had taught us well about gun safety. ........Lots of squirrel, rabbit and quail were taken home for good cookin’!
Why the hell call the manufacturer? Do they call Ford when there's a hit and run?
First, if you are going to teach your children how to shoot a rifle you need to buy a child size weapon....shorter stock, lighter components and usually a single shot.
Second, the weapon needs to be secured safely. Evidently these people thought they did with a trigger lock safety but left a cartridge in the weapon. A mistake with tragic consequences.....
I taught all four of my children to shoot beginning at 5 years old, always under extremely close supervision and the weapons (when not being transported or used) are locked in a gun safe.
Gun safety and weapons training should begin at an early age.
These parents (from other reports) were good parents,loved their children and made a tragic mistake.
The answer is they were not thinking. I got my first BB gun at age 8 and my first .22 at age 13. And I had the good sense to never aim either gun at anyone, something banged into my little head by my parents.
Especially since the main safety lock on a Cricket keeps the bolt from being closed. They were designed that way so parents could lock the bolt open.
stupid irresponsible parents, dead baby, permamently damaged child
you cannot legislatee against all forms of stupid
Children need to be continuously taught to respect all dangerous things and possibilities. When tragedy inevitably happens, it's an opportunity to teach them again.
“I think it is good for children to be exposed to firearms at a young age and from day one be taught the proper respect and care that needs to go with guns.”
I dont think a 5 year old is capable of being taught to responsibly handle a firearm without direct adult supervision. It is good to start teaching them at a young age however, but you cant trust them to be alone with a deadly object.
Too bad we don’t have a law against STUPID parents.
“State Rep. Robert R. Damron, a Democrat and an outspoken gun rights advocate in Kentucky, said the problem is not guns, but the parents who do not teach gun safety and responsibility. “Why single out firearms? ...........
A demodummie that is an outspoken gun rights advocate and someone who actually gets it? Whoa! He is certainly stands out in a crowd.
No doubt they were good parents, very sad story.
Personally I do not think I would put a firearm in the hands of a child before 11.
If a child was to be trained prior to that, it would be with a bb gun.
5 seems much too early to me for bullets. I do not think a child has the capacity to understand the consequences of bullets at that time.
Three is not to young to shoot. I have plenty of pictures of my son shooting a gun at three. I am of course hands on the firearm at all times. In fact it is a cricket that he was shooting.
It really all depends on the level of supervision that someone plans to give. I have never had an issue with one of my children being curious about the guns. I have a 10yo daughter that shoots trap. She has also handled guns since she was very young.
Additionally, if this child was being taught to handle guns at a young age (which of course is not the problem) then of course the VERY FIRST thing we all learn is NEVER POINT A GUN AT ANYBODY FOR ANY REASON OTHER THAN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY.
Somehow, this lesson either wasn't given or didn't stick, and the child should not have had unattended access to a gun under those conditions.
A tragedy that could heave been avoided. There can be no worse punishment than what this family will now have to endure as the years pass...
Hmmm. three might be a little young to learn the mechanics, but it is not too young to start learning the safety parts of gun ownership... .
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