By Glen Wunderlich Outdoor Columnist Member Professional Outdoor Media Association
According to the Brady Campaign, nationwide over 3500 students were expelled in 1998-99 for bringing guns to school. The Brady bunch adds that in the U.S., young children die or are badly injured because their parents or other gun owners don’t store their firearms properly, and children find loaded guns and use them unintentionally on themselves or other children. Older children are more at risk from horseplay with available guns, while teenagers use guns for crime.
This information was obtained directly from the Brady Campaign’s website, and for the sake of argument, let’s buy it, lock, stock, and barrel.
A simple person might conclude that grown ups ought to do a better job of keeping their guns – especially loaded ones – away from youngsters, unless there’s a clear and established understanding of the dangers and consequences of misuse. Just as important might be the parents’ role in providing lessons in gun safety, life’s issues, and criminal career paths. Ah, but who’s going to do all that. I mean, we are all so busy these days. We have our lives to lead, after all.
Ms. Brady and her center have taken everything into account for everyone and have concluded that it’s best not to keep a gun in the house. But, the no-gun policy is of little use, if the armed criminal shows up at your door. If the Bradys don’t want to keep guns in their residence, that’s fine with me; however, finger crossing doesn’t give me the edge I want now that my bodyguard, Otis, has passed on.
Consider this horrific scene. Thirteen-year old Johnny strides boldly into town – right down Main Street in Perry. He’s on a mission. Rifle conspicuously slung over his diminutive frame, he purposely marches through town yet manages to wave to a neighbor. There must be something in the water, because nobody is stopping little John Plowman on his date with destiny, even though he plainly has a gun.
At the same time in the halls of Perry High School, one Derwood Cole, long-time school board president, must have had a good dose of that same water before inviting a throng of youngsters to meet in the gymnasium and convincing them to bring their guns.
Even the principal became involved, as he unabashedly stashed guns in his office for select kids to use later.
Believe it or not, the scenario above was played out in real life over and over. It wasn’t the prelude in some shoot-‘em-up action movie. It didn’t even make the news!
It was just another day for lifelong Perry resident, John Plowman, as he toted his trusty auto-loading .22 caliber rifle through town to kill a few dirty rats. Real rats! And, Mr. Cole routinely held Hunters’ Safety Training Class at the high school for many years without incident. And, the obliging principal would always accommodate any kid who wanted to go pheasant or rabbit hunting after school by hanging onto his shotgun until class was dismissed.
Kids, guns, school. It was just as normal to mix them several decades ago as it is today. However, now the same recipe produces different results.
I don’t mind bursting a Brady bubble, so here goes. Guns are essentially the same today as they were some 40 years ago. One pull of the trigger, bang, and a bullet flies out the muzzle. Gun grabbers can demonize them and prescribe more laws restricting them, but they miss the target. Guns are one element in the equation of kids, guns, and school from yesteryear to today, which hasn’t changed, and therefore, maybe we should focus on other aspects of today’s ills.
So, where did we go wrong? Here’s a reality check: Go to a current movie. Any movie. Or, simply tune into any top-rated, primetime sitcom. Then, for comparison, watch any episode of Leave it to Beaver. Any more questions?
