Text 28326, 110 rader
Skriven 2009-03-01 13:38:32 av Jeff Smith (1:14/5)
  Kommentar till text 27775 av Ward Dossche (2:292/854)
Ärende: 11yr old with a shotgun
===============================
Hello Ward.

23 Feb 09 10:40, you wrote to Ross Cassell:

 WD> Ross,

 RC>> I used to sell Rifles and Shotguns as well, and I could not
 RC>> transfer ownership of same to anyone under the age of 18. I do not
 RC>> know what they use now but the proper form I used back in the day
 RC>> was BATF Form 4473.

 WD> I understand.

 WD> The following I copy verbatim from the NY Times (incl the spelling
 WD> errors):

 WD> " A 'youth'-sized 20-guage rifle,

    A 20 (Twenty) gauge rifle? That in reality is a "medium" sized
shotgun.

 WD> a model designed for children for

    IMHO, a 20 gauge wasn't designed with children in mind any more
than adults or people of medium size or stature. A 20 gauge is often
the choice for novice gun owners/users as it doesn't kick like a 12
gauge can.

 WD> which registration is not required, was later found in the home,
 WD> investigators said."

 WD> The same message I copy from other sides in different wording, so it
 WD> isn't a copy-and-paste from a press-release.

 WD> So "ownership" is not discussed. The father may be the legal owner.

 WD> But "a 'youth'-sized 20-gauge rifle designed for children" ? ??
 WD>                                     ---------------------
 WD> A lethal weapon ... for children?

    You are making the convienient assumtion that the 20 gauge is/was
designed specifically for children. Age is less relevent that physical
size. Yes, there is a connection but not one great enough to make the
conclusion that you are suggesting as likely as you would want people to
believe.


 RC>> So dont take this story literally and say the boy owned the
 RC>> shotgun, he did not.. Chances are the father bought the shotgun so
 RC>> the two of them could share in a hobby, be that hunting or target
 RC>> shooting or whatever.

 WD> Any child psychologist will tell you that 11-year-old boys live in a
 WD> fantasy world. They're used to video games where you shoot people and
 WD> get points for it, or cartoons where characters fall off cliffs and
 WD> then re-appear. They don't understand the finality of death. NO
 WD> 11-year-old boy should EVER have a weapon of his own -- it's that
 WD> simple.

    The point that you fail/choose to miss is that we are not talking
about how you, your neighbors, etc, etc look at guns, gun ownership,
and children. Here any sensible parent that owns or has guns in the
home has taken the necessary steps to teach their children the proper
respect and handling of a gun.

    Me and my daughter (16) went dear hunting last November here where
she shot and field dressed her first deer. Let me also state Ward that
the idea to obtain her own rifle and shotgun and more importantly to take
gun safety training both as a seperate class as well as regular school
gun safety training has taught her respect for the use and handling of
a firearm. Her choice was her own. If she had chosen to dislike firearms
I would have totally respected her choice. The point being Ward that
children here don't live in a fantasy world to the degree that you
suggest above. I do sometimes think that kids here grow up a little too
quickly. Regardless, if guns are in existence and in proximity to
children those children need to be taught the proper respect and
handling of those guns. With younger children that "Proper handling"
would likely be NOT to touch them at all. There is also the matter
of guns in a dwelling being properly secured with amunition being
stored seperately.


    Let me also state that she has the desire to persue a career as a
member of law enforcement. That is after she returns from active service
A choice that kind of surprised me abit and makes a father think.


 WD> Remember the 8-year-old kid in Arizona who shot and killed his
 WD> dad and his dad's friend a few months ago?? The boy used a hunting
 WD> rifle that his dad had bought him for his birthday. It's no
 WD> coincidence.

    And also no guarentee that the existence of the gun caused the
boy to kill. Would you make the same statement if the boy had stabbed
his father and the friend instead of shooting them? Whether the tool
be a gun, knife, or a baseball bat. The child had the desire and intent
and used what was available. If not a gun then something else. Would
the non-existance of a gun have guarenteed that the father and friend
wouldn't have died?


 WD>  \%/@rd

 WD> --- lighthouse-dcd.org
 WD>  * Origin: Officer, I swear to drunk I am not God !! (2:292/854)

Jeff

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