Guns and Kids: What is "Responsible Gun Ownership"?

[@chimmichurri6940]

Im gonna say, if a parent has firearms, and have been told how they work, how to use them, when to use them. Kids CAN learn when to learn responsible gun use if taught right. I agree, the firearms SHOULD be put in a locked space, or hidden from the children. BUT if the parents do their job right by teaching them the proper usage and respect to the firearm, there shouldnt be any issue.

[@joes7329]

Doctor's are suppose to save lives but they kill more than guns do! 250,000 vs 48,000. Let that sink in.

[@tomcruse5731]

It's not a medical problem, lack of respect for people and not coming down hard on criminals..

[@tomcruse5731]

All the people who don't want guns. DON'T CALL THE POLICE WHEN YOU NEED HELP. This is why I will not use mine to protect you.

[@georgiacarry4748]

I keep all my firearms locked in a safe, save one that I keep out, loaded, for defensive purposes. When that firearm when it is out, it is A. Always on my person, under my direct control, or B. within arms reach, under my direct control. My child has been taught safe storage practices and safe handling, especially when it comes to an "unattended" firearm out in the open. I will often test him by leaving an unloaded and disabled (incapable of being fired if it is loaded) firearm somewhere in the house to see what he does. IN all the times I've tested him, he's either ignored it and alerted my attention to it or asked permission to check and clear it. Education and repetition is the key and also raising your kids not to be horrible persons and respect the safety and well being of others.

[@laurets25]

Gun education should be part of the school education. Why is everything about us as a society taught in schools - sciences, social studies, sex, p.e., etc. but NOT guns. If people were taught from a young age what guns are, how they should be used, etc. it would stop being a black box that people just point at and say is bad and it would be far less likely for someone to pick one up and let it go to their heads because they've been used to it like everything else that's common. A lot of shit happens because it's an unknown thing to non shooters and those new to it can get worked up when given the availability. Same thing happens with cars.

[@jamsbong]

In Poland they are now teaching kids about firearms

[@Mr_Snarky]

It seems that for children to act safely when handling a loaded firearm, they would need to be "responsible children," which is an oxymoron. Adults don't always act responsibly, and expecting children to do so is wishful thinking. It can be expected that children will be more prone to having negligent discharges with loaded firearms, just because they are children. Even if it doesn't happen frequently, if you give a child a loaded gun, no matter how well you've educated them, the risk will always be greater than it would be with a law-abiding, properly trained adult. That's a risk I'm not willing to take.

[@TrickinNinja]

And yet children can be responsible enough to walk outside without stepping in front of a moving vehicle? Either one will kill you just as dead. How likely would a child pick up a gun and point it at someone or themselves without knowing it? How likely would a child forget to look both ways when crossing the street? The only reason it's become so unsafe to have a weapon such a firearm in the house, is because of the sudden decline in the overall intelligence of the population. Overwhelming confusion and a lack of what should be common sense has made normal things dangerous. In a normal situation the odds of a child's survival should go up if the father is well armed. When and where I grew up, there was always a loaded gun by the door. I was safer because of it. Even as a child I knew I would have to be a fool to take chances with a life ender. I've played with nerf guns, bb guns, sling shots etc, I knew how things worked and I knew accidents happen.

[@gutsbiker]

My father had 3 long guns that he kept in a closet in his bedroom, he always kept the ammo locked in the trunk of his car. I was taught about guns when I was 7 years old, and was hunting with my father when I was 13. One rule my father had was a loaded gun was to never be brought into the house. As an adult, I followed my father's lead and taught my children to shoot when they turned 7 years old. When they became teenagers I keep the guns in a safe that only I had the combination to. We never had a gun related incident. Most gun related incidents with children (non gang related) is because of a loaded gun being left laying around by an adult. Yes doctors have to treat gunshot wounds, but it's not a national health problem. I've heard doctors complain more about the damage motorcycles do, more than anything else.

[@The_Kirk_Lazarus]

You intentionally skewed the data by including persons age 17 and older. Look at the data at persons aged 15 to 19, and the data shows that this is where the gun related deaths go up. You need to do more actual research and tease out the data more appropriately. Also, we've always had guns for hundreds of years. With that being said, why didn't all these data show what you are touting 30 years ago?

[@jamsbong]

If you don’t let a kid to access firearms - it means they are unarmed. Thus unable to protect themselves. So what is the point of arming yourself if you can’t use it?

[@etherico3041]

I like how you say stick to the facts and then the first fact is a lie. Firearms are only the leading cause of death for kids if you include 18-19 year olds I’m sorry but those are legal adults.

[@Mr_Snarky]

He said "children and adolescent," which includes 18-19 year olds, so it was not a lie. And yes, they do skew the statistics.

[@etherico3041]

@@Mr_Snarky why are we including children with adolescence? 18-19 years olds are adults depending on the state they can buy firearms already. If you can buy your own firearm safe storage is irrelevant. Most of those 18-19 are shooting at each other not stores and schools or it’s suicide. When the statistics are skewed to fit an agenda that is indeed lying. Learned that lesson the easy way in stats professor told on us in first couple days and let us do some scenarios with the wording effect which was used here

[@richardgazenya]

The facts remain clear, when you get rid of all the knives, bats, hammer's, car's, etc, then and only then would i even consider giving up my gun!!!

[@8lec_R]

Is it safe to trust a child around a tank or an rpg? No? It's even more unsafe to then have a gun around them because they can actually physically use it more easily. If a child really wants a gun, get a nerf blaster or a cheap plastic gun that shoots plastic bullets. I would not tust 15 year old me near a gun.

[@deanbackman4725]

Sorry your parents did that to you. My dad had loaded guns in his closet. Had a loaded .44 in is truck tucked between the seats. Never once did I touch. When I was 14 I found a gun in an old barn at my grandpa friends house I asked it I could have it he said yeah. I took it home clean it up took the stock off sanded it down refinished and cleared it. I still have it to this day.

[@8lec_R]

@@deanbackman4725 yea my comment was more like a general comment on countries that allow gun ownership to any1 (like the one I was born in). Not specific cases. Can kids know how to use guns safely, sure. But like, do we as humans want to teach kids how to use guns as children? Growing up my family also had a few guns, never used for anything, but I was always scared of them because I saw violence in my city very often (on tv but the threat was real nonetheless)

[@kenteague6542]

@@8lec_R Teaching responsible gun usage and ownership at an early age is, in my opinion, the best way to introduce someone how and when to use a firearm. This includes teaching said individual of the lethality it wields, that the life taken is gone forever, and the consequences of irresponsible use. Handing someone a gun and letting them learn on their own is irresponsible of the new owner of that firearm. They need to go through proper training. This is one of the few shortcomings we have in America with gun ownership

[@Conservator.]

There’s no need for private persons to own guns. There are hardly ever school shootings in countries where gun ownership is prohibited for private persons. I’m aware that this is not going to happen in the U.S., not in our lifetime. 😢

[@oldman-zr2ru]

Except you're completely WRONG. The FACT is that over 100 million UNARMED people have been MURDERED by their own government since 1900. If you're afraid of guns, that's your problem, but don't you dare tell me what I can own and what I can't. The Second Amendment is very clear about what my RIGHT to own is.

[@theioncow18]

1. Self defense 2. Protection from tyrannical government 3. Hunting 4. Sport People who advocate against gun ownership also often overlook the fact that the US has very high murder rates compared to other first world countries. Not just guns, but knives, blunt weapons, and bare hands. In fact, murders with knives alone happen at a higher rate in the US than in the UK. Also, school shootings are a recent phenomenon. In the last 50 years, gun restrictions have tightened overall. Yet, school shootings were virtually unheard of before then. There's something wrong in this country that's driving people to violence, and it's not the guns.

[@deanbackman4725]

If your not an american just say that. America has guns and because of that country refuse to put boots in the ground in America.

[@tomcruse5731]

​@@theioncow18 Yes lack of respect

[@Conservator.]

@@theioncow18 Republicans refused to legislate even psychiatric background checks for assault rifle purchases. 🤦‍♂️