George_Washington

I think they should, actually.

There was a rather interesting episode recently of, "The Big Idea" with Donny Deutsch. He interviewed the conservative rocker, Ted Nugent, who debated the right to bear arms with him. Nugent was on with his wife.

Did anyone watch this episode?

Let me just say that I think Ted Nugent is an awesome guy and has great views. Nugent is a member of the NRA and is going to run for Governor of Michigan in the future. I would definitely vote for this guy. He's a confident conservative who presents very logical arguments (in my opinion). I can't stand Deutsch, he's way too liberal for my tastes.

One of the things they discussed was gun training for young kids. I think it's a great idea. Nugent argued the very logical point that:

a.) Guns are everywhere and are impossible to get rid of.

b.) Therefore, we should instruct young people on how to properly handle firearms so that if, for example, they see one at a friend's house, they won't accidently harm themselves.

Deustch went on to say he was against killing, "helpless" animals like deers for the basis of food. Well, Deustch is obviously quite an idiot. He's living in Manhatten, which some argue is the most fashion conscious city in the world, and he doesn't know that deer skin is used for other things besides food, such as shoes and other clothing products. With all his money, you mean to tell me he hasn't ever shopped on 5th avenue? What a moron. Anyway, I don't see the harm in hunting as long as you make an effort to kill the animal in as painless way as possible. I mean heck, what's wrong with killing animals anyway for food? Nothing, in my opinion. We can always breed more deer, supposing that they are facing extinction. I don't like to see animals suffer; in fact, I like animals. I have a pet and have owned pets in the past. But I just don't see the harm in hunting as long as we don't hunt extinct animals. I also don't see anything wrong with using animal skin for fashion, so long as the animal is put to sleep in a humane way and doesn't feel any pain.

Kandahar

If the kids live in a rural environment where they're going to be around guns being used for legitimate purposes, then yes, they absolutely should. But there's no reason to teach a ten-year-old Harlem child how to handle a gun. It's like saying "please join a gang."

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Scarecrow Akhbar

They teach kids not to run with scissors, don't they?

Oh! Look! The NRA has just what's needed, here's Eddie Eagle!

http://www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/

Eddie teaches kids to not touch firearms and to get an adult if they find one. What a quaint idea. Teaching kids intelligent things about firearms instead of the blind fear the ignorant liberals feel towards inanimate objects.

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bandaidwoman

Yes, I plan to teach my daughter how to handle my rifle and pistol and shot gun by age six. ( My husband hunts and I like to practice target shooting.) I have a large enough property that I have my own gun range.

Chris

Teaching kids about guns and the proper way to handle them is probably a good idea in most cases. Naturally if something is treated as taboo it breeds curiosity and probably puts kids at greater risk of hurting themselves or others. Better to discuss gun safety upfront and honestly.

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Caine

I disagree.

I think teaching kids at a young age would encourage them to play with guns.

Now teaching them at... say...13 or so is probably okay, because at this age I believe they are mature enough to know, remember, and respect the dangers of firearms.

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ptsdkid

People throw their infants into a swimming pool in teaching them the art of swimming. Perhaps you think a 3-month old isn't mature enough to learn how to swim. Your negativity toward this issue of firearm teaching, just reaffirms the notion that you're against private gun ownership in the first place; reinforcing the fact that liberals keep attacking our freedoms bit by bit and until they get congress to pass laws to limit our freedoms.

tecoyah

Yeah....How dare you Caine, I mean come on....placing Bold around Young Age, just to force the Kid into his elbow jerk conclusions. You practically put a gun to his head, making him talk about chucking 3 yr. olds into pools. And the hidden agenda Obvious in your Wicked Liberal Mindset.....one would have to be blind not to read into your statement how much you wish to make gun ownership Illegal. The Patriot Act was made to protect Honest Americans from evil doers like you....which is why it adds so much to our freedoms......just as Congress meant it to.

GySgt

Should children be taught the proper use of firearms at an early age?

Hell yeah. How else are we to fend off the infidels that threaten our religion.

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bandaidwoman

Perhaps you got that age because 80& of accidental firearm injuries to young folks in that age group and lower? (and mostly in young boys).

Unfortunatley, I don't think there are any good studies to show that early gun education prevents injuries in children. So, I have no empirical data to say I am right and you are wrong.

However, we do know that there is a correletion between accidents and how guns are kept. For instance, I keep my pistols empty and seperate from its bullets and locked up with the rifles in a gun safe. I keep a shotgun out (have had near rape experience with home robbery when living in LA) on the top shelf in the closet with one bullet outside it and I can load quickly and chamber it when the need arrives. (Most of the time the sound of chambering the bullet should be enough to scare any intruders I think.) When I have teenage neices and nephews come to the house, I remove it from the closet shelf and lock it up in the gun safe.(since many shootings occur at the non family member homes too often.)

Most of the accidents I see in the emergency room are due to parents leaving loaded guns within reach or visiting a household with loaded guns withing reach. ( I left out domestic violence cause we are talking about kids handeling guns.) Remember, kids die being strangled by blind pulleys left hanging when blinds are pulled up, accidental poisoning if common household chemicals are not kept at a safe distance from toddlers etc. In other words, anything from blind pulleys to common household chemicals are potential deadly weapons for children and like guns need to be handelled appropriately.

I also think a 10 year old that experiences the recoil of a rifle or shotgun has more appreciation for its potential danger than a Doom video game shooting up monsters.