Monday, October 27, 2008

Guns & Common Sense.

by Teresa

Let me be clear: No, I do not believe all guns should be illegal.  Yes, I steadfastly support people’s right to own guns, and to hunt animals for the purpose of feeding their families, or even just for sport (PETA probably hates me).
However, there needs to be some level of common sense applied to the rules about the types of guns that people can own… and to what sort of activities are allowed at gun shows, and to the age at which children are allowed to participate in those activities.
There is no argument in the world that can convince me that average Americans need the “right” to own Uzis.  Or that people need Uzis to hunt.  Or that they ought to be sold at gun shows.  Or that children should be allowed to fire Uzis at gun shows (the NRA probably hates me as much as PETA does). 

So.  Why am I risking the wrath of the NRA?
Because this story saddened me so much that I couldn’t stay silent. 
From the Associated Press today, a story about a gun show in Westfield, Massachusetts (quoting here):
“An 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair…  The boy was with a certified instructor and ‘was shooting the weapon down range when the force of the weapon made it travel up and back toward his head, where he suffered the injury,‘ a police statement said. Police called it a ‘self-inflicted accidental shooting.‘“
Here’s a link to the full article from the Associated Press.

I will only say two more things: first, I offer my condolences to the family of that little boy who died so tragically, so needlessly.

And secondly: there’s no such thing as being “too careful” where guns are concerned.  Even when safety measures are followed (as they were, by all accounts, in this case), gun accidents happen. I’m not telling anyone what to decide, but I do hope anyone planning a family trip to a gun show in the near future will read this article, and think about this little boy’s death, and thoughtfully consider the risks.