I need to weigh in on that shooting at Sparks Middle School near Reno, Nevada, by a 12-year-old seventh grade student. He used a semi-automatic Ruger 9mm handgun, allegedly taken from his home.
My first question is: How did he get the gun? When you buy a gun, you assume many responsibilities, one of which is to keep the gun secure from children and the curious. Several states require you to have your guns under lock and key while in your house, which largely defeats the self-defense purpose. The point is, why wasn't the gun and/or ammo in a gun safe or secured in other manners
So, my second question is: Are the boy's parents guilty of contributory negligence? While they are indispensable in matters of self-defense, guns are dangerous weapons, especially in the hands of the young or inexperienced. Law enforcement officers and others who have guns in their homes teach their children early on not to touch the guns and they keep them secure. I also wonder why the parents did not recognize symptoms of mental problems with their son and seek treatment.
Those of us who are responsible gun owners are all just as concerned as everyone else about these events. The facts consistently point to the lack of safety on the part of parents, a failure in the background check system or negligence in recognizing signs of mental instability or emotional problems. I live alone and keep my trusty Glock 23 by my bedside and my Kahr PM40 at my desk. If I have company, I hide them. If there are children in the house, I unload them and lock them and no one knows where they are or that I even have them.
That's practicing gun safety. Anyone who does less is negligent and, in my opinion, liable if something goes wrong.
That's MY AMERICAN OPINION, respectfully submitted.
No comments:
Post a Comment