Guns, gifts, kids

Armed and Dangerous:

For today:

My dad never bought me a gun, but I used his 16 gauge shotgun to hunt. I never was much of a hunter, but I loved being with my dog in the woods.

I did trade around different things until I had a single shot .22 rifle.  It was not uncommon for boys  above 11-12 in my area to own guns.  Most of the older boys I knew had pickup trucks and liked the gun rack in the window.

I never heard a complaint nor problem of boys having them in their trucks when they drove to school.

Sonny Helms, my BIL and best friend, told me that most days in the fall and winter he took his single shot .22 rifle with him to school. He said he leaned it in the corner with two or three other rifles. Those hunters would head for the woods after school to try to get at least a couple squirrels maybe a rabbit for supper. Families depended on it. He only carried 5-6 shells, he said, “I never wasted a shot.”

Over the years woods were further away and schools were more crowded. BUT in my entire life, I NEVER heard of a kid having or being given a pistol as a gift.  There was no use in it. No one hunted with a pistol.

There are many folks still today who depend on harvesting wild animals for their meat. Old Woody up in NY got his this year for their winter meat. Dar & Mel's families in the North Woods fill their freezers every year. It is a way of life that has been brought forward for hundreds of years.

I said all that as back ground.  In today’s world I cannot imagine any family, even country folks, allowing a kid to have a hand gun.

Now we have an entire family in Michigan, Mother, dad and son who have ruined their lives, and many others by giving their son a handgun as a gift. That boy carried the gun to school and killed 4 of his class mates.

Amazing, that humans, can cause so much havoc by doing something stupid. A decision such as that, killed some and caused untold pain in the lives of many.

Now I just read that two students ambushed and killed one of their teachers in the 'calm' state of Iowa.

I DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

I had a simple lesson once during my driving license, I ‘rolled thru’ a stop sign. My Testing Officer said, “Stop! Back up.”

I did.

“What does that sign say?”

“STOP, I replied.”

“That is correct. You did not STOP. Head back to the station. YOU FAILED!” I nearly cried.

I had never failed any test in my life. I learned something.  I already knew ‘manners and respect’ they were taught at home. But I learned well a simple legal lesson. I did it right the next week. ;-)

Has our society lost the importance of TEACHING respect for others at home?

NiteShipslog

PS: EVEN SADDER! I just read today of a Father in TEXAS driving his son (14 yrs old) to a convenience store to kill 3 people.  Then with his son back in the truck, sped away from the murder scene.

 LORD, PLEASE, we need guidance and help!  Amen