Newest piece at National Review Online: Children and Guns: The Fear and the Reality
My newest piece at National Review starts this way:
Should you ask your neighbors if they own a gun before your child plays at their house? And what do you do if they say yes?After the tragic accidental death this month of a two-year-old Kentucky girl who had been shot by her five-year-old brother, the answer may seem obvious: Do not let your child play at a gun owner’s home, at least if you are not sure he is locking up his guns. . . .
Labels: op-ed
posted by John Lott at 3:25 PM
1 Comments:
Interesting that this came up, I had a similar thought last night. I usually don't have children at my house but last night the neighbor girl (7) was just lingering around and I thought about my guns and that there were not locked up. Granted she wouldn't have been running around my house unsupervised, she normally just hangs out in the yard.
I think that most gun owners that do have children have taken great precaution to make sure their firearms are safe and should have instructed their children on gun safety, granted this doesn't cover their children's friends but if their own children are aware maybe it wouldn't become an issue.
I think every parent has a right to say they don't want their kids at a house where there are guns and I do think a parent has the right and the responsibility to ask that of the person's house that their children are playing at.
Back when I was a kid, parents didn't take the time to know the parents of their children's friends but it seems in this day and age, that is a requisite so as I said above it is the responsibility of the child's parents to ensure not just that the parents aren't nuts but do they have guns. Granted I don't think most parents that don't have guns and they aren't apart of their lives that more than likely they won't even think to ask it.
Post a Comment
<< Home