Recreational Shooting for Kids

           Today’s front page article in the Times (Selling a New Generation on Guns) shockingly dramatizes what those of us who fear gun violence fear most:  how Americans get addicted to using guns.  You can always find evidence that training children to use guns safely cuts down on accidents while using guns.  It is hard to find definitive evidence that an addiction to violent video games causes its users to become violent in real life.  But one thing is sure: having an unguarded weapon in the home makes it easier for shooters to use them to commit atrocities like Newtown and Aurora.

            Everyone now knows the Newtown assassin was trained at a gun club to use his AR15 effectively.  It seems he killed practically everyone he shot.  Hurray!  There’s also definitive evidence that veterans with PTSD have used the guns they bring back with them to kill members of their families, incident civilians in their community, and themselves.  They were also very well trained to use their weapons at firing ranges.

            NRA members who are avid supporters of gun clubs and manufacturers say shooting guns is fun for everyone and a sport.  What they neglect to say is that most users also find it addictive in the same way as playing video games can become a day-long activity.  Millions of dollars are spent buying both guns and games.  According the article mentioned above, gun manufacturers sponsor competitions for kids and promote violent games in their catalogues and in ads in gun magazines.

            People who keep guns in the home for protection or for recreation claim that gun control advocates don’t really understand how having a weapon provides peace of mind to the head of the household.  But the shooters profiled above weren’t necessarily heads of households.  They were the children and relatives of someone who kept guns unguarded in their homes.  One seven year who brought a gun deposited in his book bag to school without his knowledge was ready to give it to one of his classmates when his mother showed up to apologetically admit she forgot it was in his bag.  Is that your example of a responsible gun owner?  How many other stupid parents like her are out there?

            There are too many incidents involving tragedies caused by the millions of guns already out there in this country.  One thing is obvious: limiting the sale of more dangerous weapons can only prevent a limited number of gun disasters.  But even preventing one would be enough