An Argument For Gun Control

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An Argument For Gun Control

WESTFIELD, Mass. - An 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair.

The boy lost control of the weapon while firing it Sunday at the Machine Gun Shoot and Firearms Expo at the Westfield Sportsman�s Club, police Lt. Lawrence Vallierpratte said.

Police said the boy, Christopher Bizilj of Ashford, Conn., was with a certified instructor and called the death a �self-inflicted accidental shooting.�

As the boy fired the Uzi, "the front end of the weapon went up with the backfire and he ended up receiving a round in his head," police Lt. Hipolito Nunez said. The boy died at a hospital.

The boy's father and older brother were also there at the time, a gun club member and school official said. Francis Mitchell, a longtime member and trustee of the club, said he was told the boy's father was supporting his son from behind when the shooting happened.

Although the death appeared to be an accident, officials were investigating.

It is legal in Massachusetts for children to fire a weapon if they have permission from a parent or legal guardian and are supervised by a properly certified and licensed instructor, Lt. Hipolito Nunez said. The name of the instructor helping the boy was not released.

The event ran in conjunction with C.O.P Firearms and Training, said in an ad that people are allowed to fire weapons at vehicles, pumpkins and other targets at the event.

"It's all legal & fun � No permits or licenses required!!!!" reads the ad, posted on the club's Web site.

Messages left on answering machines for the club and the C.O.P. group were not returned Monday.

Replies

11/17/2008 5:45:05 AM From: MrsK This story pissed me off! I actually watched it on the news that day, but was swept up into a lof of other things goingon, now that I have a moment I want to discuss it. Now, why does ANYONE (especially an 8 year old) need to know about an Uzi? Unless you are in a war zone, WHY??? This was supposed to be a SAFE environment, and look at this tragedy that occured. Why? I need some real justification for the reason that an automatic weapon or even a semi-automatic weapon should be legal.


11/17/2008 5:58:55 AM From: BCAR How many kids die falling off a bicycle? But of course that doesn't make the news. Want to make bicycles illegal? You don't need gun control, you need idot and criminal control. No one is Forced to own a gun. If a person doesn't want a gun then fine, don't buy one, but don't intefere in my right to own one.


11/17/2008 5:59:10 AM From: mercury for hunting, of course.


11/17/2008 6:00:40 AM From: mercury no one is interfering with your right to own a gun... just asking for an explaination why Uzi's are necessary outside of a war zone?


11/17/2008 6:01:56 AM From: BCAR Why should people own vehicles that go past the speed limit? Why not mandate that all cars be modified to go no faster than 55MPH? Why should wine or beer contain alcohol that could impair a persons thinking and motor function?


11/17/2008 6:04:25 AM From: MrsK Cars, bicycles, and wine are not created to KILL. Killing is the only purpose of an Uzi. You don't use it as a recreational vehicle or a beverage at dinner. It was invented for the sole purpose of Killing.


11/17/2008 6:05:55 AM From: mercury because they can. not good enough, imo.


11/17/2008 6:07:11 AM From: PapaBryant For defense, Merc. I am afraid of my government, and was well before our current President-elect gained office. What happened here was the father had no respect for the gun. An 8 year old boy is not strong enough to shoot a machine gun. A machine gun is not a toy and it should not be fired for "fun". I'll pray for this family because they thought they were having fun. I'll be willing to bet that little boy thought it was the most fun thing he had ever done. So sad.


11/17/2008 6:07:20 AM From: BCAR And the fact is that full automatic weapons are illegal with the exception of a few individuals permited to have them. Also law enforcement personel. You can't just go out and buy one. This club is obviouly permited to have them. It's recreation, again, people put their kids on dirt bikes, jet skis, rides at Six Flags, skateboards, take them swiming at the beach, etc. They likely kill far more kids than this incident.


11/17/2008 6:08:25 AM From: doheney but the effects of wine does kill, so it seems much more commonly than guns kill children. i'll never forget that story about the family that was wiped out on their way home from a nice innocent disneyland vacation.


11/17/2008 6:09:07 AM From: BCAR No MrsK, this is where you have it al wrong. Guns are made to SHOOT. The killing is the decision of the shooter.


11/17/2008 6:09:43 AM From: MrsK Combined perhaps BCAR. I hear way more about school shootings and gang violence than I do about the Killer Space Mountain. And you know as well I do that a death on a roller coaster is news.


11/17/2008 6:11:02 AM From: BCAR When you outlaw, alcohol, tobaco, speeding, obesity, sex without condoms, motor vehicles and airplanes come talk to me about guns.


11/17/2008 6:11:21 AM From: doheney i wasn't under the impression that auto or semi auto guns were legal at all. as a matter of fact i came across info a couple of months ago about two specific guns that the law was changed on. previously owned that didn't have to be registered and the law was changed to where it did have to be registered because of the nature of the type of guns they were. i figure that is what will happen eventually, all guns will have to be registered.


11/17/2008 6:11:47 AM From: mercury I get that... I really do. Seems the licensed instructor had that same lack of respect and intelligence, PB. It's just really sad.


11/17/2008 6:11:50 AM From: MrsK I disagree. It's like you are saying you can use a knife to cut pretty flowers and so it isn't a weapon. A gun is nothing but a weapon designed to kill. You don't shoot a deer to wound it then eat it while its' kicking. You shoot to kill.


11/17/2008 6:12:34 AM From: BCAR Your post wasn't about gang violence MrsK, you're changing the subject. Now you're bringing up crime, and crime is detered by laws also, yet people still commit them.


11/17/2008 6:12:46 AM From: MrsK So if you say that a gun is not desinged to kill, but only to shoot you are contradicting the theory that they are used to survive.


11/17/2008 6:13:13 AM From: MrsK I gotta run for acouple of minutes, quick errand. I'll be right back.


11/17/2008 6:13:29 AM From: doheney the school shootings are mostly bogus imo. none of that shit was off the hook like that, at least not here, until after colombine. there was a whole rash of such shootings here, after the fact. it just gave the supposed disinfranchised an opprotunity and an excuse.


11/17/2008 6:13:55 AM From: BCAR A gun is a tool, nothing more. In this case the tool was misused. So go after the intructor or the father. Not the tool.


11/17/2008 6:14:20 AM From: mercury clay pigeons make a tasty dinner


11/17/2008 6:15:30 AM From: BCAR Guns are used to survive in some cases. In the protection or law enforcement area the existence of the gun carries much more weight than the actual use of it.


11/17/2008 6:15:53 AM From: doheney there is a grave responsibility to owning a gun, just as there is with drinking alcohol, driving a car, having a child, owning a pet, etc. too many people don't take these responsibilities seriously.


11/17/2008 6:35:15 AM From: BCAR The moot point here is the fact that automatic weapons are already illegal so the arguement for gun control is frivilous. The guns are already controlled. This was obviously an incident where poor judgement was used by someone authorized by the government to own and operate a weapon. Same as giving a drivers license to a drunk.


11/17/2008 6:49:45 AM From: Jez people here are buying guns like crazy, presumably to fend off the jack-booted thugs who will come for their guns in the middle of the night.


11/17/2008 7:13:23 AM From: BCAR More than anything I think people are buying guns while they can. Many equate a liberal government administration with further gun control as has happened in the past and as illustrated with this post.


11/17/2008 7:44:47 AM From: doheney my husband is thinking abut getting an over and under. we really have to be extra careful here though. the differece in living is where we live my son is not exposed to guns in any practical purpose, the sight, thought, and use, would be novelty rather than practicality. there is no exposure as there would be if we lived on property and/or hunted. in this setting, i can't even see introducing it as sport, it would still be novelty in this home/school setting, so mum's the word on our having any and they are thouroughly locked up.


11/17/2008 8:32:09 AM From: timesjoke As some others have said, this has nothign to do with the gun itself, it is 100% based on bad decision making. Would you put an 8 year old into a drag racer and act surprised when he loses control and kills himself? Yes, a gun is an incredibly good tool if you want to kill something, but other things like booze have killed way more people than guns have. Seperate illegal gun ownership from legal guns and now you have such a tiny number, it really is not an issue. Then consider how many people use weapons to defend themselves each year. One thing I would like to point out is the claim guns are only for killing. In my time as a gun owner, I have fired hundreds of thousands of bullets just target shooting. Most gun owners will fire their weapons at targets many times over and over but never kill anything their entire lives. Police walk around with guns on their hips everywhere they go but only a tiny percentage of police have ever killed anyone. But, criminals use guns to 'assist' in their criminal activities very often. So the real problem is not in the tool but in the user(owner) of the tool. In this story the owner was not a criminal but was clearly an idiot and a fool for allowing an 8 year old to fire such a dangerious weapon.


11/17/2008 8:40:15 AM From: MrsK I can not say that I believe every gun should be removed from every home. I do not have enough personal expereience with them to assume I have the knowledge to pass that sort of judgement. However, the way I see it there is still no viable explanation as to why anyone needs an Uzi. LOOK AT THAT THING. That is not a hunting tool.


11/17/2008 8:40:59 AM From: BCAR The nub of this whole scheme by liberals to enact more gun control is to allow them to commit more crimes against humanity without retribution. See: http/www.democratcrimesagainsthumanity.org/guncontrol


11/17/2008 8:42:05 AM From: Peanuts I wouldn't allow an 8 year old to shoot an UZI without first firing other small hand guns. A UZI has a very short barrel and the recoil dose make the front rise. What a tradgity.


11/17/2008 8:42:29 AM From: BCAR The UZI is an Isreali made tool of Zionist represion.


11/17/2008 8:48:20 AM From: BCAR Of course the fact that Uzi's have no value as hunting arms could well be the reason behind the fact that they are ALLREADY ILLEGAL for the general population to purchase or have in their possession.


11/17/2008 8:48:43 AM From: Ali " people here are buying guns like crazy, presumably to fend off the jack-booted thugs who will come for their guns in the middle of the night." - LOL @ jez


11/17/2008 8:49:40 AM From: BCAR I'll bet it was a democrat civil service employee that approved this guys automatic weapons permit.


11/17/2008 8:50:36 AM From: BCAR Not jack booted thugs, most likely pin striped lawyers or tree huggers wearing crocs.


11/17/2008 8:51:55 AM From: Ali "Guns are made to SHOOT. The killing is the decision of the shooter." - that pretty much sums up my view on the subject. And if my husband was irresponsible enough to allow our 8 year old son to handle a loaded weapon like that, he would be wise to never return home again if he valued his own life.


11/17/2008 8:53:27 AM From: Ali "tree huggers wearing crocs" - I'm not against anyone's right to bear arms and never have been.


11/17/2008 9:04:09 AM From: eddo This is an excellent argument for gun control. Yep, the 8 year old should definitely have kept better control of that gun.


11/17/2008 9:25:37 AM From: Peanuts Still not a good defense for more gun control. These guns are already controled. Second as BCAR said guns are a tool. They won't go away and not going to be defensless just becuse of idiots. They are for protection.


11/17/2008 9:27:18 AM From: Peanuts I'm not going to a gun fight with a knife.


11/17/2008 10:00:35 AM From: Peanuts BCAR don't forget martal arts, knifes, sticks and stones, stoves, fireplaces. Hay what about those deadly sporks? You could take an eye out with one of those.


11/17/2008 10:02:01 AM From: BCAR Uzi's are only good if you have multiple baby polar bears to shoot at close range.


11/17/2008 10:02:40 AM From: Peanuts Argument for gun control? What a lame attempt.


11/17/2008 10:03:35 AM From: Peanuts I got a mini 14 so I can take out the hole wolf pack at once!


11/17/2008 10:06:22 AM From: Peanuts How much do you wanna bet that if an intruder that comes in your house and sees you pointing this at them from down the hall, they don't turn tail and run?


11/17/2008 10:08:11 AM From: Peanuts They sever their purpose.


11/17/2008 10:16:17 AM From: Peanuts serve


11/17/2008 10:56:08 AM From: Ali sigh


11/17/2008 11:36:57 AM From: MrsK Lame attempt? I seem so apparently Peanuts you feel that the life of that 8 year old boy was a minor point? If they are illegal then why was an 8 year old shooting one? What's next guys? Government controlled drug parties? Will they be serving crack cocktails and moonshine? The point that it isn't a problem because they are outlawed is a moot point when a kid was just killed because he had one in his little hands.


11/17/2008 11:40:25 AM From: MrsK More importantly, will those government controlled drug parties be serving 8 year olds? Maybe I could petition the government to allow me to hold Marijuana shows that cater to elementary school kids to show them the recreation behind smoking pot.


11/17/2008 11:45:35 AM From: Ali I'll be sure to show up for the mary jane show. It's all the rage for us tree-hugging, croc wearing hippie types. Be sure you have lots of brownies and beer on hand in case I get the munchies as I have no sense of self-control.


11/17/2008 11:46:23 AM From: MrsK lol


11/17/2008 11:46:32 AM From: MrsK There was a guy who died from a heroine overdose a week ago, but it's ok, it's not a problem cuz, heroine is illegal, so we don't really have a problem with it.


11/17/2008 11:46:58 AM From: BCAR Lame and now doing some sort of 360. The guns are illegal for the average unlicensed citizen to purchase or have. This was a licensed owner in some sort of exibition along with a careless father and an inexperienced too young kid. If you'd read your own post you'd know that. Go talk to the Dad or the instructor about their poor judgement in letting the kid shoot the gun. They put the kid in harms way, not the firearm.


11/17/2008 11:48:42 AM From: BCAR And if a guy died from a heroin overdose so what? It has nothing to do with this other than the fact that the guy killed himself by abusing the drug. Good riddance.


11/17/2008 11:50:49 AM From: MrsK Uh huh... Like I said, I am going to run out and petition the government for those MJ parties, and when they say "No" I am going to shove this story right up someones ass. : 8


11/17/2008 11:51:15 AM From: MrsK


11/17/2008 11:53:19 AM From: MrsK That's fine Ali, but remember - if you fall and hit your head on a rock from stumbling around, and you die - it is a moot point because weed is illegal anyway. Your will mean little in the grand scheme of things.


11/17/2008 11:53:37 AM From: MrsK Your life ...


11/17/2008 12:02:02 PM From: Ali Eh, no one would care anyway. No one loves tree-huggers.


11/17/2008 12:23:21 PM From: Peanuts Yeah it's lame. You want this to be a focal point on more gun control. THE GUN WAS ALREADY ILEGEAL! Just like the Columbine incident. Gun laws did not stop the mayhem. I could make a bomb and kill more people than a few rounds. But making bombs are ilegal too!


11/17/2008 12:28:52 PM From: Peanuts Like I said this was a tradgedy that should have never happened. Who in their right mind hands a fully automatic weapon to a child?


11/17/2008 12:29:07 PM From: MrsK YEah, it was illegal and yet for some strange reason... an eight year old firing one wasn't... Hmmmmm, that sounds pretty back asswards to me.


11/17/2008 12:30:01 PM From: Peanuts I Boy Scouts we were only allowed one bullet at a time for our .22's


11/17/2008 12:33:36 PM From: Ali No matter how many new laws are created or how many rules are made with the safety of the general public in mind, some idiot somewhere will exercise poor judgement and ruin things for everyone. I guess until we can outlaw stupidity, we're always going to be reading about stories like this.


11/17/2008 12:35:23 PM From: Peanuts Kids die from parents not safegaurding rat poison for God's sake. I bet you have chemicals in your house that could kill a kid right now.


11/17/2008 12:36:51 PM From: whogo The purpose behind the second amendment is not to protect hunting it is to give the citizenry a means to fight back against an oppressive government.


11/17/2008 12:37:18 PM From: timesjoke It seems many cling to their need to place blame on things and people other than the ones who mess up. This new trend in society is quite alarming. Children get hurt or killed joy riding in vehicles more often than they get hurt or killed with firearms but I don't see anyone asking for cars to be outlawed. No, these isolatd stories are tragic, but hardly represent any real threat to society on the whole when it is clearly bad decision making, not the gun that caused this tragic event.


11/17/2008 12:39:36 PM From: Peanuts Thank you Ali! It comes down to education. Kids can't even pretend to point their finger like a gun in school. How the hell are they gonna learn saftey if you don't teach them? It should be in the everyday school curriculum. This kid and aperently the adults had no idea the barrell would rise with each round. Dumbasses!


11/17/2008 12:42:03 PM From: MrsK Oh no, not at all. I see where blame should go on the people involved. However - if a gun is outlawed, why is it ok to allow an eight year old to fire it? I have yet to hear any evidence pointing that it was ok for this gun to be at a gun show. If it is illegal then it shouldn't be there. Period. And it should ESPECIALLY not have been available for anyone to fire it.


11/17/2008 12:49:57 PM From: Peanuts I'll give you that one. I don't know why it was condoned for him to shoot it in the first place.


11/17/2008 12:56:39 PM From: BCAR It wasn't illegal to be there. The owner had to be licensed to purchase and have the weapon. He was instructing/ demonstrating the weapon at an exibition at a gun show. He let the kid shoot it, the kids parent let the kid shoot it. Both used poor judgement. ..... To avoid a hissy fit, what in your opinion MrsK should be done. What type of law, ordinance, Rani-like amendment should be enacted here? Then when you explain that could you please clarify your stance on civil liberties and your opinion as to the effect of said law/ ordinance/ Rani-like constitutional amendment on said civil liberties.


11/17/2008 12:56:44 PM From: timesjoke Many (including myself) believe this should have been common sense, we cannot possibly make laws to cover every possible twist and turn of life. There have been recent stories of small children being run over in their own yards by family members, should we make a law saying it is illegal to run over children in our yards? I would call this child endangerment and manslaughter through neglect by the parent. But I cannot blame the weapon, it is a thing, it does not control or manipulate reality on it's own. It was misused, those who misused it are to blame.


11/17/2008 12:59:46 PM From: MrsK It's not a matter of changing anything Bcar, if the gun was illegal it should never, EVER have been accessible by a child. Not under any circumstances. Your own argument is that it is a moot pointbecause the guns are already illegal. Well if they are illegal twitch WTF was a kid firing it for???


11/17/2008 1:00:45 PM From: MrsK Apparently the consequences of firing an illegal weapon can't be too harsh if an 8 year old is legally entitled to do so, thus costing him his life.


11/17/2008 1:30:55 PM From: timesjoke I hate to speak for BCAR, but what I am getting from his point as well as others is this is an exception, not the rule on how these weapons are handled.


11/17/2008 1:34:22 PM From: MrsK There should be no exception, especially where children are concerned. That's like telling your kid is't ok to smoke crack or share a needle just one time.


11/17/2008 1:34:45 PM From: eddo I really wish BCAR would quit saying this gun was illegal...


11/17/2008 1:38:54 PM From: Peanuts Your right eddo. unless you have a class 3 permit it's ilegal.


11/17/2008 1:40:50 PM From: Peanuts Which I'm sure the instructor had.


11/17/2008 1:42:42 PM From: mercury the instructor is a dumbass and should have his permit revoked.


11/17/2008 1:43:24 PM From: MrsK Here, here~


11/17/2008 1:43:46 PM From: timesjoke I don't think that is a fair comparison, illegal drug use and sharing needles is always bad. Firing a weapon is not always bad, most seem to figure it out without killing themselves. An 8 year old firing this kind of weapon was a bad decision by two adults who should have known better. I would not let my 8 year old drive on the interstate no matter what the laws said because some things should be common sense. You cannot legislate common sense into people, the government should not be running this Country like one big daycare facility.


11/17/2008 1:44:45 PM From: Peanuts I'm sure he will Merc.


11/17/2008 1:46:37 PM From: MrsK Hey, I have no argument against owning ahand gun (a small one) and although I despise hunting I don't want to take your precious shotguns away from you. But I do not see a single solitary soul on this post explaining why anyone in this country should be licensed to, and own that weapon up there, unless they are in the middle of combat. We are not at war in this country. So who the hell needs that thing???


11/17/2008 1:47:08 PM From: Peanuts I'm leary of letting my 14 year old shoot my mini 14 even though it has less recoil, longer barrell and is only a semi auto. He will get strengent instructions before I hand him the weapon.


11/17/2008 1:49:03 PM From: Peanuts I'd love to have one! It would be a blast! Shooting is like any hobby. It's fun!


11/17/2008 1:49:08 PM From: MrsK The "Weapon"? As in an instrument used to harm? I thought it was a "Tool"? Main Entry: 1weapÂ·on Pronunciation: \Ë�we-pÉ�n\ Function: noun Etymology: Middle English wepen, from Old English wÃ¦Ì�pen; akin to Old High German wÄ�ffan weapon, Old Norse vÄ�pn Date: before 12th century 1 : something (as a club, knife, or gun) used to injure, defeat, or destroy 2 : a means of contending against another


11/17/2008 1:51:12 PM From: Peanuts MK people have more acendents with smaller hand guns than larger ones. Thats why it's ilegal up here to have a conceled derenger without a triger guard.


11/17/2008 1:54:09 PM From: Peanuts 2 : a means of contending against another... Yes it is!


11/17/2008 2:05:05 PM From: timesjoke *used to injure, defeat, or destroy** "USED" being the important word in that sentence. A steak knife is a tool, if used to injure, defeat, or destroy it becomes a weapon. Anything can become a weapon. Car keys can make a very good weapon if needed. I remember reading once where a lady used a wooden spoon as a weapon to fend off an attack in her home by jambing the handle into the eye of her attacker.


11/17/2008 2:09:51 PM From: mercury it always makes me laugh when I'm mailing stuff and they ask me if my package contains anything "potentially dangerous". Anything/Everything is or could be "potentially dangerous".


11/17/2008 2:16:28 PM From: eddo a good size booger can ward off a whole crew of gang members if utilized properly.


11/17/2008 4:15:57 PM From: BCAR Well I see MrsK hasn't answered my questions. But I will add that the permiting of guns is supposed to prevent them from getting into the hands of Florida drug dealers and other scum. However we all know that doesn't happen, criminals will get what they want. it's always the legal gun owners that are subject to the law. To answer a retorical question about the UZI. Why should a law abiding person have one. Answer: Because he wants one, and if he is permited to have one then why not? This was a regretable accident, and it could have happened with any number of other firearms. It isn't the gun's fault or the fault of some other American with the proper permit that wants to own this type gun. The arguement to ban a weapon based on this incident is not valid.


11/17/2008 4:49:20 PM From: Peanuts I think we need stupidity laws. Anybody caught doing stupid stuff should do the time to fit the stupid crime.


11/17/2008 4:51:58 PM From: Peanuts So MK do you have any pesisides in your home? Any antifrezee? Any bleach? If some kid comes over to visits and dies becuse you were to stupid to protect the child from these harmful items what laws should we pass?


11/17/2008 4:53:22 PM From: Peanuts I go back to the stupidity law.


11/17/2008 5:30:16 PM From: MrsK I have no children TJ, but I do have nephews. And before even painting my house, I made sure all of my cabinets were child safe. My laundry room locks, and bathroom doors are closed at all times. I also try to buy natural cleaners that are better for the environment and tend to be water based - when I can afford it.


11/17/2008 5:32:44 PM From: MrsK I want a marijuana farm BCAR, and I am capable of growing one. Does that mean I should? No. Because wanting something doesn't always justify the appropriation of it.


11/17/2008 5:51:27 PM From: Peanuts You've got cabinet locks on everyting? Right! Well your the perfect American. We should all model ourself by.


11/17/2008 5:53:51 PM From: Peanuts I guess there's one home in America I can send my grandchildren to and have no worries.


11/17/2008 6:21:55 PM From: eddo marijuana = illegal. guns = legal. What's the correlation between a marijuana farm and owning an uzi again?


11/17/2008 6:27:05 PM From: Peanuts Umm.... I don't know. I guess I can protect my crop easier.


11/17/2008 7:31:52 PM From: Ali ^^^ lol


11/18/2008 3:02:47 AM From: MrsK An Uzi is not legal, either according to B.


11/18/2008 3:04:43 AM From: MrsK Not that I have anything to prove to you Peanuts. But yes. I have cabinet locks on everything. It is a very old habit that started when I used to watch kids as a teen, and then when I had custody of my younger brother. I also have plastic plugs in my empty outlets. My nephews are here every weekend, they play inside and outside. I am very careful how the house is kept for them.


11/18/2008 3:22:04 AM From: MrsK And I never said I was a perfect anything, but one thing is for damn sure, I am not going to hand one of my nephews a bottle of windex and say - Here! Play with this!


11/18/2008 4:32:07 AM From: BCAR HEY MrsK!!!!! If you can get a permit to grow legal medicinal Marijuana. (same principle as the LEGAL PERMITTED owner of the Uzi) Then by all means go the f uck on and get your ass out there planting. I applaud your capitalistic spirit.


11/18/2008 5:51:48 AM From: timesjoke MrsK, do you have a knife block, large pots and pans, a stove that can be turned on, a refrigerator with heavy items on the top shelf, a pantry with heavy cans on the top shelf, kitchen chairs that can fall backward if a child stands on them and leans wrong? The only way to have a 'safe' home is to put them in a rubber room. If you had kids in your life 24/7 you would know this. Your doing good, I don't want to put down your work, just saying that kids find interesting ways to hurt themselves that we cannot always plan for. In this case the adults put this child into harms way, not the gun. If a parent puts a child up to climbing a tall tree and the child falls to his death, was it the trees fault?


11/18/2008 6:17:27 AM From: Hack there is a need for gun control... that kid had no gun control at all. I was probably about the same age when I first learned to use a weapon, my old man started me out on a single shot 22/410 over under. that is more than enough weapon to stop any person yet it was the teachings of my dad that gave me the respect needed to handle it at that age. so maybe, (while I agree there is little need for an uzi in society) there is more need for parental control in this day and age than gun control.


11/18/2008 7:19:20 AM From: timesjoke But this is the day and age of "It's not my fault". Don't blame the parent, blame the gun, or better yet blame the Government for failing to protect us from our own stupidity. But, never at any time should we hold individuals responsible for their own actions, now that is just too radical of an idea for society to accept.


11/18/2008 7:42:20 AM From: MrsK BCAR, Medicinal Marijuana is only legal in a couple of states. Otherwise I may have actually done it by now. TJ, I've already stated that the parent AND the instructor should be held responsible. And I will repeat what I said just a couple of comments ago, YES I am sure that there are plentry of dangers around the average home, cleansers and pesticides. BUT - I am not about to hand my nephew/child/etc a bottle of poison and tell them to go to town with it.


11/18/2008 7:56:55 AM From: timesjoke But even if you did, would any harm that came from you giving your child the bottle of poison be the fault of the poison itself? Who do you blame? The object or the person who gave the item to the child? Your stuck on blaming the item when anything can be misused and cause harm. Ever read the warning labels on things? *Caution: Never drive with the cover on your windshield Automobile Windshield cover:* *Directions: Use like regular soap Dial soap* *Do not drive car or operate machinery. Children's cough medicine*


11/18/2008 9:08:30 AM From: mercury Michigan just legalized medicinal use... There just might be a call for Chris' talents :P


11/18/2008 11:08:28 AM From: whogo The number one abused item that results in death is food. Let's outlaw food.


11/19/2008 1:22:57 AM From: ImWithStupid See, I know that for years, the number one cause of death is diseases of the heart. I think we should petition to have legislation to put an end to this horrible issue. LET'S OUTLAW HEARTS! YEA! NO MORE HEARTS, NO MORE HEARTS, NO MORE HEARTS...


11/19/2008 1:14:53 PM From: timesjoke Well whogo, with the way fast food establishments are "forcing" people to get fat, maybe we need the government to step in and set nutrition guidelines for meals and limit how much can be sold to one customer at a time. People need to be protected from themselves, government and Obama has all the answers, we just need to trust in them.