Video console death: US boy, 9, 'kills sister, 13, over controller'

[Flarelaine]

Your liberal government-knows-best attitude is showing. It's doubtful a law on the books saying you have to store a gun safely while it's at home (assuming there isn't one in this case), would have made any difference. If one doesn't know to store a gun safely away around children, there's very little chance a law in some legislature tucked away in some backroom is going to elicit such an action of safety.

Most "red" people are rural, and aren't packing hand guns, they're packing rifles, shotties, etc. I look forward to when details are released and we find out this was another inner city situation with handguns. You know... the prevalent problem we have within certain communities in this country. Memphis tennessee is on the border with Mississippi.

http://wreg.com/2017/05/04/gangs-in-...tting-smaller/

Nice example of a dogwhistle you have there. You are quick to envision gangs, you dream of inner cities... but it happened in a county whose total population is around 37.000. The largest town has 5.000 people. I definitely call that rural. Trump carried that county by 30 points, while he only carried the state by 17. Memphis may have gangs, but Memphis is five counties away.

[The Stormbringer]

It wont help. Just like all those pictures of gross genitalia dealing with STD's doesnt help. Just like that wrecked up car sitting in the school parking lot doesnt help DUI's or texting while driving. Just like the cigarette commercials dont stop people from smoking. Its a simple matter, people just dont think bad stuff happens to them.

I really wish people in general were more paranoid. /sigh

This isn't an example with guns, but it is one of driving. The other day I was driving in the right lane, passing an on-ramp leading to the highway. Now, normally, every sane driver will use their signal and look to see if it's clear for them to merge before doing so. What does this driver do? None of that. I'm directly beside them and they try to merge into my car. If I wasn't a defensive, alert driver they would've smashed into me and likely caused a serious accident, since we were going 70MPH.

And then they give me a look like I'm the stupid one, when they should've looked and slowed down to merge behind me the entire god damn time.

[zealo]

Or, you know, maybe don't buy the god damn things in the first place....

It's not guns being sold to civilians that's the problem, but rather the culture surrounding guns, gun safety, mental health support, and mental health checks on those buying guns.

There are other western high income countries that have guns per capita in the ranges of about one for every third to fourth person, but with gun violence statistics that doesn't even come close to what the US has.

[petej0]

Tax should be levied on fire arms. That tax should go towards random inspections. Owner must be able to demonstrate that their licensed firearms are properly maintained and securely stored.

Failure results in your firearms being taken.

Sure while they are at it they can inspect pools (3,536 accidental drownings a year), and that their household chemicals are secure as well (400 deaths a year)

[Skalm]

This is just crazy, I can't help feeling that whichever parent owned the gun should be charged with manslaughter, who leaves a loaded gun within reach of children?

You are right in that the owner should be punished.

It's actually a felony (in most states) just to even leave a loaded gun out where a child can get to it (as in not locked in a safe). Whomever the gun is registered to (the owner), should be punished to the full extent of the law, and go to prison for a long time.

And inb4 someone says it. No, this person (gun owner) is not a good parent. A good parent would not leave a gun out for a child to access. The children will be better off if this person was out of their lives.

[LaserChild9]

Eh. I'm definitely against guns (as shown above), but this is just stupid. Not learning how to handle something doesn't mean that thing doesn't exist. Handling guns without any knowledge about them is dangerous (the accident in the article could've been avoided with proper education).

So this kid was 9 years old. At what point do you think he should have had weapons training? Children are not soldiers and should not be trained to handle and use so something until they can legally use it. It's a very sad day when you have to sit down with a child younger than 9 and educate them on firearm use in case they get hold of daddy's gun.

[petej0]

I really wish people in general were more paranoid. /sigh

Yea, I agree.

This isn't an example with guns, but it is one of driving. The other day I was driving in the right lane, passing an on-ramp leading to the highway. Now, normally, every sane driver will use their signal and look to see if it's clear for them to merge before doing so. What does this driver do? None of that. I'm directly beside them and they try to merge into my car. If I wasn't a defensive, alert driver they would've smashed into me and likely caused a serious accident, since we were going 70MPH.

And then they give me a look like I'm the stupid one, when they should've looked and slowed down to merge behind me the entire god damn time.

Dont get me started on driving. I see so much stupid shit, I really would like to get into the thinking of the actions of people.

I am 100% behind the idea of people having to take training and safety classes for firearms and passing tests before being able to own/purchase one. However one only has to drive on American highways to know it wouldnt solve a damn thing. These people supposedly took tests in order to obtain a drivers license, but obey half the rules of the road.

[The Stormbringer]

So this kid was 9 years old. At what point do you think he should have had weapons training? Children are not soldiers and should not be trained to handle and use so something until they can legally use it. It's a very sad day when you have to sit down with a child younger than 9 and educate them on firearm use in case they get hold of daddy's gun.

Or they can be taught, "This is a gun, it's very dangerous and not a toy. You shouldn't ever pick one up. Always tell your parents or an adult if you see one. This button here is the safety, if it's pushed in, that means the gun is a little bit safer, but you still shouldn't pick it up. Never pull the trigger or point it at someone or they could be very badly hurt and die."

[DSRilk]

I thought this part was interesting: "I assume he's seen this on video games or TV. I don't know if he knew exactly what this would do. I can't answer that."

So it looks like the standard blame video games and TV thing; however, he then goes on to say he's not sure a NINE year old knows what shooting someone would do. Well, if he saw it on a video game or TV he surely would...

[Krigaren]

it isn't videos to blame for this, it was was an undisciplined, unsupervised child. the parents and the kid are to blame, he may not have understood the consequences of using that gun, but he certainly knew what he was doing.

He knew that guns are the solution to problems. That's what he's taught in America, and given that there was a loaded gun within easy reach clearly shows that it's the attitude with which his parents raised him.

It isn't video games that's to blame, it's the parents and the toxic cult of guns in America that fuels gun fetishism and lack of regulation and responsibility that's to blame. Also the NRA, for pushing an agenda of gun ownership rather than gun respect and responsibility.

[The Stormbringer]

Yea, I agree.

Dont get me started on driving. I see so much stupid shit, I really would like to get into the thinking of the actions of people.

I am 100% behind the idea of people having to take training and safety classes for firearms and passing tests before being able to own/purchase one. However one only has to drive on American highways to know it wouldnt solve a damn thing. These people supposedly took tests in order to obtain a drivers license, but obey half the rules of the road.

I admit, I've done some stupid shit while driving before. Things that make me immediately pay more attention and curse myself out for being so dumb afterwards. I've nearly gotten into accidents at least twice before that were my fault, but instead of blaming other people, I take responsibility and try to avoid those situations in the future.

Wish more people were like that.

[Dystemper]

And it turned into a gun control debate .

[DSRilk]

Or they can be taught, "This is a gun, it's very dangerous and not a toy. You shouldn't ever pick one up. Always tell your parents or an adult if you see one. This button here is the safety, if it's pushed in, that means the gun is a little bit safer, but you still shouldn't pick it up. Never pull the trigger or point it at someone or they could be very badly hurt and die."

Unfortunately, teaching children something often doesn't translate into the child either listening or obeying. If someone wants to teach their children to shoot, so be it; but I hope they're not so naive as to let them do it or have access to the weapons unsupervised.

[Segus1992]

So this kid was 9 years old. At what point do you think he should have had weapons training? Children are not soldiers and should not be trained to handle and use so something until they can legally use it. It's a very sad day when you have to sit down with a child younger than 9 and educate them on firearm use in case they get hold of daddy's gun.

Pretty sure you're sorely misunderstanding here. Nobody said weapons training, but rather instructing the kid on how dangerous a gun is. That should happen at the same time as the "don't touch stove when it's on, very hurty" or "don't touch the big knives, very hurty" conversation. So right about age 2-3?

It's about learning how to respect dangerous things, not about learning how to hit that infidel running away across the field.

[The Stormbringer]

Unfortunately, teaching children something often doesn't translate into the child either listening or obeying. If someone wants to teach their children to shoot, so be it; but I hope they're not so naive as to let them do it or have access to the weapons unsupervised.

Oh, of course not. I'm in no way saying they shouldn't be unloaded and locked up, or be around weapons unsupervised! I've been pushing for gun respect and responsibility this entire time. People just need to know that ignorance does not solve problems, only giving education and taking precautions.

[Dystemper]

He knew that guns are the solution to problems. That's what he's taught in America, and given that there was a loaded gun within easy reach clearly shows that it's the attitude with which his parents raised him.

It isn't video games that's to blame, it's the parents and the toxic cult of guns in America that fuels gun fetishism and lack of regulation and responsibility that's to blame. Also the NRA, for pushing an agenda of gun ownership rather than gun respect and responsibility.

Thats a lot opf ignorance to cram into in post. You are aware that the NRA spends massive amounts of resources on teaching firearm safety, training classes and responsible gun ownership , right? Of course you are. The rest of the nonsense you spewed is just that nonsense. When you say things like Toxic cult of guns, and gun fetishism you loose any credibility in a discussion like this

[petej0]

So this kid was 9 years old. At what point do you think he should have had weapons training? Children are not soldiers and should not be trained to handle and use so something until they can legally use it.

There is a difference between teaching a child how to load and fire a weapon and teaching a child how to carry a firearm so as not to unintentionally fire it at someone. As I said before, if my child was in position where he had to handle a firearm, I would want them to know the proper way so they dont hurt someone.

It's a very sad day when you have to sit down with a child younger than 9 and educate them on firearm use in case they get hold of daddy's gun.

It is a sad day, you assume it would be "daddy's gun" it could be their friends dads gun, who left it under the couch and a younger sibling grabbed it. It could be a firearm found outside that another child picked up. I wouldnt want my child handling it and would prefer them to walk far away, but IF THEY HAD TO HANDLE IT, I would want them to know HOW TO.

[Dystemper]

Pretty sure you're sorely misunderstanding here. Nobody said weapons training, but rather instructing the kid on how dangerous a gun is. That should happen at the same time as the "don't touch stove when it's on, very hurty" or "don't touch the big knives, very hurty" conversation. So right about age 2-3?

It's about learning how to respect dangerous things, not about learning how to hit that infidel running away across the field.

We used to teach gun safety in the schools before the anti gun crowd got that stopped because it was promoting gun ownership

[Segus1992]

And it turned into a gun control debate .

Of course it did. This is going to keep happening until the US does something about it. I don't think that'll happen soon, but the more we talk about it the sooner it will. Once it does, the world will have become a little smarter.

[LaserChild9]

I agree, they should never be in a situation where they can handle a gun at such a young age. However we live in the real world, not some fantasy world. I would like my kids to know what a gun is and how dangerous they are so if they come across one, laying in the park or something, they can notify somebody so someone doesnt get hurt. Or if they are at a friends house and their friend is playing around with it they know how dangerous it is and I hope my teaching wins out and he leaves and never goes back, tells me, so I can discuss what happened to the parent and then of course never allow my kid at the house ever again.

I guess we have a difference of opinion because where I live the chances of any of your examples happening are practically non existent.

We live in a world where kids have toy guns and adults have guns. They arent taught the real results of what they can do. I wouldnt want my kids handling guns, BUT if it ever came to it, I would want them to know how to safely handle one, as to not harm anyone.

Well, you do, I don't. Again, I guess that's why we have different opinions on this.