California Police Sticking to Guns in Defense of Letting Kid

[Chunkychuck]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/08/18/po ... z1VQVAdi29

"Would you let your kid touch a machine gun?
Photos of officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department letting kids handle the department’s SWAT team weaponry at a community event has sparked a debate over how much exposure to guns is healthy for kids.

One city councilwoman, Marsha Vas Dupre, told her local paper that she was “alarmed and devastated” by the photos.

"The weapons are rendered safe and are unloaded. We ensure the safety of those weapons," Santa Rosa Police Capt. Gary Negri told FoxNews.com, adding that the police attend the event to build ties between the police and the community."Our goal is saying to people, ‘hey, don't be intimidated by the police.’ We want to break down that barrier… Once these events are over, people will be more comfortable having conversations with officers.”Another goal, Negri said, was to educate kids about guns."


The irony is many PD's in California don't want individuals in their communities to carry unloaded handguns in public as the law currently allows them to do.

[FredsBank]

sparked a debate over how much exposure to guns is healthy for kids.

I tell ya, children shouldn't even see guns except in the movies or TV. They could get scared, and what if a gun goes off? That could happen you know. It could go off just because they get too close and think it's a toy. Millions of kids get killed by guns every day. Come on people, think of the children. Someone has to think of the children!

[1911fan]

When I was a kid the US military used to have open houses where we were encouraged to climb all over tanks, half tracks and artillery. One year they had a half track with a ma deuce and each kid got to fire fifteen rounds or so. The target was a old school bus. This paranoia about "keeping children protected" is complete and utter bovine scat.

The system wants DARE and sex Ed in elementary school to prevent kids from being stupid about it yet we refuse to have same education about firearms

[Ranger01]

When I was a kid the US military used to have open houses where we were encouraged to climb all over tanks, half tracks and artillery. One year they had a half track with a ma deuce and each kid got to fire fifteen rounds or so. The target was a old school bus. This paranoia about "keeping children protected" is complete and utter bovine scat.

The system wants DARE and sex Ed in elementary school to prevent kids from being stupid about it yet we refuse to have same education about firearms

Same thing when I was a kid in the 90s, except no firing of the MG.

I actually pissed off a couple Navy SEALs when I was 13 or so at the Ft. Snelling expo. I tore their M60 down (they did say I could try) and they kicked me out of the booth hah.

[Q_Continuum]

I haven't gotten to handle any firearms at any military things growing up, but crawled in, out and around HMMWVs, Blackhawks, and various other military vehicles in the last 15(?) years. Not counting the memorial tanks scattered around...Mostly Shermans, I think. Those were as little kids, they'd double for a playground in a pinch on a long roadtrip.

[shadeslanding]

This from the U.K.
Children banned from shooting events in 2012 ticket giveaway

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... iveaway.do

[R.E.T.]

This from the U.K.
Children banned from shooting events in 2012 ticket giveaway

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/ ... iveaway.do

How do they expect to get the next crop of shooters? Oh wait, they do not want people to like guns.