Here is an interesting one for parents to ponder in today’s environment of random shootings and school violence – how do you teach your kids to respect guns/weapons? Should you teach them anything about guns?
Yesterday I road my bike home from work. As I rolled up to an intersection, I saw two young men (about 20-25) walking down the street with a high caliber rife. Hmmmm, only in Montana was my thought. No one passing by thought much of it. Including me. Then, the next day on my way to work, I see three men in a field just off the road testing out a compound bow. One of them looked like he was buying it from the other gentlemen with a friend along. Probably an eBay deal. Same thing….only in Montana.
I grew up in Montana. I remember hunting with my Dad for ducks, wild turkeys, and pheasants. I remember going to hunters safety courses before my Dad let me have a single shot, bolt action .22 caliber rifle.
I figured the entire world had the same understanding and respect for guns.
Boy was I wrong. Once I left Montana and attended college in Tacoma, Washington and later moved to Pittsburgh with my wife, I experienced the exact opposite. I remember the evening news in Pittsburgh. It seemed like every night was another gun homicide. My wife saw the ramifications of it roll into the ERs in Pittsburgh. Talk about an eye opener.
So, I can 100% understand both sides of the gun control issue. Folks who grow up in rural America don’t always see (literally first hand) just how devastating guns can be in inner cities. City folks don’t see the way guns are / can be respected in everyday life in rural parts of the West. Both have valid views of the world.
So I came to this conclusion. Both sides of the gun control argument have valid points. Personally, I am 100% for some level of gun control and I am 100% for educating my kids on guns even though my wife and I have decided we won’t have weapons in the house.
How about you?
To Fatherhood and Beyond 