USA: "Teens support gun control, poll says"

[Roadkill Coyote]

There's nothing wrong with listening to what young people are saying.

But basing legislation on it is another thing entirely

Teen Mood Swings Explained? The part of the brain that controls judgement matures later.

The images show one of the last parts of the brain to complete this maturation process is the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for planning, judgment and self-control.

If being "the future" means that we should let teens make important decisions and influence policy, then why aren't we paying more attention to the Real future? Why don't we ask pre-schoolers what the law of the land should be. Its the same logic...

 

[Nightfall]

The kind of brainwashing that goes on in schools is amazing, simply amazing.

This is a drawing I did, probably in about 1st grade, back in the early 90s. That little grey thing is a gun. From very early on, kids in public school are usually taught simply: drugs are bad, violence is bad, guns are bad. It starts early, folks.

Ugh, the 'no more' slogan and the crossed out gun makes me feel dirty and used... like a Million Mom got her talons into me.

 

[jdege]

When I was a teen, I thought our current approach to gun control was absurd. Basically, I thought that our laws ensured that any idiot could get a gun, but when the SHTF, only the criminals would have them.

My take was that either a complete ban - removing all guns, so that criminals didn't have them, or a complete legalization - letting anyone carry anywhere they wished, would be better than what we have now.

Of course, I've since realized that it's impossible to remove all guns. Criminals who want them will have them, regardless of the law. And, of course, I've seen the success of shall-issue laws. So my opinion on the issue has changed, some.

 

[Hkmp5sd]

More than a third of American teens personally know victims of gun violence...

Amazing. I'm almost as old as Tamara and I don't know of any of my family or friends that have been victims of gun violence. I must have led a sheltered life thus far.

BTW, all you need to do is ask some nice socialistic indoctrinated teen if he thinks they should be selling machineguns and hand grenades in the school store, you can truthfully say, "Teens support gun control."

 

[anapex]

Well unlike most of you my high school days were plagued with gun violence, most of it happening the first Monday after Thanksgiving...

 

[USGuns]

1/3?!?! BS.

 

[Baba Louie]

I too, was a child brought up to believe in gun control.

My dad and uncles made darned sure of that.

"Keep the muzzle pointed downrange little babalouie"

"Use both hands to control the Gun little babalouie"

"Shoot a lot, but always Aim, little babalouie and hit what you aim at"

"Clean them then put them safely away baba"

Ah, to be a yout in the 60's with plenty of guns around to practice your gun control with/on... life was great.

1 in 3? Who cares? Someone needs to edumacate them kids afore they grow up into bleeding heart do-gooder geo-political virgins, but it'll never happen at that age, if it hasn't already

Adios

 

[Monkeyleg]

When I was a teenager there was no gun control, save for the '34 NFA. So, I didn't have an opinion on the subject. However, my opinions on other subjects were formed by such monumental thinkers as John Lennon and Mick Jagger. I'd be embarrassed to admit what I believed back then.

As for the "over a third know someone who's been shot" stat, well, teenagers like to brag. Ask 1000 teenagers if they've ever had sex, and you'll get 750 virgins who say "yes," and 250 non-virgins who will say "no."

 

[bedlamite]

After a quick scan of the site Zundfolge linked to, they didn't list the methodology, so I did a quick search, and came up with this:

http://www.eiconline.org/violence/teenattitudes.html

The survey was conducted through a self-executing mail interview in January and February of 2001, as part of the TRU syndicated survey. Survey recipients were telephoned a month after receipt of the survey to encourage return of a completed questionnaire.

Here's the place that did the survey:

http://www.teenresearch.com/home.cfm

 

[Silver Bullet]

from the Chicago Sun Times

Also, consider the source.

 

[BHPshooter]

From very early on, kids in public school are usually taught simply: drugs are bad, violence is bad, guns are bad. It starts early, folks.

Nightfall, your picture is exactly the kind of thing I had in mind when I typed my post -- I remember them having us do this in about first grade as well.

Of course, when you have a homosexual radical-liberal teacher [if it can happen in Utah, it can happen anywhere] teaching high school history, you can only imagine how bad these issues can be pushed/twisted/spun.

If the social repercussions of home-schooling weren't so severe [in these parts, anyway], I'd really consider that for my kids' future.

And no, I don't have any kids. I hope that's clear.

Wes

 

[BowStreetRunner]

like its been said before in this thread...not too much critical thinking going on in high school....especially about things with little or no critical debate going.....guns are a taboo subject in school unfortunately.........we need to make some converts!
start em young!
BSR

 

[another okie]

Two of you have pointed out that the average person, let alone the average teenager, really has no idea just how much gun control legislation is already out there. That needs to be reiterated.

About half of them seem to think that all guns are registered, and the other half seems to have exactly the opposite belief, that you can just back your truck up to a gun store and load up all the full auto .50 BMGs you want with no paperwork.

 

[dustind]

I grew up in suburbia Minnesota wondering why we could not own explosives or rocket launchers. I was very unhappy to learn how regulated machine guns were. The ten round magazine limit had me livid for more than a day, and I mean livid.

I was born a libertarian scientist engineer geek with a strong philosphiy on govermental limits, and right vs wrong. I always valued privacy and freedom. I grew up playing with toy guns and was fascinated by balistics and thought shooting would be fun. Video games, toy guns, and self defence got me interested in shooting. Watch star trek sometime and see if enterpise could get by without phazers or photon torpedos for both weapons and tools.

I fail to see how children can grow up with controlling parents, controlling school, and with controlling laws, and like it. I had a lot of freedom as a kid, and did a lot of "unsafe" things, I always hating people telling me what to do, or how to do it.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Ibid: Crackville

LMAO!!!

Fish2xs, you made my day for me! Thanks!

 

[mattd]

I belive the 1/3 thing but only for the ghetto areas. I had a good friend that was shot and killed not to long ago and not to mention all my other friends that joined gangs that where shot and I've never heard about it. As a high schooler I never once thought about gun control, even being around "questionable" guns and questionable carrying and other stuff I can't talk about.... but if someone was to ask me, of course I would of said there should be some law about guns, I bet it was yes or no and I bet 95% of people are going to check the yes box.

 

[Tamara]

"If we want to regain the respect of the world, we should begin by announcing that children have no business expressing opinions on anything except 'Do you have enough room in the toes?'"

-- Florence King

 

[WonderNine]

Los Angeles Unified School District (1984-1997)

Dang Skunk, you're almost as old as I am.

Yea, the majority of teenagers haven't exactly had the life experience to make them qualified to voice opinion on what their favorite food is much less issues like this.

 

[WonderNine]

Hey Nightfall, the majority of my primary school pictures involves soldiers blowing up things and machine guns and bombs and stuff blowing up and Godzilla crushing stuff. I would feel dirty and used also if I had drawn something like that although I know I never would have as I'm too much of a rebel.

And look how I turned out.

 

[Nightfall]

Oh, rest assured WonderNine, many (if not most) of my drawings pre-k and on involved guns. Lots of guns. Around 5th grade a lot of my drawings focused on guns, minus people. Scoped revolvers on up to assault rifles.

Ahh, good times, good times.

 

[JohnBT]

I'd bet that if you ran that survey on Richmond City public school students - elementary, middle and high - you'd find out that 2/3rds or 15/16ths knew someone who's been killed. Maybe not a close buddy, but they'd know the name of the person and the names of the friends and family.

That's what the newspaper here has reported time and time again anyway. I'd go dig it up, but I'm not going to right this minute. Think I'll go grab a sandwich up the street.

John

 

[fish2xs]

>> LMAO!!!
>>
>> Fish2xs, you made my day for me! Thanks!

Thank you! I'm here all week!

 

[Peter Gun]

Wasnt there a much publicized survey that showed 75% of high school students couldnt find the US on a map? I had always beleived that it was because most kids didnt take it seriously or were very stupid. Which answer supports using them as political advisors?
BTW, I could find the US on the map, but was also in favor of banning handguns. However I thought everyone should have an m-16.
Reality has a way of imposing itself on you after school.

 

[Zedicus]

Reality has a way of imposing itself on you after school.

you hit the nail on the head man.

after school you kindof feel like you were just freed from the matrix...

thanfully my dad kept me in tune with reality, as a result I usualy thought other kids/teens were the biggest morons on the planet...

so when I entered "The Real World" the only thing that shocked me at all was the fact that I was right about other kids/teens being morons.

 

[Demon4545]

Doesn't surprise me. As a teen myself I see every day how little my peers think or care about things like this, and how readily they accept what they are told by the teachers/hippies. Although I am happy to say that I have converted at least a couple of people to a pro RKBA stance.