OT: why do some american parents buy their minors guns?

[Coronita]

This is a real off topic question. But, every time i read about some minor attempting school killings,etc, more than once the minors had access to a gun because a parent(s) bought them one.

 

I'm having a real hard time to understand how any parent in their right mind would even think about allowing a minor to possess a gun. I mean, parents make such a big deal about minors, responsibility, and DRIVING. But a GUN? 

 

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/10/12/student.arsenal/index.html

 Judge, lock the mom up for a year or two, please.

 

[The OC Scam]

It makes a lot of sense… you have a son with violent tendency and anger management issue in fact he even slaps his mother when he is having a bad day…. I think a gun would take his mind off his problems
I have three boys with very even tempers …however if I start to see even the slightest bit of uncontrollable behavior I will definitely buy them guns…because it is so American
We may need to start requiring the parents to attend educational classes like a after school program teaching basic parental duties like… remember to have your children brush their teeth before they go to bed….or it isn’t good idea to let them stay up until 1am the night before school ….or buy them GUNS!!!!!!!

[The OC Scam]

It makes a lot of sense… you have a son with violent tendency and anger management issue in fact he even slaps his mother when he is having a bad day…. I think a gun would take his mind off his problems
I have three boys with very even tempers …however if I start to see even the slightest bit of uncontrollable behavior I will definitely buy them guns…because it is so American
We may need to start requiring the parents to attend educational classes like a after school program teaching basic parental duties like… remember to have your children brush their teeth before they go to bed….or it isn’t good idea to let them stay up until 1am the night before school ….or buy them GUNS!!!!!!!

[CBad]

Well, that’s a pretty broad statement. I mean the reason why you are buying the gun is important to note. My husband’s family are avid hunters so yes, my husband had his own guns growing up(hunting rifles). The difference is that when you grow up in a hunting family you are taught the correct ways to use guns. Gun safety is taught and reinforced all the time. To this day my husband still cringes when he sees boys playing with toy guns and pointing them at each other. That’s the opposite of the way he was brought up. Guns are serious and you don’t joke around with them. They are not toys and you NEVER point them at another human being. You also don’t go out on the 4th of July and shoot into the air risking injury to yourself or others.

Anyway, not all parents are out of their minds when buying a gun for a minor.

[CBad]

Well, that’s a pretty broad statement. I mean the reason why you are buying the gun is important to note. My husband’s family are avid hunters so yes, my husband had his own guns growing up(hunting rifles). The difference is that when you grow up in a hunting family you are taught the correct ways to use guns. Gun safety is taught and reinforced all the time. To this day my husband still cringes when he sees boys playing with toy guns and pointing them at each other. That’s the opposite of the way he was brought up. Guns are serious and you don’t joke around with them. They are not toys and you NEVER point them at another human being. You also don’t go out on the 4th of July and shoot into the air risking injury to yourself or others.

Anyway, not all parents are out of their minds when buying a gun for a minor.

[nostradamus]

It’s interesting that this is a controversy. This country and its people spend more on military than any other in the world. We are so proud of our military and we are so impressed with our own weapons and delivery systems (come on, I know you drag your lawn chair out to the Miramar Air Show every year). We as a people just love weapons, guns, bombs, and violence. It’s useless to deny it. Those air shows are nothing but a demonstration of what great killing machines we can make and nobody seems to have a problem with them. We don’t have a problem with teens carrying guns in Iraq either. So guns are OK sometimes but not others.

We teach our children that they should do their military duty. We also teach them to love violent first-person video games where the object is to shoot and kill everything. At the same time we teach them that they are special (little miracles) so they grow into narcissistic, hedonistic, children-in-adult-bodies.

To me the real danger is not guns or weapons but the un-naturally violent nature of our society and the fact that everyone driving a car or holding a gun feels like HE is special. Why focus on the guns?

[nostradamus]

It’s interesting that this is a controversy. This country and its people spend more on military than any other in the world. We are so proud of our military and we are so impressed with our own weapons and delivery systems (come on, I know you drag your lawn chair out to the Miramar Air Show every year). We as a people just love weapons, guns, bombs, and violence. It’s useless to deny it. Those air shows are nothing but a demonstration of what great killing machines we can make and nobody seems to have a problem with them. We don’t have a problem with teens carrying guns in Iraq either. So guns are OK sometimes but not others.

We teach our children that they should do their military duty. We also teach them to love violent first-person video games where the object is to shoot and kill everything. At the same time we teach them that they are special (little miracles) so they grow into narcissistic, hedonistic, children-in-adult-bodies.

To me the real danger is not guns or weapons but the un-naturally violent nature of our society and the fact that everyone driving a car or holding a gun feels like HE is special. Why focus on the guns?

[nostradamus]

BTW is anyone else feeling that there is more tension growing in public places, perhaps because people are already feeling the effects of an economic meltdown? Or is this just my own self-fulfilling prophecy (hey I’m Nostradamus).

I’ve seen a lot more road rage incidents lately and parking lot rage. I think if our economy really crashes some areas (Mira Mesa, for example) will see crime go up.

[nostradamus]

BTW is anyone else feeling that there is more tension growing in public places, perhaps because people are already feeling the effects of an economic meltdown? Or is this just my own self-fulfilling prophecy (hey I’m Nostradamus).

I’ve seen a lot more road rage incidents lately and parking lot rage. I think if our economy really crashes some areas (Mira Mesa, for example) will see crime go up.

[Anonymous]

I can’t believe you are all engaging in a discussion on such a frivolous and unimportant topic such as wars, killing machines, violence in America, estranged youth, blah blah blah blah blah, at a time when there is – as we speak – breaking news in the Anna Nicole Smith situation.

[Anonymous]

I can’t believe you are all engaging in a discussion on such a frivolous and unimportant topic such as wars, killing machines, violence in America, estranged youth, blah blah blah blah blah, at a time when there is – as we speak – breaking news in the Anna Nicole Smith situation.

[Ex-SD]

I grew up in South Carolina. I owned a shotgun, a semi-automatic .22 rifle and a .38 pistol when I was 13. My grandfather taught me how to hunt rabbits with the shotgun. I used the .22 to hunt other small game and I was taught how to use the .38 for home protection. Almost everyone that I knew also owned similar guns. When disagreements would break out among my friends, no one ever threatened to shoot anyone and nobody ever ran home to get a gun when they lost a schoolyard fight or if someone was bullying them. I never heard of a shooting in a school until I was in my early 30’s. I was born in 1948 so every weekend, my friends and I watched cowboy movies where people shot at each other and routinely got in fist fights. Those shows didn’t cause anyone to shoot anyone else or be excessively violent. My opinion is that violent, interactive video games, gangster rap recordings and lack of two parents along with proper discipline in the household during crucial years have caused this wave of violence. My wife and I reared three boys in San Diego and I taught all three how to shoot and handle a weapon safely (along with my wife). All three are now adults and none have ever been involved in any incidents. Proper parenting goes a long way and there is a severe lack of that with today’s youth.

[Ex-SD]

I grew up in South Carolina. I owned a shotgun, a semi-automatic .22 rifle and a .38 pistol when I was 13. My grandfather taught me how to hunt rabbits with the shotgun. I used the .22 to hunt other small game and I was taught how to use the .38 for home protection. Almost everyone that I knew also owned similar guns. When disagreements would break out among my friends, no one ever threatened to shoot anyone and nobody ever ran home to get a gun when they lost a schoolyard fight or if someone was bullying them. I never heard of a shooting in a school until I was in my early 30’s. I was born in 1948 so every weekend, my friends and I watched cowboy movies where people shot at each other and routinely got in fist fights. Those shows didn’t cause anyone to shoot anyone else or be excessively violent. My opinion is that violent, interactive video games, gangster rap recordings and lack of two parents along with proper discipline in the household during crucial years have caused this wave of violence. My wife and I reared three boys in San Diego and I taught all three how to shoot and handle a weapon safely (along with my wife). All three are now adults and none have ever been involved in any incidents. Proper parenting goes a long way and there is a severe lack of that with today’s youth.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think the problem is guns. In this particular case, there must have been some big family issues. I say family issues and not just issues with the kid because I think any parent should worry if their kid decided to start up an arsenal of pellet guns, with a real one thrown in. If that doesn’t disturb the parents or if they didn’t know about it, then there are some huge problems there.

I was brought up to respect guns. I was taken to shooting ranges many times as a kid, but safety and respect where highly stressed. With proper education and a caring family, I think it is easy for a kid to distinguish between shooting a real gun and playing with cap/water guns with their friends.

[Anonymous]

I don’t think the problem is guns. In this particular case, there must have been some big family issues. I say family issues and not just issues with the kid because I think any parent should worry if their kid decided to start up an arsenal of pellet guns, with a real one thrown in. If that doesn’t disturb the parents or if they didn’t know about it, then there are some huge problems there.

I was brought up to respect guns. I was taken to shooting ranges many times as a kid, but safety and respect where highly stressed. With proper education and a caring family, I think it is easy for a kid to distinguish between shooting a real gun and playing with cap/water guns with their friends.

[Author]

Posts