The Truth behind the Recent Gun Violence

Was watching the Lawrence O’Donnell Show “The Last Word” and heard about the story of the 5 year old Kentucky boy shooting and killing his 2 year old sister with his new rifle purchase for his recent birthday.  Afterwards began to think just what it is that is causing, normally, intelligent people to engage in to such ill-intelligent actions.  As parents, many of us do all that we can to keep our children safe, we try and protect them from all harm even going as far as having them believe in the Tooth Fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny.  So are we so very silent or extremely naive when it comes to children and guns?  I entertained the” why” for quite some time and can only think of two good reasons.  One is, we are quickly coming close to “the end of days” but if this one is too scary for you, try my next one.

Before I educate you on that here is a little from the story about the previously mentioned 5 year old Kentucky boy who shot his 2 year old sister.  It was written by Katie McDonough for Salon Magazine and titled “Inside the kiddie gun market”.  I have included those thoughts that I think are quite relevant to my point.  “The youth market in firearms is growing, selling air-light guns in pink and blue with names like "My First Rifle".  “On Tuesday, a 5-year-old boy in Kentucky shot and killed his 2-year-old sister with a .22-caliber, single-shot Crickett rifle. The boy had been playing with the gun, a recent birthday gift, when it went off. The Cumberland County coroner described the tragic incident as “just one of those crazy accidents.”  “The .22-caliber, single-shot Crickett is a small, air-light firearm billed as “My First Rifle” by gun manufacturer Keystone Sporting Arms.  Through studies and promotional materials, some sporting associations encourage young people to take up hunting and shooting as recreational activities, and point to potential benefits — both for avid gun-owners and youths themselves — of young people handling firearms. Magazines like “Junior Shooter” call hunting with firearms “one of the safest recreational activities in America,” and sees introducing kids to guns early on as a direct investment in future pro-gun voters: “Each person who is introduced to the shooting sports and has a positive experience is another vote in favor of keeping our American heritage and freedom alive,” Junior Shooter editor-in-chief Andy Fink wrote in the winter 2012 issue.” Adding: “They may not be old enough to vote now, but they will be in the future.”

If you were to accept that it’s okay for 5 year olds to get their first gun and that parents do not share in any of the blame for “accidents” that happen because of their choice to give such a gift.  Then you would probably also lean toward accepting the Cumberland County coroner description as “just one of those crazy accidents” and even the reasoning for this love of money by the manufacture and Junior Shooter editor-in-chief Andy Fink saying “Each person who is introduced to the shooting sports and has a positive experience is another vote in favor of keeping our American heritage and freedom alive also adding “They may not be old enough to vote now, but they will be in the future.”  If you accept any one or more of these then my second point should surely meet with your approval.  My second point and reason for the recent increase in gun violence is “lack of respect”.

Parents have little or no respect for the gun because they placed such a weapon in the hands of a 5 year old and in some advertisements much younger.  Manufactures have little or no respect for the gun because they make them so easy to use, even a 5 year old can kill.  Adults, voters and Christians have little or no respect for the gun because they sit idly by and watch this entire episode taking place and not lift a finger or a voice to stop it.  Hell, if you talk to all those who accept this premise, many, if not all, will swear up and down that not only are they a law-abiding citizen but that are also “real” Christians and devote followers of Christ.  For those who sit on the sidelines, stick their heads into the sand and only whisper, you are just as guilty as those misguided parents who bought that gun for him but failed to make sure he respected what that gun could do before they left him alone with it loaded.  Tell me that they were too excited about now feeling better when they left him home alone because he had his first rifle and could defend their home and his little sister from dangerous criminals who might wish to break in.  Tell me that the grief they are enduring now and will for the rest of their natural life, is worth the joy they felt and saw in his eyes when he first received it.  Tell me that this 5 year old boy will recover from knowing that he killed her own baby sister and that it is because of him she is no longer with them.  Tell me that it was worth the years of unending torture he will suffer because he was not taught to respect the gun first and foremost. 

We make it a point to say that we teach our kids to respect each other while showing them how best not to.  We say that we know best when it comes to our kids and we are always looking out for their best interest.   Well while the parents thought it a good idea to look out for the 5 year old and present him with such a gift, they failed to look out for the 2 year old who shall be a constant replay of a surprised look as the last thing he saw while the bullet ripped a hole through her tiny body.  The daughter will be forever lost to that family and because he was only 5 years old, the son could be forever lost as well.  If we cannot respect each other, we should at least try our best to respect the pain and damages a gun, in the wrong hands, can leave behind.