Moment of Sadness Today

A

Amsdorf

Moderator
So, I'm out in my backyard working on one of my Garands. Yes, of course, it is unloaded, double safety checked, on safe, perfectly safe, etc.

We have no fence in our backyard and two of the neighborhood boys are peeking at what I'm doing, they were apparently standing there for a while and I did not see them. One is around ten, the other eight.

Finally I did and I said, "Hey guys! How you doing."

They said, "Is that a real gun?"

I say, "It sure is."

Of course, boys being boys, they come over and are absolutely fascinated by it. All kinds of questions. I tell them all about WWII and about the Garand and so forth.

Then, the question I was dreading came, "Can we hold it?"

Now, back when I was growing up, in the sixties, if I had found my neighbor working on a rifle in his backyard, of course I would have asked the same thing and he would have let me hold it, probably even showed me how to hold it correctly and fire it, etc. etc.

But, of course, this being the age of the nanny state and overprotective/helicopter parents I sadly had to say, "Guys, I'd love to let you hold it, but you need to ask your mom and dad first. I'm not sure if they would want you to hold a real gun."

One little boy just looked at the ground and said, sadly, "I don't think my mom would."

Now, in their defense:

(1) Safety first -- yes, good idea not to encourage kids to hold guns of neighbors no matter how sure everyone is, it is not loaded.

(2) I'm not their mom or dad and I can't make decisions for their parents.

(3) I know I, and they, did the right thing.

But....left me feeling rather sad and hollow, at the thought that these guys may never get that close to a real piece of history like this again and may well never have a chance to learn proper gun safety and handling.

Just kind of a bummer!!!
 
I agree it is a very different world today than growing up in the sixties. I also know that in 1966 at 10 years old, if I had come home and told my mother the neighbor had let me hold his rifle without her knowledge and permission there would have been unhappy consequences for me, and him. She may not have had a problem if she knew and trusted that person, but I'm guessing had she or my father not been there they would not have approved. Truth is if one of my grandkids came home with the same story today I would not approve.

With all that said, I also feel bad for the kids out there who may never get a chance to know the joy of doing things that we take for granted. Learning to safely and properly handle firearms was a right of passage for many of us. My grandkids have never seen or handled any of my guns because my daughter and her husband do not approve of them. When they get a little older and able to make their own choices I will teach them to use them. Until then I will continue to respect their right to raise their kids as they see best. It makes me sad and feeling a little hollow also...
 
Anyone else wished that we could live permanently in 1956? Sure, that was way before I was born, but I miss those days :D My father has similar stories about being young in the late '50's and early 60's and how everyone in small town Idaho where he grew up hunted and fished. How things have changed.
 
When I was a kid we'd visit a neighbor down the road who collected guns and had a good number of them. He'd always find some ammo and let us fire them a few times. Too bad something like that would be unthinkable today due to political correctness and fear of legal action. My, how times have changed, and not for the better IMO.
 
I grew up with guns in the house, and was trusted with them at a pretty young age after I proved I understood the responsibility that went with them.

But I seriously doubt that my parents would have approved of me handling a stranger's gun without one of them being present, at least until I was in my teens.
 
Should mention, I'm no stranger to the kids or their parents, we have a great neighborhood. It is just sad that it would be a "BIG DEAL" if I had let them handle it.

Then again, doubt I'd be thrilled if my kid came home and said, "Hey, Dad, Mr. Webster let me play with his WWII rifle."

My head understands.
My heart is having trouble catching up.

Oh, well.
 
Check out your local gun club and get involved in the firearms safety program. I just helped out a nearby community with their class two days ago and it's such a rewarding feeling to work with young eager to learn children.
And just by the way you handled this situation could do great good in your neiborhood.
I predict in the very near future those parents will be in contact with you to learn about guns because of the good judgment you used.:)
 
I understand your disappointment, but good on you for the right call. It is always encouraging to come to these forums and find a plethora of intelligent, reasonable, ethical, and safety minded individuals. I would venture to guess the popular stereotype of "gun enthusiasts" does not include those adjectives...but we know better here.
 
I've had a similar situation happen to me a few month ago this summer and it just breaks your spirit.... poor kid, but however some parents don't even let their kids say "gun" let alone touch and look at one. I instill gun safety with my 4 year son to make sure he doesn't miss out though. Its the helicopter parents, not the kids.
 
Dad told stories of when he was young, walking to school with his shotgun so he could hunt on the way home. Shotgun would be inspected by teacher to make sure is wasn't loaded and stored in the cloak room until the end of the day.
Was no big deal.

Sadly, as things are today....Kudo's to you for the very wise way you handled the situation.

Maybe at some point and time you can bring this up to the kids parents and get permission to show them.
 
I think you made the right decision. the last thing you want is for the kids' parents to come over and yell at you for allowing them to hold your gun. safety and common sense were your friends in this situation.
 
Amsdorf - you did the right thing. You would catch no end of h*ll had a parent learned of it and didn't consent. If they are in the Boy Scouts, perhaps they can learn firearms safety and marksmanship through that organization.
 
Well done, you did the right thing.

The funny thing is... that I suspect that it would have been the right thing to have done in most of the USA back in the early 60's when I was a kid too. Parents vary in their views on firearms, and always have. Example: My mother grew up on a dairy farm in the deepest part of Pennsylvania, where guns were just farm tools, yet she was (and is) as anti-gun as any Brady Bunch member. If a neighbor had let me handle a rifle without her permission even back in 1963, there would have been hell to pay.

Oh well...


Willie

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I agree it is a very different world today than growing up in the sixties
Click to expand...

Fast forward another 50 or 60 years. How many fewer people proportionately speaking, will be familiar with firearms?

As the population grows, and as viable shooting areas decrease, it bodes ill for the future of shooting and the shooting sports.
 
take the next step

If you know the parents maybe you could approach them and offer some free shooting lessons -excuse me, gun safety first lessons and then offer to take them shooting. We have to do all we can to educate the young on responsible gun ownership. Join the boy scouts as a volunteer It' a lot of fun too!
 
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