Accidental gun deaths, intentional gun deaths, and gun control

First, there is NO SUCH THING as ~sensible~ ‘gun-control.’ The whole idea is rife with the worst from of intellectual dishonesty, right from the start.
Second, what happened was a travesty of common sense, because ~someone~ was handling a loaded firearm carelessly.
Third, that someone passed the loaded firearm around as though it were a plaything, is quite beyond belief! That person needs to be taken out and thrashed in the public square for willful stupidity.
One wonders: Would they have revealed their sexual apparatus, and have asked others to investigate it?
Fourth, the writer of the article needs to get a life, because there are more deaths caused by all other things, than any number of firearms. Pretending the idea of shock regarding the rather stupid death ?and it was stupid? of another person, and declaring that it was as a result of ‘not enough regulation,’ certainly begs the question of regulation itself. I mean, think: Since the death was caused by ‘thoughtless’ behavior, why not instead regulate thought?
Would that be too hard?
The solution ?if there is to be one? isn’t ~more~ regulation.
Rather, it’s education.
Too bad though, that so-called public schools have eliminated all the previous firearms training they used to have.
Up until the mid 1970′s, many schools had ranges which the students could learn the proper use and handling of firearms.
But then it became ‘politically incorrect’ to teach any such thing as firearms safety and handling.
We teach kids about sex, and sexually transmissible diseases.
We teach kids about proper driving habits.
We teach kids about a lot of things.
But we don’t teach kids about guns, except to say: Guns = bad.
How would it go over, if we taught: Sex = bad.
Under the ‘new paradigm,’ Firearms = bad; complete ignorance = good.
When was the last time that teaching complete ignorance solved a problem?
Of course, it doesn’t help to have TV movies, videos, and movies which glorify and glamorize violence and guns. But that is only a part of the problem.
The REAL problem is that public schools have become so damned politically correct in what they teach, that getting the truth out to the people who NEED to know the TRUTH, isn’t happening.
So, we’re likely to read more stories such as the one which generated this comment.
Wringing hands over the possession of an object isn’t the way to solve a problem of ENFORCED ignorance, itself which breeds inveterate stupidity, and just plain moronic behavior.
If the US military can teach its members to PROPERLY handle firearms, and experience the smallest number of incidents yearly, then so can’t the civilian population ? just like it use to be. I say that, because the military establishments were trained by civilian members in JUST THAT: HOW TO BE SAFE, LONG BEFORE the military itself established its safety programs.
If were safe before, we can be again.
But more regulation isn’t the key. Actually, it is all the more the hindrance, because it fosters IGNORANCE.

Joe – I have read your post and the comments. I think both are relevant just about two seperate issues.

Education, as in anything, is the most important issue when it comes to guns. While I support the CCW law to an extent, I believe the required training is lacking.

I am very pro-gun and have discussed this with Jim Irvine of Buckeye Firearms. The training is designed to give the person basic safety and a working knowledge of a firearm.

They say curiosity killed the cat – well it kill’s people when guns are involved. But please realize it is impossible for a gun to kill anybody.

A firearm is an inanimate object, capable of doing nothing unless in the hands of a human… that is where us guns guys get upset. So guns do not kill people; people kill people. The argument of guns kill people advanced by the anti-gun crowd is the same as saying my pencil misspelled a word.

In addressing the gun issue in our country several things need to be done…

Illegal Guns — A very big problem! Penalties need to be stiffened for anybody involved in the use, purchase or transferring of illegal guns. The key word here is ILLEGAL Guns. I would say most legal gun owners would love to throw away the key on these guys.

Accidental deaths — well they happen – thats life. But this goes directly back to education. Teaching children at a young age how to operate and respect a firearm would greatly reduce these deaths.

I will use my son as an example… first I never approved of him having “play” guns, although the ex thought they were harmless. Because he was first taught guns were toys this is where I started first. I showed him a real gun and explained why they are not toys.

I passed on the wisdom given to me from my father, a policeman for 25yrs, once you shoot a gun – you can NEVER take it back. It is permanent!

I took my son hunting at 4yrs old. He was given a stick to hold and pretend it was a gun. He was shown how to walk and safely carry a gun. I had him watch how my shotgun was held at all times.

Last Christmas I bought him a BB gun. Over the summer he was taught the basics of operating the gun and again gun safety. He was told if I ever see him pointing the gun at a person or animal, I will break the gun in two and beat him senseless with both ends.

I only had to take the BB gun away from him twice.

Once for leaning his BB gun against a tree (leaning a loaded gun against anything is bad – it can fall and easily discharge), the other time he was not paying attention.

My son has also been taught to fear guns, which in my mind will lead him to respect firearms. He has been instructed if he ever sees a person with a gun other than a policemen or me he is to go tell an adult. If he finds a gun, he is not to touch it and go tell an adult.

If teaching children and adults about guns became the norm, there would be far less accidents. With stronger laws against illegal guns I would bet the so-called straw purchases would also decrease.

The issue is NOT about guns, but about how people use them. It is nice to see you are taking firearm classes.

Next fall, along with fishing, you are more than welcome to come and hunt birds/ducks over my dogs.

Abstinence in sex or guns is stupid! But God of Plunder pointed out in his witty sarcasm his wish that I teach Ralphie about his gun and his weapon. He may have unwittingly brought up a very good point…

If you shoot your “gun” or weapon in an unsafe manner there can be grave consequences. On can take a life, one can make a life – both life altering events.

It comes down to being responsible. With children it comes down to teaching them about right and wrong. Knowing that when they are wrong there will be consequences.

Which leads me to my beat my son senseless remark….

First – it was said as a figure of speech. Second – I believe putting the fear of God (meaning Mom and Dad)in a child is a good thing. More of it needs to be done!

Kids like to push and see what they can get away with, the fear of the unkown – (the will he REALLY break my arm and beat me over the head with it if I….)makes them think about right and wrong.

Here is an example…

I never stole anything. I was taught it was wrong and against the law. My father told me kids go through a stage or through peer pressure they might steal or take something that is not thiers. In a very matter of fact manner told me if you EVER steal anything I will break each one of your fingers at each knuckle – you will never be able to pick up a fork in your life, your mother will have to feed you through a straw.

As a smart ass I responded – you wouldn’t do that and then you will go to jail. Being one upped again – I was told go ahead and steal something and you will find out. As for going to jail he said he probably would get in trouble, but I would still have ten broken fingers.

That was it for me! Looking back I know he would have never done that, but as a kid I sure as hell did not want to find out if he would.

As for accidents with guns -

I have been sitting at a table when a friend “accidently” shot his fathers gun. It was loaded and he did not look. Thank God the bullet went through the ceiling and not our buddy across the table. All three of us grew up with guns and were well versed in safe handling of weapons. I am sure you have read how some people have shot themselves cleaning their guns. Some have even been policeman.

Accidents do happen, but mostly when someone is not paying attention. Some trained people get lax because they figure they know everything about guns and then BANG the back of their head is splattered on the wall.

Training and PAYING ATTENTION cannot be stressed enough with guns.

Brian I am sorry for calling you Joe. God of Plunder – as we are both “Big Boned” and getting older the early morning, cold weather and tons of walking does not excite me. Goose hunting lets you get in the field after breakfast.

As for bird hunting I have an English Setter that stays on point until we arrive and shoot the bird – then he brings it back. I am still working on getting him to clean & cook the bird for me.

The fallacy of the essayist’s logic is that he believes that a person who could ever do something as stupid and careless as allow a gun to unintentionally go off while pointing at someone’s neck is actually intelligent enough to benefit from a “mandatory gun safety course.”

Look at how many people do stupid things in all walks of life, every day. You see people driving with a cellular phone in one hand and an egg McMuffin in the other–were they taught THAT in driver’s ed? Of course not.

So even if you force people to take a mandatory gun safety class, stupid, reckless people will still do stupid reckless things with their guns.

The fact remains that gun accidents steadily decline, and have been doing so since records began to be kept on the subject. Every year, pretty much, there are fewer, and they number only in the hundreds, not the tens of thousands as some would have you believe. At the same time, many more children and seriously injured in school sports activities! More drown in swimming pools. Why not write an essay on “mandatory swimming training” — YOU’D SAVE MORE LIVES.

Brian sez: “Well, since Totty decided to come back to this, I’d just like to point out that despite his protestations that any firearms regulation is a violation of the 2nd Amendment, current Supreme Court caselaw disagrees, and the Supreme Court has far more authority than Totty on this matter.”
Well, actually not, Brian, because while you are wont to attribute supremacy to ~some~ old farts in black robes, sitting behind a bench, prognosticating endlessly about matters, it is the PEOPLE themselves in which lay the final say in these matters.

Brian sez: “Just like how yelling “fire” in a theater is not protected by the 1st Amendment, there are legitimate, legal, and constitutional regulations on firearms ownership and use.”
Again, Brian, you are ~most~ incorrect.
There is ~no such law~ as prohibiting the exclamatory remark ‘fire’ in a theater, as that in itself would amount to prior restraint on speech.

By the same token, there can be =NO= prior restraint allowed against any other right. The very best the law may do is punish acts which harm another’s life, liberty and/or property.
And Brian? Your thinking is skewed, terribly so, because according to you, there is such a thing a ‘pre-crime’ as in the movie ‘Minority Report.’

Brian sez: “No matter how determined you are to believe differently, that won’t change the reality of the situation.”
So, basically speaking, no matter what the truth is, you’ll be satisfied to live the lie? Is that what you’re saying? If the USSC declared tomorrow that slavery is allowed, why you would just trip over yourself to become a slave? Right?