Gun Safety for Kids: Why It's Important to Teach Them Early On

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the importance of gun safety education for children, sparked by an incident involving a public gun safety demonstration that went awry. Participants explore the implications of the event, the responsibilities of educators regarding firearm safety, and the reactions to the incident.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express disbelief that the presenter did not check if the gun was loaded before the demonstration, questioning his responsibility in the situation.
  • Others highlight the shock value of the incident as a teaching moment about the dangers of firearms, suggesting that it underscores the necessity of gun safety education.
  • A few participants speculate on the motivations behind the presenter’s lawsuit regarding the video release, with some suggesting it may impact his career.
  • There are differing opinions on whether the presenter was aware that the gun was loaded, with some arguing he should have known better, while others believe he genuinely did not realize it was loaded.
  • Concerns are raised about the safety of children in the classroom during the incident, with some participants advocating for accountability and potential consequences for the presenter.
  • Some participants question the authenticity of the incident, suggesting it could be a hoax, while others assert it is a real event that raises serious concerns about gun safety practices.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the incident's implications, with multiple competing views on the presenter's responsibility, the nature of the incident, and the appropriateness of having firearms in educational settings.

Contextual Notes

Participants express various assumptions about the presenter's knowledge and intentions, and there are unresolved questions regarding the safety protocols that should have been followed during the demonstration.

BobG
Science Advisor
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Okay, maybe not great marks for technical merit, but high marks for style and definitely very high marks for dedication. What a trooper!

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0411061foot1.html (Click the picture for the video)
 
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I saw this on youtube or something similar. I can't believe the guy is suing because was it not his responsibility to check the gun was free of ammo before he lectured in front of kids?

But yes in terms of pure shock therapy for the school kids I suppose this was one of his better presentations.
 
Where does it say that? All I see is that he's suing because the tape was released to the public.
 
Kurdt said:
I saw this on youtube or something similar. I can't believe the guy is suing because was it not his responsibility to check the gun was free of ammo before he lectured in front of kids?

But yes in terms of pure shock therapy for the school kids I suppose this was one of his better presentations.
Actually, he's suing because of the video being released to the public.

I guess you can expect people to make fun of him, just like people made fun of Cheney, but it really gets to the heart of why gun safety is important. Anyone can have an accident.

I was just impressed he kept trying to continue the lesson - at least until he saw the terror of the audience when he brought out the next gun. :smile:
 
Ahh. Lesson Learned: read more than just the headline.
 
He was a idiot, plain and simple.
 
hypatia said:
He was a idiot, plain and simple.
was? a zebra doesn't change its spots.
 
stripes you dumb dumb, stripes.
 
I can't believe this is the sort of person we have "educating" our children. "I'm da only one in dis room pro-fessional enough to BLAM" In fact, I can't even believe these geniuses brought any ammunition, at all, into that classroom.

- Warren
 
  • #10
Very educational.
 
  • #11
chroot said:
"I'm da only one in dis room pro-fessional enough to BLAM" In fact, I can't even believe these geniuses brought any ammunition, at all, into that classroom.

- Warren
One could say, with that line he shot himself in the foot literally and metaphorically.
 
  • #12
Kurdt said:
One could say, with that line he shot himself in the foot literally and metaphorically.

HAH! :smile:
 
  • #13
cyrusabdollahi said:
stripes you dumb dumb, stripes.
I'm not taking my clothes off for anyone.
 
  • #14
That would be strips, not stripes.
 
  • #15
a building for dead people? what does that have anything to do with guns?
 
  • #16
tribdog said:
a building for dead people? what does that have anything to do with guns?

One of these days trib...straight to the moon!
 
  • #17
I'm feeling sorry for the guy. Everything else he has done is overshadowed by this incident. But jeeze. Loaded Gun? Safety off? In front of kids? He really blew it. For at least one moment in time, everyone is an idiot. His moment is being played all over the web.

The kids should have had a chance to see a guy like that on the "right side" of law and order, but instead they saw an "idiot."
 
  • #18
BobG said:
Actually, he's suing because of the video being released to the public.

I guess you can expect people to make fun of him, just like people made fun of Cheney, but it really gets to the heart of why gun safety is important. Anyone can have an accident.

I was just impressed he kept trying to continue the lesson - at least until he saw the terror of the audience when he brought out the next gun. :smile:

:bugeye: I was impressed he held it together long enough to continue talking, but thought he was just going to stop after he explained that bit about anyone can have an accident, and that's why they shouldn't play with guns. I figured he just continued to that point not to frighten the kids more than they already were. But, then to keep going...:eek:

But, yeah, he doesn't exactly talk like someone you'd want educating your kids. Everything looked a bit disorganized from the start, like he'd never done an educational thing before. And, to bring a loaded weapon into a classroom and hold it up...stupid stupid stupid!

Though, it sounds like the main reason he's suing about the video being released is that he can no longer work undercover, but doesn't going out and giving public talks sort of blow your cover too?
 
  • #19
I don't think he knew it was loaded.
 
  • #20
First thing my daddy taught me about guns --- every gun is always loaded.
 
  • #21
cyrusabdollahi said:
I don't think he knew it was loaded.
Apparently he didn't.
 
  • #22
cyrusabdollahi said:
I don't think he knew it was loaded.

I hope you're not saying that as if it were a valid excuse... it only takes, oh, two seconds to check to see if it's loaded.

I watched the video a while ago, but, if I'm not mistaken, he actually had the slide back, chamber empty, and had pulled the trigger once. I just don't think he realized the magazine wasn't empty... and pulling the trigger once had chambered a round.

Of course, checking to see if a gun is unloaded involves two actions: removing the magazine and checking the chamber...

- Warren
 
  • #23
chroot said:
I hope you're not saying that as if it were a valid excuse... it only takes, oh, two seconds to check to see if it's loaded.

I watched the video a while ago, but, if I'm not mistaken, he actually had the slide back, chamber empty, and had pulled the trigger once. I just don't think he realized the magazine wasn't empty... and pulling the trigger once had chambered a round.

Of course, checking to see if a gun is unloaded involves two actions: removing the magazine and checking the chamber...

- Warren

No, I am saying I don't think he knew he had a loaded gun in his hand. That's all. Everyone is saying he took a loaded gun into the class on purpose, I don't think he realized it was loaded.
 
  • #24
Two other people were standing by the table where the weapons were laying. They apparently were also experienced weaopns handlers or they would not have been close to the weapons. They all probably thought someone else had cleared the weapon.
 
  • #25
Man he was damn lucky it didnt go off when he was holding it up and pointing it sideways. That would have been bad. Those people to his left could have gotten shot in the upper body.
 
  • #26
If one of those kids was mine I would be demanding he be brought up on some sort of charges. Who cares if he looked dumb or if he got hurt the fact is he stupidly and carelessly endangered those kids.
 
  • #27
Thinking it over, this has got to be another hoax --- slides lock on empty magazines, no one's that dumb --- "undercover" giving a public gun safety demonstration? "Hook, line, sinker, rod, reel, and boat" --- we all bit.
 
  • #28
Bystander said:
Thinking it over, this has got to be another hoax --- slides lock on empty magazines, no one's that dumb --- "undercover" giving a public gun safety demonstration? "Hook, line, sinker, rod, reel, and boat" --- we all bit.

Good thought process, but it's actually true!

http://www.snopes.com/photos/accident/gunsafety.asp

Good thing we all pay so much tax to support fine, efficient, and effective organizations like the DEA, eh?

- Warren
 
  • #29
Bystander said:
Thinking it over, this has got to be another hoax --- slides lock on empty magazines, no one's that dumb --- "undercover" giving a public gun safety demonstration? "Hook, line, sinker, rod, reel, and boat" --- we all bit.
Hmm, that does sound fishy.








HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...eh
 
  • #30
that's one dead kitten for you
 

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