By shooting at two masked robbers in his house. After they SHOT HIM the HIP. Mom and son were in the bathroom bedroom and the bad guys were trying to get in. Bad guy(s) shot through the door and hit the 11 year old. 11 year old shoots back and bad guys run away! Boy is in stable condition, thank goodness.
People like to freak out when they hear that an 11 year old was in possession of a gun. These are (normally) people that haven't been around guns much themselves. Which is the whole point, of course. EDUCATION is the key to everything. Whether you are teaching your kids manners and how to behave in public or how to properly handle firearms.
I'm one of the lucky few that was brought up from Day 1 with the proper firearm rules and etiquette. Literally, there are photos and photos of me as a baby in my Dad's arms at a campground somewhere in Southern Arizona before or after a day of hunting. My parents took the appropriate safety precautions but also raised me to understand that a gun is a gun. An inanimate object. Nothing to be afraid of, but something to respect.
I remember once as a young teen, maybe 12, being told by my Mom to hide in the walk in closet in her room with my little brother and cousin while she answered the door. She quickly reminded me the shotgun was there if someone tried to come in. I was scared, but capable. Us kids were hiding in the closet because a family member was going through a very nasty divorce and custody battle with his extremely powerful Chinese wife. We'd been receiving threatening faxes at the house, phone calls and sometimes we were sure we were being followed. The blinds were always drawn. The doorbell happened to catch my Mom home alone, and that's why we were sent to the very back of the house and the best room to be in if you're trying to defend yourself. Luckily, it was the county Sheriff and a minute later Mom gave us the all clear. But what if it had been someone else?
Well, I'd like to think that I would have been as brave as that 11 year old. One thing is for sure, my parents prepared me to handle the situation. Thank God for that.
Article via Sharp as a Marble via Say Uncle.
People like to freak out when they hear that an 11 year old was in possession of a gun. These are (normally) people that haven't been around guns much themselves. Which is the whole point, of course. EDUCATION is the key to everything. Whether you are teaching your kids manners and how to behave in public or how to properly handle firearms.
I'm one of the lucky few that was brought up from Day 1 with the proper firearm rules and etiquette. Literally, there are photos and photos of me as a baby in my Dad's arms at a campground somewhere in Southern Arizona before or after a day of hunting. My parents took the appropriate safety precautions but also raised me to understand that a gun is a gun. An inanimate object. Nothing to be afraid of, but something to respect.
I remember once as a young teen, maybe 12, being told by my Mom to hide in the walk in closet in her room with my little brother and cousin while she answered the door. She quickly reminded me the shotgun was there if someone tried to come in. I was scared, but capable. Us kids were hiding in the closet because a family member was going through a very nasty divorce and custody battle with his extremely powerful Chinese wife. We'd been receiving threatening faxes at the house, phone calls and sometimes we were sure we were being followed. The blinds were always drawn. The doorbell happened to catch my Mom home alone, and that's why we were sent to the very back of the house and the best room to be in if you're trying to defend yourself. Luckily, it was the county Sheriff and a minute later Mom gave us the all clear. But what if it had been someone else?
Well, I'd like to think that I would have been as brave as that 11 year old. One thing is for sure, my parents prepared me to handle the situation. Thank God for that.
Article via Sharp as a Marble via Say Uncle.
I think over there you are far more accustomed to dealing with guns. There would have to be a whole lot of educating done here for people to be safe with them. I'm not sure what I feel about it really although when it comes to defending one's family it's a different ball game.
Posted by: Pat | January 25, 2010 at 08:19 AM
It's interesting, people in the country are more likely to be familiar with firearms than in the city. I've noticed that that is the case in Britain as well - though I think you are right, as a whole we are more accustomed to different types of firearms.
Always best to start with the basics: http://www.nrahq.org/education/guide.asp
Also agree with you about defending one's family. I hope it never, ever comes to it, but if it does I hope I'll be able to protect them with no regrets!
Posted by: Kath | January 27, 2010 at 03:10 PM