So, to no one's great surprise, we have seen a few different headlines about the Iowa law that will allow children to learn about and handle firearms with parental supervision. Most I have run into, because I read a lot of liberal media and have many FB "friends" (whatever that means) who are gun-ignorant and gun-hating liberal democrats, are just completely and totally outraged at the idea that parents might make those kinds of decisions for their children, to teach them safe gun handling.
Let's be clear: Such individuals hate firearms and, quite frankly, hate those who do not similarly hate them. They consider us bumpkins, hicks, animals, killers, morons, throwbacks, neanderthals - well, you get the picture. For one such example, see Huffington Post here. Let's also be clear that most of those who are outraged, don't care much about children until they are born - until that time, children are a nuisance to be eliminated at will, since "It is my body, my choice". This relates to sex education which comes up later.
Of course, these same people who want us to pretend our children are not curious, who want us to believe that the best thing we can do is pretend guns don't exist, blow a gasket when a child somewhere finds a gun and a tragedy ensues. Hence, they apparently want our children to be ignorant, yet suffer for being ignorant. They don't want children to be exposed to guns, to know about guns, to respect guns, to be informed on guns and to learn about gun safety. They seemingly prefer that the first time a child encounter a gun be their last.
It is more rarely noted in these articles that this law emerged from concerns expressed by RESPONSIBLE gun owning parents who were being denied by law the chance to educate their children on firearms safety. Yes, these parents wanted to be responsible, to teach their children, and were being denied the chance, much apparently to the pleasure of gun-ignorant liberals.
Do you have kids? Have you noticed yet that they are curious? Have you noticed that their curiosity is only heightened when you hide things from them, make them forbidden? Alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, sex, Playboys, Christmas presents, make-up, GUNS? Do you really live in a fantasy world where children are not curious and will not be exposed to such things. I bet you are in favor of sex education in schools and even giving out condoms in schools. I bet you don't think that providing condoms is likely to increase teen sex. I bet you believe that teaching about safe sex at least reduces harm in the cases where sex is going to happen. That you want to teach them to understand and respect their bodies so they can use them safely.
Well shit Sherlock - same damn thing is going to happen with gun education. Kids are going to be kids, so how about we find ways to make them safe with the things they do. No one is saying that kids should be able to carry guns, have guns without parental supervision. But kids will, at some point in their lives, encounter guns (just like drugs and sex); it makes sense to be sure they are educated on them and their safe use and handling. Appalled by gun-related accidents? then stop forbidding people fmr teaching about guns.
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