Family Tradition In Peril

[Rem308{MEOW}]

If you have a family tradition of using guns of any kind with your children (hunting, target shooting, ect) then guess what, a tragic accident may put that tradition to an end.  I for one believe that the first step to enslaving a society is to take their weapons away and they can take my weapons from my cold dead hand.  According to the story a 8 year old boy was with an instructor and his parent, when he accidently shot himself in the head.  Now some liberal government hack wants to pass laws that will prohibit children from participating in these types of activities.  More on this later when I calm down but see the story for yourself here
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/27452206#27452206

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

they always ry this when something happens like this 
It's a terrible thing but by this reasoning, no child should be in an automoble of any kind until they are 16.

[PURE{MEOW}]

well an uzi is a little out threr for a kid but there is some middle ground you have to teach your kids respect of the weapon first and foremost! I have 2 in cub scouts and they are learning with bb guns. but I am not going to hand my 8 yr old an uzi noo aint gonna do it!!  and nigh I dont think they are even ready at 16 LOL

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

Well,youre right Pearl.  The Uzi is a bit over the top.
I lived a while in Israel and just about every person learns to use a Uzi or an M4.  Some of them stand by the door in certain areas and children are punished severly for touching them.  It's odd but there are less mistakes than you would think, because of training.  I think that is the key, training.  I do not believe anyone should have/use a firearm witout training.  The Scouts is a good training ground for respect for firearms as I have family that are instructors. 

The child was unaware of what that Uzi could do.  That is the key.  I too have suffered a tragedy in my early years and lost a brother because of the misuse and availability of forearms.  I have been around them all my life and and still know that they are dangerous and should be handled very carefully.  I know that stupidity killed my brother.

That little boy should never have been able to touch it. An automatic weapon should never be fired  at some gun show around untrained people.  I believe in and will defend the right for anyone to own one, but I think that since we are not a rural society anymore we need to be more cautious.  A firearm is like any other tool.  You have to know how to use it.

Please, if you have any type of fiearm in your house keep them under lock and key and away from kids.  Train them or have them trained if they are old enough and responsible enough.  Keep them away from kids under 18 for rifles and 21 for shotguns and pistols unless with a responsible adult.  Being "ready" is never as important as being safe... ever.

[Raidien{MEOW}]

Well,youre right Pearl.

 

aside from that, I totally agree... we need to keep the right to bear arms, but we need to be trained to handle them appropriately and safely as well.

[Rem308{MEOW}]

Ok I will grant you probably not a good idea to give an 8 year old an Uzi.  However, his parent was there supervising (even though he was taking pictures), and that child was with an experienced firearms instructor.  Do I see some neglegence here, yes I do, on the part of the instructor who was standing over the child.  he should have been able to keep that weapon from coming that for up.  I do not think age is a good indicator of readiness to train someone for the responsibility of using a weapon but its the only thing that can be quantified and legislated.  I personally would not teach an 18 yo to use a weapon if i felt that they were not ready for that responsibility, on the other hand I would have no problem teaching an 8 year old if they showed me they were.

[NighEve*{MEOW}*]

I said:

Train them or have them trained if they are old enough and responsible enough.

So I agree.  I have seen some drunk 25 year olds that should never be allowed to get within 20 feet of a fireearm.  There is a certain maturity hat needs to be there. A responsibility.

Anoher note. Anyone that has fired an automatic weapon knows that they can push up and back. In Israel in training a new person to shoot automatic weapons they put a limited amout of rounds in the clip. Then more as the lessons progress.   This makes the new shooter aware of the travel.  5-6 rounds in that thing would probaly been enough.  Also, a lot of children are suprised and let go when the recoil happens.  In this case eh probobly held it like Rambo would and that is the worst if you have NEVER shot it before.  They think this young boy let go with the hand he had on the muzzle. Sad. 

[Rem308{MEOW}]

I to served in the Army so I know that a weapon will rise when fired on full auto.  Full auto/burst weapons I have used in real life: M16a1 and a2, M4, M60, SAW, MP5, UZI, AK47 and 74, and assault rifles from England, Germany and France (sorry, don't recall their designators at the moment).  That is why I say that the instructor with the child was at fault here.  There should have been limited ammo in the clip and the instructor should have made sure that the child was braced, and holding the weapon properly, as well as interveined when the child held down the trigger.

[BigBruzer*{MEOW}*]

couldn't watch it.  i heard enough at the announcement of the story.  if any " good " common sense were used here, we wouldn't be hearing this story. grrrrrrr!

[Gilmo{MEOW}]

I am sorry, but NO child regardless of their mental ability should be given an automatic weapon to learn with.  Bolt action and semi auto should be it.  I beleive in the right to bear arms, but disagree that anything that is fully automatic is needed by private citizens.  Yah, I know, the bad guys have em, but that is a different argument about how to deal with them and the damn dealers who provide them the weapons.

[Kook~NBK~]

I agree with Gilmo, whether they're capable of handling the mental aspects of firing a weapon (these things are dangerous, they can kill, etc.) or not,  8-year olds generally do not have the physical capability to safely handle high-powered weapons.  What these knot-heads who let that child loose with that weapon fail to realize is that with the right to bear arms comes RESPONSIBILITY!!!  The father of that child will have to live with the results of his irresponsible behavior for the rest of his life. That instructor should never be allowed to conduct fire-arms training again.  The first and foremost thing any weapons trainer worth his/her salt will stress is safety! Safety,  SAFETY!

[WildKatZ*{MEOW}*]

i started hunting at the age of 5, with my dad, grandfather and uncle's. respecting the weapon in your hand's was #1 too learn.i'm an army brat/ex army. been around firearm's all my life.  but a full auto is just stupid in any child's hand's. some folk's are just moron's.