Lions & Tigers & Guns, OH, MY!
A little while back I was ready one of those "Mommy Blogs". You know the kind. Same as mine, but written by a woman and talks about all of the cute crap their kids do. On second thought, not much like mine at all. My kids are cute, but that stuff isn't nearly as funny as when they crash and burn and prove to my parents that I'm getting exactly what they said I had coming to me.
Anyway, the subject of this blog was GASP guns in the home. Or more specifically, guns in other people's homes - because guns were evil and the blog author would never have such dangerous stuff in her house. The question was about asking friends parents if they had guns in their home before allowing their precious little children to go over there to play. Hilarity ensued in the comments. It's been a while, but here are paraphrases of the typical replies:
I would NEVER allow my child to go to a home that had guns in it...
If I knew the family, I MIGHT allow it, but I would want to know where all of the guns were, and I would want to know that the guns were in a locked room, inside a locked safe, and with trigger locks installed, and the ammo stored in a separate locked container in a separate locked room.
etc, etc...
Are you friggin KIDDING me?
Here are my thoughts...
It's none of your dang business if I have guns in my house. If you are going to let your kid come to my house, you either trust me to watch your children or you don't. If you trust me, then that's all there is to it. If you don't, it doesn't really matter what is in my house, does it? In that case, that's why Chick-fil-a has a play room. Our kids can play together while we have our chicken and sweet tea.
Seriously, to me a weapon is similar to an alarm system. If it is in my home, then it could be here for protection. Maybe I'm paranoid, but personal protection is just that, PERSONAL. I wouldn't give anyone the details of my security system, so why would I tell them where my stuff is and how it is secured? Give me a little credit. I have little kids also. My kids LOVE to find stuff. The love to play with what they find. Do you really think I would endanger my kids? Give me a little credit here and trust that I'm a responsible adult.
As far as the question about if I keep loaded guns around... As far as you are concerned, if I have any guns - not that I do - they are ALL loaded. C'mon, that's the first rule of gun safety. Treat ALL guns as if they are loaded until you prove otherwise.
I have to say that so far we've never been asked. If I'm asked, I'll politely decline to answer the question. If they can't accept that I consider it a private matter, so be it.
Anyone have any thoughts to share? Anyone think I'm a fool and want to tell me that? I can handle it.
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3 comments:
I just finished a book called freakonomics. There's a whole chapter on how having a swimming pool at your house is statistically much more 'dangerous' than a gun in your house. People are just more scared of guns.
I would never let my kid stay at your house unless you have several loaded guns around to protect him in case an intruder breaks in. I just don't trust Sweetie to handle the situation.
I am a bit ambivalent on this topic...I personally would not ask any of you where your guns were and would let Emory come over. Why? Because I trust y'all and know y'all are well versed in gun safety. However, I can understand why a parent that does not know a gun owning parent may ask that parent for information to double check the safety issues. So many stories of kids finding guns and hurting themselves or others. I would not be offended if a parent asked us if we had firearms in the house and where they were kept. I think it's a legitimate question to ask. You of course can choose not to answer it and that is also perfectly ok.
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