Wait a minute Mom. Don't let little Johnny go to his buddy Tommy's house. Tommy's parents are psychos that own -- **gasp** -- GUNS! This is the message that ABC is telling parents in an April 10 piece headlined, "Before Arranging Playdates, Ask About Guns."
Here ABC attempts to make every gun owner seem like a lunatic just ready to blow and encourages parents to be deathly afraid of anyone that owns a gun. It encourages parents to pry into the lives of family members of their kid's friends and bases it all on the lies passed off as scary gun violence statistics.
Naturally, ABC's back up for this anti-gun screed is by a supposedly "non partisan" anti-gun group called PAX USA, an organization with board and advisory councils filled with left-wing Hollywood actors such as Richard Belzer, Tim Robbins, and Rob Reiner among many others.
ABC gives us the startled tale of some "unnamed" parents who were shaken that the father of their child's friend owned a gun.
But after months of visits, it did come as a surprise to Stephen's mom, Carol, that Robbie's dad, Jan, kept handguns in his home for protection. The families asked that their last names not be used to protect their privacy.
This very sentence seems to scream urbanite, maybe even suburbanite. Apparently ABC looked for and found some inexperienced, white bread, city folk that have never met anyone in their lives that owns a gun. Obviously these city slickers are unfamiliar with anyone living in the farm belt or "the country." Just as obvious, ABC itself identifies with such naive folks because their astonished and silly overreaction proves that they have never been to a rural area in their lives much less have become aware that many kids in this country grow up with guns all around them and that parents wouldn't be surprised at all that their children's friends might have them in their homes. This report shows the wide divide between the pampered city folk that ABC seems to think represent the average American and the rest of the country.
ABC then introduces us to this PAX USA organization, the aforementioned "non-partisan" group that seems to sever as a left-wing Hollywood actor's resume plumper. And this group unleashes some obviously false statistics about guns.
The ABC screed quotes PAX USA co-founder Daniel Gross.
"Nearly 1.7 million children live in homes with firearms that are loaded and unlocked, and every day eight children die from guns."
Um, no. That would be what the boys at the FBI call a lie. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2005 652 kids between ages 1 and 15 were killed by gunfire. These are the ages that most people consider "children." After 15 we are beginning to get past calling them children and into the "young adult" phase. So, if we stick with what most people think of as children we do not get the nearly 3,000 deaths that Gross claims is occurring.
Now, between the ages of 15 and 18 there were 1,554 gun related deaths in 2005. And why so many between the ages of 15 and 18? The long and short answer is gangs. Unless most parents are sending their middle and late teenaged kids into gang infested areas to "play," it doesn't seem that they have much to worry about statistically
But, logic and sense aren't ABC's goal, here. Alarmism and anti-Second Amendment rights is.
Naturally, every parent should know what sort of family they are sending their own children to play among. That is only good parenting. But to use fake statistics and anti-gun scare tactics like this is merely a mask for a political agenda.
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Sorry, fellow NB posters and
April 11, 2009 - 07:36 ET by dborschjr68Sorry, fellow NB posters and visitors...since I own guns, your kids can't come to my house to play.
Mine Either
April 11, 2009 - 07:54 ET by Radar_OneI'm also sorry to say Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon's kiddies can't come play at my house either...
Barack Obama= Half Honkey...ALL Donkey
While doing your research
April 11, 2009 - 08:02 ET by DontFeedTheTrollsWhile doing your research check for the following:
Anything else
D
Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.
Not only that, but some
April 11, 2009 - 08:06 ET by motherbeltNot only that, but some pediatricians are starting to ask about gun ownership during routine visits.
They might say "Wow, that sucks!" But at least they'll say "Wow!" -Duff Goldman, the Ace of Cakes
Rx
April 11, 2009 - 08:08 ET by Sergeant ROCKAt which point I would find a new doctor.
"I ask, Sir, what is the militia? It is the whole people. To disarm the people is the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
George Mason
The Militia in Florida
April 11, 2009 - 08:35 ET by allanfSarge -- In your signature line you write:
Here is the Florida Constituion, Article 10, Section 2a
You know that the Army is
April 11, 2009 - 08:52 ET by ricklailYou know that the Army is requiring their members to register their fireams even if they don't live on base. I got a friend at Ft. Bliss, TX who had to register his and his wife's. They both have conceal carry permits issued in NC.
On the other hand I haven't heard about the Marines, Navy or Air Force doing it.
Semper suprene nitens
Rick
April 11, 2009 - 08:58 ET by BlondeI read on a milblog somewhere that it is pretty much SOP.
I hope he fails, too.
Heh, Not MY Doc!
April 11, 2009 - 08:54 ET by NoJellyMy kids' doctor is known, by me anyway, as the Great White Hunter. The guy goes on more hunting trips than anyone I've ever known. I can't go into his office without lengthy conversations about firearms.
He actually recommended my last gun purchase...And to get it in a "youth package" for my 11-year-old...
Yep
April 11, 2009 - 08:59 ET by dervishThat's actually official American Academy of Pediatrics policy: ask about guns in the home, recommend against buying them or in favor of getting rid of them, and then "when parents know the risk but insist" on keeping them anyway, recommend storing them safely under lock and key. (That might not be a verbatim quote, but it's close.)
American Acadamy of Pediatrics on Firearms
April 11, 2009 - 11:43 ET by allanfI don't know why the AAP opines on firearms. Here is what they say:
No citiations are given. The NRA has this response.
ABC News will soon be
April 11, 2009 - 08:53 ET by DaBirdABC News will soon be sending out hordes of frightened people to paint a large red "G" on the front doors of any gun owners.
Then teach their children that the heretics in these dwellings cling to their guns and pray to Gods. They are dangerous and are to be ridiculed and persecuted.
Any child
April 11, 2009 - 09:03 ET by jed58Any child who visits my house and 50 acres (next to location of the bi-weekly black powder gun club shoot) will most likely be taught about firearms and told of giving their life to Christ.
No Kids Allowed Here Either
April 11, 2009 - 09:05 ET by kilrodA TRUE STORY FROM... "THE HOUSTON HERALD NEWSPAPER" IN HOUSTON, TEXAS MARCH 5th, 2009
~ Last Thursday Night Around Midnight, A Woman From Houston, Texas Was Arrested, Jailed, And Charged With Manslaughter For Shooting A Man 6 Times In The Back As He Was Running Away With Her Purse.
~ The Following Monday Morning, The Woman Was Called In Front Of The Arraignment Judge, Sworn In, And Asked To Explain Her Actions.
~ The Woman Replied, "I Was Standing At The Corner Bus Stop For About 15 Minutes, Waiting For The Bus To Take Me Home After Work. I Am A Waitress At A Local Cafe...
~ I Was There Alone, So I Had My Right Hand On My Pistol, That Was In My Purse, That Was Hung Over My Left Shoulder.
~ All Of A Sudden I Was Being Spun Around Hard To My Left. As I Caught My Balance, I Saw A Man Running Away >From Me With My Purse.
~ I Looked Down At My Right Hand And I Saw That My Fingers Were Wrapped Tightly Around My Pistol. The Next Thing I Remember Is Saying Out Loud, "No Way Punk! Your Not Stealing My Pay Check And Tips."
~ I Raised My Right Hand, Pointed My Pistol At The Man Running Away From Me With My Purse, And Squeezed The Trigger Of My Pistol 6 Times!
~ When Asked By The Arraignment Judge, "Why Did You Shoot The Man 6 Times?
~ The Woman Replied Under Oath, "Because, When I Pulled The Trigger Of My Pistol The 7th Time, It Only Went Click."
~ The Woman Was Acquitted Of All Charges. And She Was Back At Work, At The Cafe, The Next Day!
(GRINS) kilrod
Remember, only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier
~If that is true
April 11, 2009 - 09:24 ET by choselife3xI'm moving to Texas.
Kilrod
April 11, 2009 - 09:29 ET by jacktheripperwhat a lovely story, gotta love thoseTexans!!! anyway would it not be more helpful to teach a child a healthy respect for firearms than to have them running away screaming as if they'd seen a monster. lets face it guns facinate kids so to teach them respect for firearms and how they work makes sense to me. and if a parent ever came to my house and asked if I owned firearms I'd say you betcha...then ask to go to the Rod-n-Gun club for a little shootin!
" The Future Is X Rated"
Yep J-the-R
April 11, 2009 - 09:54 ET by kilrodYep, J-the-R, teach em to respect em and how to use them safely and accurately and why they need to own them and when they might need to use them to protect their lives, their families, their property, and their country. We have a 10yr old grandaughter who got her first 22 cal. rifle when she was 8 and she can strike a kitchen match at 25 steps with it, no problem. Our philosophy is, "a baby cotton-tail rabbit would as soon jump up and slap a rattlesnake as mess with our people, our homes, and our country".
kilrod
Remember, only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, Jesus Christ and the American Soldier
Castle Doctrine
April 11, 2009 - 09:37 ET by boomerconIn Texas we have a law called the Castle Doctrine (your home is your castle). Last week, a few bail bond bounty hunters started beating on a resident's front door at 3:30AM. Scared shitless, the homeowner came out of his bedroom armed and began shooting, right through the front door. Got one of em, and the rest ran off. Seems they were at the wrong house. In Texas, a lot of such homes are "the wrong house" to be beating on at 3:30am.
...from my cold dead hands!
I still fondly recall the
April 11, 2009 - 09:43 ET by irishguyI still fondly recall the look on the nurses face when she heard my reply to the gun owning question at my little guy's 1st check up. "Of course I own a gun, do you think I'm to irresponsable to protect my family?" Priceless!
irishguy
April 11, 2009 - 09:56 ET by botggun owning question at a child's checkup?
"Outside of a dog a book is man's best friend,------------inside a dog it's too dark to read" ---Groucho
ABC and the other networks
April 11, 2009 - 10:38 ET by RR GOPABC and the other networks are quite OK with firearms...being discharged...and killing people...on their TV shows.
Because that's uh, 'Art'...yeah, that's the ticket, it's Art!
Oh, and it sells soap.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).
Disconnected From Reality
April 11, 2009 - 12:12 ET by Anneke9And, little suburbanite Johnny can't go outside without a helmet, can't play in his own front yard, and has to live in a hermetically-sealed bubble so that nothing bad ever happens to him. He's also told that he's safe from evil people and terrorists because mommy and daddy are good liberals who understand and support the plight of the downtrodden. Blechhh...
Who are these people preaching to? What echo chamber are they living in? I live in the heart of Liberal La-La Land, the SF Bay Area. A significant number of my liberal, Democrat colleagues and neighbors own guns--guns that they're not eager to give up because they value their personal safety and the safety of their families. All this despite the constant media alarmism, lies and propaganda. Until I see my leftie neighbors getting rid of their gun en masse, I know my gun is safe.
Camouflage conservative in Baghdad-by-the-Bay
The freedom hating gun grabbers are just trying to marginalize..
April 11, 2009 - 13:04 ET by R D Helm...gun owners, since they cannot be honest about the real reason they want to take our guns away.
-Dave
This coup has gone on long enough. The time to put it down is NOW.
Educate them and they will respect the power
April 11, 2009 - 19:09 ET by IndyAdamWhenever I take my boys out for marksmanship, the very first thing I do is go over all aspects of gun safety. The next thing I do, is place a melon on a stump and shoot it once with a large hollow point round. After letting them see the devastation a gun can do to a piece of fruit, I tell them to imagine that it was someone's head. That it takes only one mistake... One careless moment... and a fun time can turn into a tragedy. Dead is dead. You don't get up and come back on next week's show, like that which happens on TV. My boys not only know how to shoot, but they can also recite all of the gun safety rules I had engrained in them since they first set eyes on a firearm. They have to recite the rules and demonstrate them before a gun is even loaded. One minor infraction of those rules will forfeit their privilege of shooting sports, without question. They know this and it makes them ever more vigilant. Most of the problems where households experience tragedy involving firearms are, unfortunately, usually due to parents trying to "hide" their guns from their children, instead of teaching them about them in a healthy way (that is not to say they should keep them under their mattress or pillow for their children's easy access). Teaching kids about firearms takes the "curiosity" out of the picture. It is the curiosity that ends up getting a child killed or seriously injured. Parents who try to hide their guns and think their children don't know they have a gun/guns are fooling themselves and are asking for tragedy to hit their own home/family. TEACH THEM and they will respect the power and dangers.
I posted several comments
April 14, 2009 - 01:05 ET by IfticarI posted several comments about this story at the ABC site. I went back a couple of days later and found that all my comments had been deleted. The most radical thing in my comments was probably my suggestion that Play Dates should include trips to the rifle range to teach kids gun safety and real gun control. Real gun control being able to hit your target.
Not only does ABC have lack of respect for the Second Amendment but they also show little support for the First Amendment.