Guns are not toys and shooting is not a game

Last edited Tue Mar 19, 2013, 07:40 AM - Edit history (1)

I'm not asking for laws about the above.

I'm just asking for a new way of thinking.

Yes, it sounds impossible, but we've made strides in elevating non violence as a value, we've made strides about bullying, from thinking it was a necessary part of growing up, to being increasingly battled and recognized for the harm it does.

In the aftermath of the Milk-Moscone assassinations in San Francisco when I was a child http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscone%E2%80%93Milk_assassinations, which were just one week after my congressman, Leo Ryan http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Ryan, was himself assassinated during the Jonestown Massacre (where my current congresswoman, Jackie Speier http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackie_Speier, was herself shot multiple times and survived)...I was not allowed to have toy guns.

I was disappointed at times that my friends could have them and I could not. But as I got older, though I shot guns, did target practice, I have never liked guns and in my early 20's eliminated even the rare shooting I did do with friends because it put lead into the environment.

I'm not asking people to not own guns in this post.

I'm asking them to make sure the next generation is taught that they aren't toys and that what they do isn't a game --it can be done and it will make a difference.