Parking a gun on the table

[03Lightningrocks]

And yet again... a reason for carrying a gun other than the fear of being murdered in your own home. Carrying a gun around the ranch, for the reasons you mentioned, is a totally different situation than carrying a gun from room to room around the house because you are concerned someone will kick the door in and do you harm. One is rational... the other is not. One will not likely create anxiety in children, the other will give them concern that danger is imminent.

[03Lightningrocks]

Nah, Joe, you did not speak too soon. But while we are having a serious discussion, most of us are adult enough to throw a little humor in too. And most of us recognize which parts are joking and which are serious.

See, I know he is joking about using his left thumb only. He is right-handed. I might have believed him if he had said his right thumb, but we don't call it weak handed shooting for no reason.

And on the serious side, it looks like 03LighteningRocks and I are actually agreeing, but putting it differently. It is not the carrying of the gun that would make the child nervous, but the actions (wired up, or acting as if there is imminent danger at all times) might. Walking around with confidence, whether armed or not, just teaches the child to be confident.

The only real question seems to be a difference of opinion on how we act when we are carrying in the home. Some outside visitors might see this as being jumpy and nervous while others might see it as being comfortable and confident. And no one can tell how the kids will see it unless they ask and it is explained to them. And then the explanation can make a big difference, as per his example.

That example could also be changed to:

"Why does Daddy wear a gun around the house?"
"Daddy is a police man. He just got off from work."

"Why does Joey's daddy wear a gun around the house?"
"Because Joey's daddy is likes to have a gun in case he needs it to protect his family in case Daddy can't get there in time."

Now the kid would learn a completely different lesson, based solely on who explains the behavior he is seeing.

Yep... that's pretty much it. Ok... you got me... I would have to use both my thumbs.

[KD5NRH]

You folks really don't know the difference in a weapon designed to take a human life and a seat belt??? You really believe that a seat belt has the same psychological impact on a child as a gun?

Hammers have been around longer than nails because they were designed to kill with. Are you going to hide the hammer, or would it make more sense to point out to the child that a gun is also a tool used to preserve innocent life when necessary?

[03Lightningrocks]

You folks really don't know the difference in a weapon designed to take a human life and a seat belt??? You really believe that a seat belt has the same psychological impact on a child as a gun?

Hammers have been around longer than nails because they were designed to kill with. Are you going to hide the hammer, or would it make more sense to point out to the child that a gun is also a tool used to preserve innocent life when necessary?

No, I am not going to hide the hammer, but I don't leave a hammer laying out on the table either. I also don't walk around my house holding the hammer and carrying it from room to room on the chance that a roving band of nails are going to kick down my door. Just like the handgun, when at home, it stays put up unless it is needed.

[PeteCamp]

I never said the SIGHT of a gun around the house was a problem. What I said is walking around with a gun in your hand or on your side as if there is imminent danger will impart this fear on your children. I stand by this statement. Simply seeing guns around the house is not going to be a problem. Seeing daddy with his crap wired tight all the time will make a child an absolute nut case.

Well, I'm going to invoke some seriousness here. I seriously doubt anyone here claiming this has the necessary educational credentials or state licensure to declare this as fact or has any scientific research to back up this notion. It is sheer conjecture.

I don't know how many of you are old enough, (I suspect not many), to recognize the phrase "duck and cover". I grew up with that little ditty. For those of you too young to know, duck and cover was a little exercise we played every two or three days in public school to keep ourselves from getting incinerated by a nuclear bomb. We were read a phamplet that described in detail how our eyes would be burned out and our flesh melted away. Throughout the early 1960's millions of Americans, and others, lived daily under the threat of nuclear doomsday. People bought fallout shelters and put them in their backyards. And their children practiced for the unthinkable every few days for several years. We not only saw daddy "wired tight", but mommy, TV newscasters, radio, in fact, the only people not "wired tight" were the absolute nut cases with signs declaring "the end is near." Imminent danger? We ate, slept, and lived it - for decades.

In 1963, in response to a little event called the "Cuban Missle Crisis" we watched nuclear-laden bombers taking off every so often to go stand at the brink of destruction. Everybody knew exactly what it meant. "Wired tight"? Imminent danger?

Now, here is the point. Millions grew up and lived with this and other unthinkable terrors for years and came out just fine. In fact, and I think reality bears this out, there are a LOT more nut cases today than there were 50 years ago. And I guarantee you most of them did not come about because daddy walked around the house with a gun in a holster and sensed imminent danger.

[03Lightningrocks]

Not a correct analogy. The correct analogy would be a child who grows up with a parent that carries a nuclear bomb from room to room in case the Russians kicked in the door.I am willing to bet this child would suffer differently than we did knowing weapons were out in Kansas somewhere.

[PeteCamp]

Respectfully, all I asked for was either professional credentials or documented proof. Otherwise, it is just your opinion and carries no more weight than anyone else.

[03Lightningrocks]

Look folks, in his usual manner, Mr. Rothstein eloquently stated what I was trying to get across. read his post again and if you still disagree with the thinking, fine, we can go on debating it nicely for as long as you want. Comparing nuclear war, motor cycle helmets, GFI breakers... hammers... or what ever else serves no purpose in debating that post. We could go on for years with people trying to compare seat belts, safety pins, irons... golf clubs... what ever. But none of those items have anything to do with what I , Mr Rothstien or a couple other brave posters were saying.

I could say more, but I don't want to cloud my point. Read this again.

Nah, Joe, you did not speak too soon. But while we are having a serious discussion, most of us are adult enough to throw a little humor in too. And most of us recognize which parts are joking and which are serious.

See, I know he is joking about using his left thumb only. He is right-handed. I might have believed him if he had said his right thumb, but we don't call it weak handed shooting for no reason.

And on the serious side, it looks like 03LighteningRocks and I are actually agreeing, but putting it differently. It is not the carrying of the gun that would make the child nervous, but the actions (wired up, or acting as if there is imminent danger at all times) might. Walking around with confidence, whether armed or not, just teaches the child to be confident.

The only real question seems to be a difference of opinion on how we act when we are carrying in the home. Some outside visitors might see this as being jumpy and nervous while others might see it as being comfortable and confident. And no one can tell how the kids will see it unless they ask and it is explained to them. And then the explanation can make a big difference, as per his example.

That example could also be changed to:

"Why does Daddy wear a gun around the house?"
"Daddy is a police man. He just got off from work."

"Why does Joey's daddy wear a gun around the house?"
"Because Joey's daddy is likes to have a gun in case he needs it to protect his family in case Daddy can't get there in time."

Now the kid would learn a completely different lesson, based solely on who explains the behavior he is seeing.