[Drizzt]

I was reading an article on parenting (I have no idea why....) and this example that the Dr. used just jumped out at me....

Situation #1
Your six-year-old son wants to play with the kid down the block who appears to be a ballistics expert. He always seems to be in the front yard shooting cans with his BB gun, owns three (count them, three) fake hand grenades and brags that his father has rifles in the house. You have a standing family rule for all of your kids that guns, even toy ones, are off-limits. Your child, who has recently become interested in all things military, accuses you of being unfair. “How come he can play with guns and I can’t? All of the boys in first grade own them and I just want to go down to his house and play. It’s no big deal!”

What to do? First, be sure that you’ve listened to your son’s entire argument, and if there’s room for compromise, do it. Perhaps you can allow his friend to come to your house to play with your son’s toys and games — it may turn out that the lure is not really the play weapons, but his buddy’s fun presence. If so, having him engage in non-weapon play may actually help him to broaden his horizons and become a friend to many other kids also.

Draw the line in the sand. If your son insists on playing at his friend’s house, you may have to stand firm on this one. Not only would your child be playing with toy guns (against your family rule), but there’s also the real possibility that the buddy’s dad owns and stores at least one real gun in the home. Explain to your kid that his being around a real gun is intolerable and that he can’t visit any home if a gun is present.

Call the other parent to check on the reality of the situation. Never, ever be reticent to inquire about real or toy weapons. It’s not only your right, but also your responsibility, to know if the kids will have access to BB guns, toy bows and arrows or other play weapons. Many families do not allow their children to play with toy weapons, as the parents believe that these toys are “gateways” to the real McCoy, or that playing with a toy bow and arrow can be dangerous. If a weapon-free environment (be it toy or real) is part of your family’s code of values then this issue is most likely worth digging in your heels. Don’t beat around the bush. I’ve found that it’s usually best to be direct and forward about this issue. Ask the boy's mom or dad if they possess a gun and how it is stored. If you feel even the least bit uncomfortable with the answer — don’t allow your child to visit their home. It’s just not worth your worry and the possibility of injury. Perhaps the weapon can be removed during your child’s visit, but many folks won’t go to the trouble to do so, or you may have doubts that they will actually follow-through with the temporary removal. And, there’s still the issue of the boys playing with the toy guns — something that may be just as difficult to control or curtail.

full article is here: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/9991049/

[Lupinus]

...huh? :banghead:

[yorec]

Dear Doc Doodlebalm,

I'm having trouble finding a set of matching toy sixguns with pink grips for my 2 year old daughter. I'm afraid if I give her regular black gripped cap guns that she'll grow to be too tomboyish and won't find a good husband who'll take care of her.

Help me with my guilt over this issue - you know of anyplace that sells pink gripped sixshooter capguns?

Thanks.


:neener: What a moron.

[Justin]

When the inmates are running the asylum, don't be surprised when they start giving each other doctoral degrees.

[DelayedReaction]

Perhaps you can allow his friend to come to your house to play with your son’s toys and games — it may turn out that the lure is not really the play weapons, but his buddy’s fun presence. If so, having him engage in non-weapon play may actually help him to broaden his horizons and become a friend to many other kids also.

Because, you know, the child with toy guns is OBVIOUSLY antisocial and needs help making friends. Which is why your kid wants to play with him in the first place.

[71Commander]

Because, you know, the child with toy guns is OBVIOUSLY antisocial and needs help making friends. Which is why your kid wants to play with him in the first place.

Or maybe the kid with the BB gun doesn't want to play with a Barbie doll, unless he get's to shoot it.:p

[Matthew748]

What hogwash. Rather than running around with other kids playing army or cops and robbers, this so-called doctor (I use that term loosely) would rather see the children sit on their cans eating snacks and playing with stuffed dolls. The stuffed dolls part is an assumption on my part, but I think that it is probably pretty accurate given the touchy-feely nature of the article's author.

I daresay that social engineers like this so-called doctor are far more dangerous to the latest generation of children than all the toys guns in the world.

[Rabid Rabbit]

The moron Dr. need to learn about substitution and a childs active imagination.

I have a friend that was very liberal and said there would never be toy guns or other toy weapons in the house. For whatever reason her kids would make guns out of anything that resembled a gun and yell bang bang. If a gun shaped object wasn't around they would make swords out of sticks. After a couple injuries sword fights she started to buy toy guns because the gun fights would be at a non-contact distance yelling bang bang instead of up close and personal whacking each other with a stick. So in this case guns hurt less than swords.

My friend is now a conservative and while isn't ready to shoot a gun she lets her brother take her kids to the range.

Although my kids 3&4 don't have toy guns, their interests are in the trains & princesses direction. However my daughter has a cricket rifle and a real compound bow that she is deadly with at 4 yds.

[entropy]

However my daughter has a cricket rifle and a real compound bow that she is deadly with at 4 yds.

:cool:

Yes, Mr. and Ms. Blissninnie, please do sound off loudly about no weapons allowed in your house. Be sure to repeat it often so the robbers and home invaders will know which house to hit. ;)

My answer to any parent badgering me about guns in the house is either "What guns?' :D or "none of your business, I guess your kid can't come over, then.":mad: depending on my perception of their attitude about it.

[Weimadog]

yorek- *snip*
Help me with my guilt over this issue - you know of anyplace that sells pink gripped sixshooter capguns?

Thanks.



My wife read this thread while I was away from the computer. She did some searching.



Here is a link to some pink-gripped-six -shooter cap guns. (http://store.yahoo.com/replicaweaponry/wegihoset.html )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v493/weimadog/justphotos/xpinkreplicaweaponry_1869_4528638.jpg

[armoredman]

Ask, and ye shall recieve.....wow, Weimadog.


As for the thread starter...

Don’t beat around the bush. I’ve found that it’s usually best to be direct and forward about this issue. Ask the boy's mom or dad if they possess a gun and how it is stored.
"I am sorry, but I don't know you, and I refuse to answer any questions pertaining to my private life. Please do not bother me again, or I will be forced to report you to the police for harrasment, or 'casing' my place for a potential robbery. Good day."

[jpIII]

"I am sorry, but I don't know you, and I refuse to answer any questions pertaining to my private life. Please do not bother me again, or I will be forced to report you to the police for harrasment, or 'casing' my place for a potential robbery. Good day."

I think I would take the opposite approach... If ever asked that question. I would simply reply with another question. "Are you concerned with your childs safety"... "I'm concerned with mine as well" .... "we seem to be like minded, perhaps we could meet one evening or over lunch to discuss some more ideas on child safety."... "I think many other things beyond firearms are overlooked when parents are concerned with their childs safety."

I'd wouldn't admit anything like gun ownership over the phone, but I will entertain a conversation face to face with a parent of my child's friend. I think you can accomplish quite a bit when face to face with a non-irrational person.
(rational would denote a gun collection of their own:evil: .. I find the best conversations to be with reasonable persons, who have simply never been introduced to guns)

[MachIVshooter]

Hmmmm....If I could think of one, good, non-biased reason that EVERY man, woman and child ahould be exposed to and educated on firearms it is to understand two things: when they become a hazard, and the difference between concealment and cover.

I personally do not (and will not) have children. But if I did, training in safe handling of firearms would begin as soon as they could comprehend it.

[Hawk]

...and on a totally tangential note.

I note that Wikipedia has an entry for "moonbat" but none for "blissninny".

One of the more connected and lucid members here should take care of that.

I wonder where the child in the article is located? In Texas, a child which is prohibited from playing in households where firearms are stored spends a lot of time alone.

[yorec]

Thanks Weimadog!

However my post was rather tongue in cheeck and and dishonest to be totally truethful... My two year old daughter inherited a pair of those very same pink gripped pistols from her older sister when she decided she'd rather have a rifle with syntheticwood stock. Said it was easier to keep running and made a cooler noise since it poduces an elecrtic sound itself and she didn't have to reload the caps all the time... Unlimited shots... Sigh another high cap snob is born. (But will this mean she's gonna be a dreaded tomboy too? Er...already is?) :p :D

[dasmi]

He always seems to be in the front yard shooting cans with his BB gun, owns three (count them, three)
Well, of course.
Rifle, carbine, handgun. This kid has his head on straight :)

[El Tejon]

I'll bet that doc wears sandals and mock turtlenecks!:D

It's all about healing the inner gun nut.

[Lucky]

Actually, you ought to wear eye protection. BBs ricochet easily. BBs are brass, hard and round. Pellets are lead, softer and less dangerous to ricochet.

It sounds reasonable to ask about the place where your kids gonna play, but a little lazy, imo. If you are suspicious, then by definition you can't trust! Lol its contradictory. If you're suspicious, you go see for yourself. You don't trust someone else to tell you.

In my experience, the lady left out some other really fun toy, slingshots! Fun, cheap ammo (rocks), and when you hit a can it doesn't go 'tink' it mangles it.

And, realistically, from studies and my own experiences, be afraid of TRAMPOLINES! Swimming pools, too, I guess. But trampolines are crazy scare machines.

Why is it that people who are afraid of a pellet gun are OK with their kids bouncing 20 feet in the air on a steel framework?

[antsi]

Dear Dr. Bottombiter,

The parents of my child's best friend are mentally ill, and try to foist off their delusions on my child. They believe that disarming law-abiding citizens and handing all power over to a massive tyranny state will eliminate all violence and oppression. Until people like them get their way, it's still a free country I suppose, so they're entitled to their dangerous and delusional opinions. But I don't want my children exposed to their psychotic brainwashing and propaganda. How should I handle this situation?

I have another problem with the parents of my children's other friends. These parents let their kids have toy guns, and they're always pretending to shoot each other. My kids are rasied with a simple rule: guns are real. My kids do have their own firearms, which they are allowed to shoot under adult supervision in appropriate circumstances. I have carefully trained my children in safe gun handling and proper use of firearms, but I'm afraid that these irresponsible parents letting the kids sling toy guns around any old way could undo my kids' good firearms training. The other day, in fact, I saw one of their kids carrying a gun around with his finger inside the trigger guard! I don't care if it is a toy, that's wrong! How can I get these parents to train their kids in the appropriate handling and use of firearms?

Thanks for your help, Dr. Bottombiter!

[Candiru]

The doctor who wrote that article is Dr. Ruth Peters. Ain't following links great?

It occurs to me that asking if guns are secured around the house is a reasonable thing to do as a parent and one should not get offended into inquiries that way. In fact, a reasonable, calm, friendly demeanor while discussing the subject could go a long way to putting a sympathetic face on the spectre of gun-owners, while getting gruff and defensive will only confirm the stereotypes under which they labor. Shutting the anxious parents down hard may feel good for a while, but then these people will be forever polarized and your own child will suffer from the loss of a friend.

Nobody crosses the fence willingly if they're pushed or pulled over it, but if you exercise the moral fortitude to open the gate for them, they'll at least take a look at your side of things.

[ReadyontheRight]

Your six-year-old son wants to play with the kid down the block who appears to be a ballistics expert.

If the 6-year-old is a ballistics expert, he's probably extremely safe around guns.

I've found that it's the sons and daughters of these bliss ninnies who are the first to wack another kid with a toy sword or point a toy gun at another kid.:rolleyes:

Explain to your kid that his being around a real gun is intolerable and that he can’t visit any home if a gun is present.

So I guess the kid can't go near police officers, soldiers, military bases, sporting goods stores or any store or restaurant with an armed guard.

I have some additional comments about emasculation that I'd better not utter here on THR.

[Oleg Volk]

Kids who play with guns tend to be MORE sociable than those who do not. How else could they learn to maneuver by squads and practice double envelopement ambushes!?

[wingnutx]

Even my bleeding-heart liberal sister finally relented and lets her kids play with fake guns, after she realized that she couldn't stop them from pointing a bent stick and yelling *bang*

She tried for a while.

She used to be into shooting herself, until she became a public school teacher and the union implanted their chip in her head.

[silverlance]

i just have one in my shoulder.

that said everyone is entitled to their opinions as long as they don't encroach on somebody else's.

if this blissninny really wants to keep guns out of his kid's life, he would also have to remove all movies, songs, etc...

and every time his kid sees a cop he would have to cover his eyes and run around in little circles...

[M-Rex]

<snip>

She tried for a while.

She used to be into shooting herself, until she became a public school teacher and the union implanted their chip in her head.

Ok, I laughed out loud at that. Too true.

They do that in LEO administration as well, it seems...at least over the rank of sargeant.

[hso]

If my rule is that my child does not play with kids where alcohol is in the house then it's how I decide to parent. If their rule is no weapons, toy or not, then it's their rule and how they decide to parent and as valid as mine.

Where does my belief and acceptance in the right to use firearms in selfdefense allow me to trump another parent's way of raising their child?

[EghtySx]

You raise your kids however ya want, no one is arguing against that.

The problem lies with people in authoratative positions spewing BS like it is gospel. The way the rob our progeny of their rights and brainwash them to their way of thinking.

My big problem is with the liberals who don't use their heads. These people really need to stop "feeling" and start thinking. Actually, they can do whatever it is they like, the problem comes in when they are the ones teaching that crap to my kids. I don't see how this next generation stands a chance without very active parents. Tptb want them to all grow up sucking the govt tit, believing that homosexuality is just another livestyle and there is nothing wrong with it, that the only rights you have are the ones granted by the state, that you are not responsible for your actions or safety ... (I better stop here I guess)

[106rr]

It is equally valid to demand that the household your child visits be prepared to defend their young guest. Remember Polly Klasse. She was peacefully sleeping with a visiting playmate when she was taken by a home invader. It could have easily been her guest that was taken.
In either case, the parenting behavior level is extremely controlling of other adults. I am reminded of one of my relatives who champions the right of young cattle to be treated well. We were sitting in a good restaurant when she threatened to vomit on the table if any one ordered a veal dish. Now that is controlling behavior.
The Sheeple demand an inventory of your possesions or they will slander you to their kids and ruin your kids social life. It seems equally wrong to order all other families to submit to your will on gun control as it would to order all other diners to submit their orders to you for approval.

[Wedge]

Even my bleeding-heart liberal sister finally relented and lets her kids play with fake guns, after she realized that she couldn't stop them from pointing a bent stick and yelling *bang*

She tried for a while.

She used to be into shooting herself, until she became a public school teacher and the union implanted their chip in her head.

ha ha...my wife is a teacher...fortunately I make microchips for a living so I have been reworking hers the last 5 years.

[Standing Wolf]

...there’s still the issue of the boys playing with the toy guns — something that may be just as difficult to control or curtail.

Lots of leftist extremists would dearly love to turn boys into eunuchs.

[mountainclmbr]

Doesn't medical mistake by "Health Care Professionals" cause about 100,000 deaths per year? I would ask the doktor if this should be stopped by any means, no matter how drastic.

[Gordon Fink]

… [They] want them to all grow up sucking the govt tit.…

Actually, you should have stopped here.

Anyway, the monumental hypocrisy required for me to implement a no-toy-weapons rule is simply too difficult to contemplate.

~G. Fink

[pax]

hso has an absolutely valid point. If Ms. Blissninny & her husband set a rule for their children, they are absolutely within their parental rights to enforce that rule.

But if Ms. Blissninny asks me about it, well ...

Two of my kids' friends' moms have asked me about guns like that. The first one was particularly interesting, as we were just getting to know the other family.

We were at the lake visiting one summer afternoon when the subject came up. I don't remember the beginning of the conversation, but I woke up when she asked, with brittle voice and obviously forced casualness, "Oh? You have guns in your home? What do you do about safety?"

I drew a deep breath and said, "Yes, we have guns. The kids have learned how to shoot safely and they all know the safety rules. In fact ..." -- I snagged one of my kids as he ran past, one of the smaller ones -- "son, can you tell Ms. Ninny the rules about guns?"

Kid barely slowed down. "Stopdon'ttouchleavetheareatellanadultcanIgoplaynow?"

I said, "Not so fast. Can you tell me what they mean?"

Deep, put-upon sigh. "Yes, mom. If I see a gun even if I'm not sure if it's a toy or if it might be a real gun, I stop. I don't touch it and I don't let any little kids touch it. And I tell an adult so the adult can put it away."

"What if you really want to touch it, or if you're with a friend who really wants to touch it?"

"Well, then I stop and don't touch it, but when we tell the adult we can ask to touch it and if it's you or dad then you will make sure it's safe and then we can. So that's what I tell my friend, that we'll get in trouble if we don't ask but the answer is yes if we do ask. So we gotta ask. And we don't touch unless an adult is there and has gotten the gun unloaded and safe."

I asked, "Okay. What are the rules for safely handling a gun?"

Kid rattled off the four rules, including explaining how to figure out which direction is safe, and explained that he probably wouldn't be able to check for himself to see if the gun was empty because he still couldn't draw the slide back on most handguns, but it didn't matter because "you have to treat them like they're loaded anyway, you know."

Woman's mouth sagged open, I let the kid run off, and shortly thereafter she and I set up a time for both families to get together at the range for a kids' safety day. :) And great fun was had by all.

pax

[exoduster18]

Very well handled pax.

[entropy]

If my rule is that my child does not play with kids where alcohol is in the house then it's how I decide to parent. If their rule is no weapons, toy or not, then it's their rule and how they decide to parent and as valid as mine.

Where does my belief and acceptance in the right to use firearms in self defense allow me to trump another parent's way of raising their child?


When the neighbor kid who is visiting yours picks up your HD gun unbeknownst to your kid, and not knowing anything about it, points it at your kid. A basic level of personal responsibility should be taught to every kid, but many don't learn it, because they as being raised by people who never learned it, thanks to Dr. (not Mr.) Spock.:fire:

As for your limiting your kids to playing with friends whose parents don't drink, here in WI, mine would be very, very lonely. Note: I do not drink, and a four-pack of wine coolers lasts my wife all year.

[hso]

entropy,

You've misread, I didn't say that "I" have this rule about alcohol. It's an illustration of a rule by parents that everyone would grasp. In addition, you can't ever assume that anyone coming into your home has any training on firearms safety. All my daughter's little friends are treated as if they don't know anything about guns (just like they are treated like they don't know anything about playing around the lake edge) until proven otherwise. Since you can't know, or know how well, some kid has been trained on what to do in the presence of a fire arm then it is the parent's responsibility to make sure that there's nothing laying around for them to get ahold of. Lock it up or secure it on your person. There is no excuse for doing otherwise unless you absolutely know that the person that has come into your house knows and abides by the firearms safety rules (adults included).

[joab]

Ok I'm gonna be unpopular again assuming that we are talking about a kid as young as the article would seem to imply and

He always seems to be in the front yard shooting cans with his BB gun,andbrags that his father has rifles in the housemy young child would not be allowed to play in this irresponsible house, at the very least until I had a Paxlike conversation with parent

If he is shooting unsupervised in the front yard and has not been taught not to tell everybody about household guns then I must assume that he has not been taught basic safety and has an inattentive parent.

If a parent came and asked me about guns in my house I would be as honest as I had to be, if I wanted my child to have friends over.
I wouldn't tell about the gun safe but I would acknowledge that there was a gun in the house although I usually only admit to the one I carry in my car when I'm not home and the non functioning or BP wallhangers.

If the doctor came over I would tell her the same and I doubt seriously that her kid would be allowed,by her, to come over


If her advice was on any thing else that could be abused and cause harm I think we would agree wholeheartedly with her instructions

[armoredman]

Ok, I laughed out loud at that. Too true.

They do that in LEO administration as well, it seems...at least over the rank of sargeant.
I am taking the LT test in July....trying to sumpin'?:p

[M-Rex]

I am taking the LT test in July....trying to sumpin'?:p

;)

At the risk of drifting off topic too much. We had a saying. When you make lieutenant, they take away both testicles and half your brain. When you make captain, they give you one testicle back.

The mere fact that you are on THR lends credence that you are not the 'typical administrator', and are a bit of a cut above. I hope you get it!

Good luck!

[R.H. Lee]

Many families do not allow their children to play with toy weapons, as the parents believe that these toys are “gateways” to the real McCoy, Yikes! Now I know why I'm addicted to firearms. It's my parent's fault on account of all those cap guns, bb guns and the like they gave me.

Thanks, doc. :p :barf:

[TonyB]

Neighbor:"Do you have guns in your house?"
Me:"why, do you need one?""I'll be right over for back -up."
N:"no,I mean,we don't believe in guns."
Me:"oh,so youn don't have any guns in your house?"
N:"of course not!"
Me:"well,as you don't seem to care about the safety of children in this day of abductions and home invasions,my kids won't be playing at your house.Thanks for calling.";)

[CAS700850]

You know, I was in agreement with the article, in general, right up until the very end when it implied that there was something wrong for playing with toy guns. I mean, in general, it's decent advice. Set rules for your children. Compromise on the rules when appropriate, but also stand firm on the rules.

To be honest, I'm even okay with the part about the child going to play at a friend's house, making sure the firearms are secured. A neighbor knew I was involved in law enforcement, simply asked two questions:

1. Got a gun at your house?
2. Keep it where the kids can't get at it?

I wasn't insulted. I found it appropriate, and also the sign of a responsible parent. I've been involved in too many accidental shootings to believe that you can assume all people safely store their firearms, or teach their children appropriate firearms related behaviors.

AS for the toy guns...don't get me started. Of course, I bought my 2 year old a light saber for his birthday. :neener:

[Kramer Krazy]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v493/weimadog/justphotos/xpinkreplicaweaponry_1869_4528638.jpg

My daughter is only 10 1/2 months old. I may have to get one of these and keep it in the safe for a few years. ;)

[dasmi]

Pax, outstanding.

[RavenVT100]

My answer to the follow up question would be "Well, it depends. Are your kids experienced welders?"

[Chrontius]

It is equally valid to demand that the household your child visits be prepared to defend their young guest. Remember Polly Klasse. She was peacefully sleeping with a visiting playmate when she was taken by a home invader. It could have easily been her guest that was taken.
In either case, the parenting behavior level is extremely controlling of other adults. I am reminded of one of my relatives who champions the right of young cattle to be treated well. We were sitting in a good restaurant when she threatened to vomit on the table if any one ordered a veal dish. Now that is controlling behavior.
The Sheeple demand an inventory of your possesions or they will slander you to their kids and ruin your kids social life. It seems equally wrong to order all other families to submit to your will on gun control as it would to order all other diners to submit their orders to you for approval.

LoL. After that, I'd have to order the veal cordon bleu, a new tablecloth, and a glass of water for the misses. :evil:

[Manedwolf]

Funny, I had a pair of ivory-plastic handled capguns when I was very small, then all the Parris toy wood and metal rifles...the Kentucky, the bolt-action complete with a fake wooden round in the chamber, the double-barrel, the flintlock...

Let's see, also a watergun tommy-gun, Lazer Tag, what looked something like a 9mm carbine that made bang and ricochet sound effects... even a really nice full-sized police S&W capgun revolver in black with a wood grip.

And despite years of running around playing "war" with other little kids, I turned out normal and never shot up my high school. Why? Because I have GOOD PARENTS who taught me the difference between play and reality, and a father who taught me respect for the real thing and how to handle them properly.

Parents who don't bother teaching their kids anything, and who simply try to train them to be good little victims, are the ones who are ultimately responsible for kids that turn out "wrong", I think.

[Manedwolf]

Neighbor:"Do you have guns in your house?"
Me:"why, do you need one?""I'll be right over for back -up."
N:"no,I mean,we don't believe in guns."
Me:"oh,so youn don't have any guns in your house?"
N:"of course not!"
Me:"well,as you don't seem to care about the safety of children in this day of abductions and home invasions,my kids won't be playing at your house.Thanks for calling.";)


My answer to people who say that they "don't believe in guns" is to suggest that if a criminal points one at you, disbelieving that it's there isn't going to make it go away...only one of your own fired first will do that. :D

[Lonestar.45]

Wow. Just think, if everyone raises their kids to fear guns like that, one day we'll either all be speaking Chinese, or praying to Mecca in the east. Sad. Very very sad that there are people out there like that.

[Kurush]

Many families do not allow their children to play with toy weapons, as the parents believe that these toys are “gateways” to the real McCoy,Ironically, my mother has told me that she thinks I became interested in guns because she didn't let me play with them as a kid.

[geekWithA.45]

The points on parental prerogative are well founded.

That being said, I believe that what offends most of us about this article is that it is clearly in service to Joseph Curran's manifesto of gun bigotry:

We must change this
culture of passive acceptance to one in which people view gun ownership as dangerous and aberrant and behave accordingly. Gun ownership must go the way of smoking, which was once accepted universally and is now recognized as a harmful activity that cannot be inflicted on other unconsenting individuals.




http://www.oag.state.md.us/Press/pr289.htm

[Stevie-Ray]

Many families do not allow their children to play with toy weapons, as the parents believe that these toys are “gateways” to the real McCoyEek, the good doctor's right. After all, I played with all kinds of toy guns when I was a kid, and had the time of my life. Look at me now. I have all kinds of the real McCoy. I'm a hideous nightmare of the good doc's "parents of many families." I'm a child gone bad.:banghead: And, there’s still the issue of the boys playing with the toy guns — something that may be just as difficult to control or curtail. Why, yes! We should simply ban all toy guns so that our children can't possibly play with them. But the bad kids would still be able to get them on the black market, and that would leave our kids unable to defend themselves.

For cryin out loud, let kids be kids. As was already stated, kids are gonna point a bent stick and say "bang." I did that too, at times. BB guns are a genuine concern, as they're not really toys, but true toy guns?:banghead:

[English John]

How did he do that? Pick the lock on the gun safe? Pry off the trigger lock? I don't understand how a stranger gets his hands on your HD gun? Do some people still leave them unattended in the dresser drawer? I thought we are above that.

[White Horseradish]

How did he do that? Pick the lock on the gun safe? Pry off the trigger lock? I don't understand how a stranger gets his hands on your HD gun? Do some people still leave them unattended in the dresser drawer? I thought we are above that.
We are. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people who aren't us and also happen to be idiots.

Ya know, if I ever had this kind of a conversation, it'd be like this:

"Got guns?"
"Yes."
"Cool. What kind? "