Today's young people, and their interest in firearms?

[mfirem19]

I can't help but think that guns are increasingly going to be viewed by the new generation as "uncool" after all this. The media barrage isn't helping any;

I couldn't agree more. I have a 18 yr old daughter that loves to shoot her .22 rifle and a 12 year old son that I had in a tree stand with me when he was seven and also loves to shoot. I firmly believe that their love for the sport is considered not the norm. This is just another phase of change in America. Too many other thing to occupy little minds.

 

[Libertarian01]

To All,

I do believe there is reason for concern regarding young people and their views of firearms.

First, the letter from young Yamilla Garcia. There is NO reason to believe she was coached! For Gods Sake if a pro gun letter were written by a 10 year old boy we wouldn't jump to the same conclusion.

As some other threads here have pointed out most Latin American countries have stringent gun control laws in place. So the only people that use guns regularly are the bad guys. The United States culture is based upon self reliance and self support. The lone mountain man panning for gold or trapping skins, the cowboy alone for weeks on the prairie. These are our cultural heros and the foundation of our culture. We are truly blessed and unique with this view, with Australian and New Zealand culture coming close.

Years ago our hero was John Wayne who ended every confrontation with diplomacy from the barrel of a gun. We played cowboys and indians, cops and robbers. The good guys always won. The bad guys always lost. We have grown up. We now realize the world isn't so black and white as this.

Children today are taught to deal with their anger and aggression in a different way. In one regard this is a good thing. We are trying to deal with the problem of bullying, sexual harassment, racism and bigotry.

One of the casualties of this effort is the tools used in violence - the gun. This is not the target per se, but rather collateral damage to this change in mindset.

We must take care that the malicious violence that we all want removed from society doesn't drag down the tool that is violent without malice. For that is exactly what the firearm represents. A firearm can represent death for a home intruder or an armed robber, stopping them dead in their tracks, or it can represent the death of a defenseless victim at the hands of an evil person wielding the gun.

Oftentimes the only thing that will stop a violent evil person is violence from a good person. This was John Wayne.

Who do we have today?

Regards,

Doug

 

[Shoots4Fun]

I think there is sometimes an internal conflict between what they know and have experienced in terms of the fun of shooting and handling firearms safely and the pressure and stigma that the media portray about how dark and bad it is.

I try to teach the rights things while having fun but not to put too much pressure so as not to turn my family or others away. I think it's a delicate balance especially in light of the tragedies. I've used the opportunities to reinforce why the 2nd amendment is so important and to explain that it's hard to regulate or control lunatics and that the two are unrelated.

 

[TAT7]

My kids

They love it and ask me to go all the time....hell, here is one of me and my son last year (he was 5) shooting when it was less than 10 degrees out

It's all about how you raise your kids IMO, yes the schools and other kids have a big impact on them, but how you raise them at home is the roots

 

[bdybdall]

A bunch of young men and women (and older people) from my church want me to take them shooting. Almost all of them are interested. I've already taken 7 through their hunter safety course and now we're talking Project Appleseed. This doesn't include my children who are older (and gun owners themselves).

 

[DoggyDaddy]

My biggest concern is how today's youth will perceive guns after all this--like that old saying, "Perception Is Truth", regardless of what the truth actually is. Only time will tell, but I have a gut feeling that the word "gun" may take on a negative meaning to kids from here out. I know I sound like a doomsayer, and I hope I'm wrong.

I found this in a New York newspaper, a letter written to the editor by a 10 year old:

" I strongly believe that local weapon shops — or any place that sells weapons — should be closed, and new ones should be banned from opening. The only people who should be allowed to hold weapons are Army troops and the police. President Obama, please try to do something to ban weapon shops. Stop such tragedies! Please! Yamila Garcia, PS 75, age 10"

Hard to say if she was coached / prompted to write this by her parents.

I think an interesting poll for schoolkids of all ages right now would ask their opinion on firearms.

I'd say there's about a 100% chance that she was coached. Do you honestly know of any 10 year olds that refer to gun stores as "weapon shops"? I sure don't. In fact I don't know of anyone that refers to them as such. But then again it IS a New York paper...

 

[Cemetery-man]

The problem is that the people with the "means" (media, politicians, etc.) to make guns look evil are pressing the issue hard and trying everything at their disposal to implant that impression into the minds of todays children, tomorrows law makers.

 

[churchmouse]

To All,

I do believe there is reason for concern regarding young people and their views of firearms.

First, the letter from young Yamilla Garcia. There is NO reason to believe she was coached! For Gods Sake if a pro gun letter were written by a 10 year old boy we wouldn't jump to the same conclusion.

As some other threads here have pointed out most Latin American countries have stringent gun control laws in place. So the only people that use guns regularly are the bad guys. The United States culture is based upon self reliance and self support. The lone mountain man panning for gold or trapping skins, the cowboy alone for weeks on the prairie. These are our cultural heros and the foundation of our culture. We are truly blessed and unique with this view, with Australian and New Zealand culture coming close.

Years ago our hero was John Wayne who ended every confrontation with diplomacy from the barrel of a gun. We played cowboys and indians, cops and robbers. The good guys always won. The bad guys always lost. We have grown up. We now realize the world isn't so black and white as this.

Children today are taught to deal with their anger and aggression in a different way. In one regard this is a good thing. We are trying to deal with the problem of bullying, sexual harassment, racism and bigotry.

One of the casualties of this effort is the tools used in violence - the gun. This is not the target per se, but rather collateral damage to this change in mindset.

We must take care that the malicious violence that we all want removed from society doesn't drag down the tool that is violent without malice. For that is exactly what the firearm represents. A firearm can represent death for a home intruder or an armed robber, stopping them dead in their tracks, or it can represent the death of a defenseless victim at the hands of an evil person wielding the gun.

Oftentimes the only thing that will stop a violent evil person is violence from a good person. This was John Wayne.

Who do we have today?

Regards,

Doug

I heard the Marlboro man died some time back. He was it.

 

[Samplejs]

I think e hardest part about being interested in shooting for the young today, is they are no longer allowed to express their interest. With the extremely heavy handed way that schools are dealing with guns today, my son can't ever talk about his interests with friends or risk being expelled. If a teacher asks what did he do over the weekend, he has learned that he can't simply answer " went shooting with my dad"

Such a simple answer is now somehow seen as an implied threat. When he was younger he was disaplined several times for talking about guns. No threats, no violence, just discribing why he preferd one handgun over another got a three day suspension.

We even have children in some states be expelled for drawing a picture of a gun.

It takes a lot of support at home to overcome that level of stigma in the rest of their life.

 

[Amsdorf]

I think every male of the species, genetically, is predisposed to enjoy making things make loud noises and blowing stuff up.

: )

My children, all young adults now, love shooting and always have.

For better or worse, probably for worse, video gaming has increased interest in firearms among young people.

I've had a lot of young "gamers" actually shoot a firearm for the first time and they are always amazed at:

(1) How loud it actually is.
(2) How difficult it actually is to be accurate.
(3) How fun it is!

 

[Titanium Man]

The only people who continually put guns in a negative light are the media. I'd be interested what their kids do, and how they'd react if they told their media parent they wanted to go shooting.

 

[tiretrack]

I don't know about other families but it's hard to keep up with the amount of shooting my 15 year old son wants and he's playing black ops 2 in the background now. He is always wanting to shoot a gun he has used in one of his games. My 20yr daughter likes to shoot but is recoil and noise sensitive. Loves her .22s tho

 

[PistolBob]

Every one of the mass shooters since 2007 in the US, have been from single parent homes, lacking a live in father.

That's probably the biggest problem we have.