Poll: Teaching children to shoot guns

[Recusant]

As a political realist with a basic knowledge of human nature, I know that we as a world need at least one major society that's heavily armed (it's a lot like having at least one society that's paying ludicrous drug prices; someone has to finance the R&D, and that means someone has to be on the bottom of the pyramid). I don't like guns; I don't want them anywhere near me and am not comfortable when they are- having one pointed at you will do that- but I acknowledge their necessity.

And if you're going to keep them around, all those near them should know how to use them, once they're old enough to. How old is that? I don't know; I leave that to the experts. Likewise, that section of society that should never, ever be handed a weapon capable of killing someone shouldn't be- and that, too, I leave to people more knowledgeable than myself.

 

[Casual Shinji]

You mean teach a child how to operate a device that can instantly maim or kill? I would say no. Just as I wouldn't let a child handle a buzzsaw or a blowtorch.

 

[senordesol]

If the child lives in a nation wherein they will have the right to own such a weapon (US), then it is only sensible that they are taught safe and responsible operation for that weapon.

I'm a Scout myself and learned how to handle a rifle at 12 and I think that's about the right age to start.

 

[Parasondox]

How old is this child? To be honest, I will say it depends the environment. So if you are in the US, everyone knows that guns are everywhere. The nation is obsessed with them. So in that case, teach them ABOUT guns and the use for them. Dont sugar coat it, its not the Bible. A gun is a decider between life and death. It should be take seriously. Then if you, as a parent or teacher or instructor think its okay for said child to HOLD a gun, then do so. Make sure its not load or a fucking rifle. Yeah I have seen parents who are gun made and buy guns for their little ones and naming it like its a toy. Pathetic. Guns arent toys. You should never joke around with a gun.

Back to the environment. Some families live in areas that are vast with wildlife. They dont live the city and often on a farm with livestock or growing vegetable. Nature, wild animals, may wish to fight back and often the best defence is a gun. Once again, teach the little ones ABOUT gun, teach them about the area around them and how a gun is still dangerous and how decides the moments between life and death. Its not a game.

Similar to knives and, something that is often with a gun, a CAR, Education and Knowledge is so so key and important. Movies and TV are not an educational tool for any kind of gun safety.

We need to teach kids of today the important parts of life and things around them.

 

[Catnip1024]

A kid learning how to use a gun makes me uncomfortable because I don't trust a kid's judgment when it comes to fully understanding the weight of taking a life.

Pretty much this. I don't mind people letting kids learn how to fire a gun, so long as it is strictly controlled and they can't get ahold of one every time someone calls them a poopyface at school. I know for a fact I wouldn't have trusted myself with access to a weapon back in the good old school days.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I can think of so many things a child should be taught before handling a gun.

 

[BoogieManFL]

To each their own, and it depends on the child, but education is good in general. Learning about them makes everyone more safe. Guns aren't dangerous to own unless you, and the people living with you, are uneducated about them. And how your living situation and intended purpose of the gun should affect what kind you purchase.

Like the knives in your kitchen and the power tools in your garage everyone should understand how be around them safely.

Personally I find it odd when I see 6-8 year old with cell phones, don't wear seatbelts, and their family home has glass coffee tables and such. A lot of things are dangerous, which is why safety is important to learn about. It's about respecting what is dangerous and learning how to be safe around such things.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Yes, so the kids can accidentally shoot someone, and no one could blame the fact that they didn't know better. Maybe then, gun laws could change for the better. If people have to die for that so happen, so be it.

Im sorry if im not just gonna trust jonny blazeit from accross the street isn't and idiot and won't kill someone by accident.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

Given that alternative is the kid stumbling across one and accidentally shooting him/herself and/or his/her friends, then yeah sure. Of course I'm also an advocate of gun safety which means keeping your guns LOCKED UP!

 

[Saltyk]

I say 11 or 12 should be the minimum for a kid to use a gun

I'm going to say that's a little to old to be teaching your kids about basic gun safety. The last thing anyone wants is for a child to find a gun, think it's a toy, and kill someone. Maybe you shouldn't be having five year old kids shoot guns, but you should certainly teach them about handling them (read: don't) especially if you own a gun.

My general rule is always treat a gun like it is loaded, the safety isn't on, and that it can fire without any input from you. In other words, keep the safety on, your finger off the trigger, and the barrel aimed at the ground at all times that you are not firing it.

 

[Guffe]

I said yes, but there are many things involved in that answer.
Teaching a kid basic know how, how to unload a gun, clean it, never to point a gun at a human/animal etc. To show a child could be good, when to let the kid do it him-/herself? The childs age isn't as much trouble as the maturity of the kid.
Frst always under supervision of course...
Here in Finland we have very strict gunlaws, but we also have among the highest registered amount of guns per human in the world due to so many being hunters in this country. Among my 10 best friends several have between 5-10 rifles in their homes.

 

[09philj]

Yes, for the purposes of scaring the living shit out of them. Getting them to respect and fear the lethality of gunpowder weapons should stop them ever wanting to actually point one at another human.

 

[sageoftruth]

I'm gonna go with yes. Let them experience the reality before they start delving into the fantasy. Kind of funny coming from me, since by the time I'd used real guns in a range, the fantasy of it was so overblown the the reality just made me leave bored and disappointed.

 

[Snails]

I don't see a problem with it as long as they are always supervised, and can't access anything on their own. If it's something they are interested in, better they learn the ropes early on so when they can get access unsupervised on their own they are already experienced.

 

[Pseudonym]

It sounds like a stupid idea. Why would I let my child handle a murder machine that's known to cause deathly accidents? Let him/her play videogames or soccer or whatever. It's unlikely (s)he'll ever need to know how to handle a gun and if (s)he wants to play though guy/girl (s)he can do so when (s)he is an adult.

There are reasons why an adult would use a gun and in very specific situations there might be reasons why children would use them. In general though, I'm against it. And keeping such a device away from your child should not be that hard.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

It sounds like a stupid idea. Why would I let my child handle a murder machine that's known to cause deathly accidents? Let him/her play videogames or soccer or whatever. It's unlikely (s)he'll ever need to know how to handle a gun and if (s)he wants to play though guy/girl (s)he can do so when (s)he is an adult.

There are reasons why an adult would use a gun and in very specific situations there might be reasons why children would use them. In general though, I'm against it. And keeping such a device away from your child should not be that hard.

How about instead of actually teaching them how to shoot, you just have gun safety classes in school? They don't actually do any shooting, but they are taught how to safely handle the weapon and, more importantly, taught to respect the fact that they are holding a deadly weapon and not a toy.

Easily one of the biggest problems of American culture is that not enough people are taught to responsibly handle the firearms that they have. The media makes them out to be one of the greatest things since sliced bread, and characters in TV shows, movies, and games routinely practice very poor gun safety. So, naturally, a sheltered 21-year-old decides to be a rebel, goes out and buys a handgun, and puts a hole in his TV while screwing around with it because no one taught him basic gun safety. Or worse, he accidentally hurts or kills someone with it.

Firearms are here to stay in the good ol' US of A. Love 'em or hate 'em, firearms are such an ingrained part of American culture that we will probably never heavily regulate or ban them at a nationwide level. The least we can do is teach our kids to deal with the responsibility of owning and using guns.

 

[The Philistine]

I'd rather a child know how to safely handle and operate a firearm, and be taught proper respect for how dangerous they are. It's important to teach kids that guns are not toys and have serious consequences for improper use.

 

[JohnnyDelRay]

Yeah like anything it all depends on circumstances. If you have guns rampant in your community and you think your/a child may come into contact with one one day, then might as well know what it is, does, and dangers. Even live ammunition can be pretty dangerous to just screw around with.

Most importantly, before even handling or operating a gun, should learn the possible consequences if one were to be stupid with it (accidental discharge, leading to injury, death, ruined lives, jail time etc).

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

I'm gonna say that it depends, based upon the notion that some people are NEVER safe to have a gun around.

^THIS. It is completely situational and depends on all involved and circumstances. I have been shooting firearms since the age of 8 and had to actually shoot a hostile deadly animal in defense " of the farm" at the age of 12. People are raised in very different environments and different circumstances and have different capabilities. In my house firearms were seen as no different than the stove, the shovel or the knife. It is just a tool that is used for different purposes for survival, nothing more. At the same time, there are people who should never even have a firearm accessible to them as they are not competent to use it properly.

 

[WolfThomas]

Yes. Though there's a difference between teaching children that guns are not toys and to never touch one they've found and requiring them to actually know how one works and shoot it.