ABC's 20/20 - "Young Guns"

[kf6tac]

Been seeing the very stupid-looking commercials for this. I'm sure it'll be yet another in ABC's long line of hard-hitting, well-reasoned journalism pieces.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/video/young-guns-diane-sawyer-special-21694484

[boukca]

Tagged

[TeddyBallgame]

of course they are going to use the "curiosity" factor that all kids have to portray this in whatever light they feel necessary

some years back, my 6 year old nephew went over and picked up a load of sh** that he had just seen a dog leave on the grass...he walked over to his mom, turd in hand, saying "look, look"....kids are naturally curious...the best way to solve that problem is to get rid of the curiosity

I started letting my son handle my firearms when he was about 5 or 6 years old, all the while, letting him learn the valuable information about firearms, being responsible with it, not pointing, never fingering the trigger, the whole nine yards

I also let him shoot at a very young age, by the time he was 8 yeas old, I could leave my firearms out, and, he wouldn't even bother with them...he was no longer curious about them...he'd come into my office, see it on my table, and, to him, it was just like another piece of the furniture...A NON iSSUE

he'd had his time with it, he'd figured it out...now it was time for him to move on to something else to satisfy his curiosity...I question, what can be any safer, than, having a child around who ISN'T interested at all, in your firearm?

I'm sure, in this hit piece, they're going to use a bunch of kids who still have that curiosity, how else are they going to get that shock value from their viewers...at least, I feel good knowing, that, had that been my kid, he would've walked right by that firearm, and, went for something else to play with...hell, my son might've field stripped it lol...I could only wish they'd use some smart gun owners, who have taught their kids, and, see what they could do with that

[Psychman]

If they were so concerned about kids fooling around with guns they just "happen to find", they could do a whole show on gun safety by including NRA safety programs and how parents can best teach youngsters about guns.

But, I guess that would not sell commercials would it? Instead they will go for the "shock factor" instead. This program will be full of fail as was the last one Diane Sawyer did.

[Mitch]

If they were so concerned about kids fooling around with guns they just "happen to find", they could do a whole show on gun safety by including NRA safety programs and how parents can best teach youngsters about guns.

If anyone truly gave a toss about kids and gun safety, they would be lobbying for firearms safety modules in public schools.

[Nick Justice]

If anyone truly gave a toss about kids and gun safety, they would be lobbying for firearms safety modules in public schools.

Back in the 80's the LA Sheriff's Dept. held gun safety events at schools. (You read that right: Los Angeles Sheriff's Dept.) I was there.

[Gruber51]

Watching it now. Pure propaganda.

Put kids in a room with guns unsupervised, what do you get disturbing images.

[hk200085]

Just finished watching it, completely biased.

[bohoki]

what the heck was the story of the carry handle on the machine gun

[ja308]

My buddy called to tell me about it ! Told him I was going watch Tom Selleck in. " blue bloods " . Anti gun Abc and firearms is predictable . I know the story !

After watching " blue bloods with the story line involving some drag queen murder . I should have just turned it off and read the Lee Child book I've been wanting to get at .

[Johnny Rotten]

Watching it now. Pure propaganda.

Put kids in a room with guns unsupervised, what do you get disturbing images.

But that is exactly the point. Those kids were instructed by an adult, their parents, and a police officer not to touch guns. They even watched the NRA video for kids. Yet some of them not only touched the guns but pointed them at themselves and other kids and they pulled the trigger. So the whole point is not to leave guns unsupervised around kids.

Yes it's a great idea to teach your kids about gun safety but that is not enough. Especially young kids 3,4,5 years old; you may drill it in their head that guns are dangerous but at that age their brains are just not that developed to fully understand what death is and how deadly guns are.

I know there are those who say well I taught my child this and my child knows this and my child doesn't do that. Well that is great but do you really want to leave it to chance? Yes there are some kids that do listen but there are some who don't. No child or person is perfect so do you really want to leave your child's life to chance? Children being disobedient isn't a rare thing.

Think of all the accidents that happen when adults handle firearms. I saw in the news that a man got shot during a gun safety course. He was accidentally shot by the instructor of all people. Adults accidentally shoot themselves or shoot their children and children accidentally shoot themselves and shoot other children. This is a real thing that happens when people are not careful with firearms or when they leave loaded firearms where children can access them. This is not a myth, it really happens. If firearm accidents happen with adults what makes people think it won't happen with children.



If any of you have children of your own or children in the house; would you trust them to eat right, bath, brush their teeth, go to bed early, wake up early, etc, on their own without you saying anything? (Yes I know there are really great kids out their who are mature beyond their years and my niece is one that comes to mind, but I'm sure a majority of parents/guardians would not trust their kids to do that stuff on their own.) So why would you trust them to not play with a gun they found that they think is really cool and fun?

Not too long ago I bought my brother in-law his first rifle a Saiga Ak-47. He used to always talk about wanting to get a firearm but now that he has one he is really into the sport and already is looking at more firearms. I am going to show him this documentary because I wan't him to understand how important gun safety is and how important it is to keep them locked up because he has a 10 year old and a 12 year old. We have both told his kids not to touch or play with guns. I showed them how to handle them, how to check them to make sure they're clear, how not to point them at anyone, and all the gun safety rules. They are currently practicing safe handling and shooting with an airsoft gun. Today I will be giving them one of my old BB guns that I grew up with. I'm giving them a BB gun so they have something to practice with that is a step up from air soft guns so they can gain a healthy respect for guns that are capable of hurting people. Soon enough they will be at the range with me and they dad. But does that mean we're going to leave loaded firearms laying around the house? Absolutely not. That is dangerous, irresponsible, and just outright stupid. When it comes to gun safety you can never be too careful especially around children.

Now before people start jumping down my throat accusing me of being a socialist liberal commie who's promoting "Lame-stream media" propaganda just understand that yes I am liberal/left-wing (not to be confused with neo-liberalism/neo-liberal Democrats) I have been around firearms as a child. I started out with BB guns and started shooting real firearms as a teenager. I owned my first firearms, a rifle and a shotgun, when I was 16 and have been into it ever since and I never plan to stop.

Well that was my little rant for the day.

[c good]

The "Pink Gun" problem? What problem, if you teach kids the way I was taught, all guns, regardless of color are considered real and should be handled (or not touched) accordingly. Anti gun BS at it worst. F-'em. c good

[njineermike]

If anyone truly gave a toss about kids and gun safety, they would be lobbying for firearms safety modules in public schools.

This.

[SanPedroShooter]

But that is exactly the point. Those kids were instructed by an adult, their parents, and a police officer not to touch guns. They even watched the NRA video for kids. Yet some of them not only touched the guns but pointed them at themselves and other kids and they pulled the trigger. So the whole point is not to leave guns unsupervised around kids.

Yes it's a great idea to teach your kids about gun safety but that is not enough. Especially young kids 3,4,5 years old; you may drill it in their head that guns are dangerous but at that age their brains are just not that developed to fully understand what death is and how deadly guns are.

I know there are those who say well I taught my child this and my child knows this and my child doesn't do that. Well that is great but do you really want to leave it to chance? Yes there are some kids that do listen but there are some who don't. No child or person is perfect so do you really want to leave your child's life to chance? Children being disobedient isn't a rare thing.

Think of all the accidents that happen when adults handle firearms. I saw in the news that a man got shot during a gun safety course. He was accidentally shot by the instructor of all people. Adults accidentally shoot themselves or shoot their children and children accidentally shoot themselves and shoot other children. This is a real thing that happens when people are not careful with firearms or when they leave loaded firearms where children can access them. This is not a myth, it really happens. If firearm accidents happen with adults what makes people think it won't happen with children.



If any of you have children of your own or children in the house; would you trust them to eat right, bath, brush their teeth, go to bed early, wake up early, etc, on their own without you saying anything? (Yes I know there are really great kids out their who are mature beyond their years and my niece is one that comes to mind, but I'm sure a majority of parents/guardians would not trust their kids to do that stuff on their own.) So why would you trust them to not play with a gun they found that they think is really cool and fun?

Not too long ago I bought my brother in-law his first rifle a Saiga Ak-47. He used to always talk about wanting to get a firearm but now that he has one he is really into the sport and already is looking at more firearms. I am going to show him this documentary because I wan't him to understand how important gun safety is and how important it is to keep them locked up because he has a 10 year old and a 12 year old. We have both told his kids not to touch or play with guns. I showed them how to handle them, how to check them to make sure they're clear, how not to point them at anyone, and all the gun safety rules. They are currently practicing safe handling and shooting with an airsoft gun. Today I will be giving them one of my old BB guns that I grew up with. I'm giving them a BB gun so they have something to practice with that is a step up from air soft guns so they can gain a healthy respect for guns that are capable of hurting people. Soon enough they will be at the range with me and they dad. But does that mean we're going to leave loaded firearms laying around the house? Absolutely not. That is dangerous, irresponsible, and just outright stupid. When it comes to gun safety you can never be too careful especially around children.

Now before people start jumping down my throat accusing me of being a socialist liberal commie who's promoting "Lame-stream media" propaganda just understand that yes I am liberal/left-wing (not to be confused with neo-liberalism/neo-liberal Democrats) I have been around firearms as a child. I started out with BB guns and started shooting real firearms as a teenager. I owned my first firearms, a rifle and a shotgun, when I was 16 and have been into it ever since and I never plan to stop.

Well that was my little rant for the day.

Yes, but showing someone this obviously biased and typical ABC hit piece would be like the equivalent of the 'scared straight' videos we watched in highschool about driving or smoking drugs. I don't seem to recall that working to well for my peers.

How about a little education instead of fear mongering and sensationalism? Don't we have to much of one and not enough of the other?

[john67elco]

My view is different than others. The teaching kids is great but its just one part. My 3 year old has handled shotguns, AKs, ARs, handguns so much that now he walks in and doesn't care to handle them when I'm messing with them. I set up a camera and he came out with a g27 in a holster on the ground. He picked up the maxtuck holster at the sides like a plate saying "dad what's this doing here, dad!". I told him next time to just leave it there he said, "I didn't want sissy to get it (my 1 year old). He truly knows that if I don't hand it to him there's bullets in it and he's seen so many watermelons and stuff blow up that he really knows better plus he's sees me carrying everyday so guns are apart of daily lives. Same scenerio to a kid that never touches them and you see those typical set up videos.