Guns and Safe Sex

Gun control is a hot topic.  Opinions range from those who would like to ban all private gun ownership to those who think that the only gun control they need is a firm grip and a steady aim.  No one has suggested however that principles from other public safety programs might be applied to fire arms efficaciously.  The effectiveness of sex education could be used as a model for removing the danger of guns without disarming America.

After all, it is no use telling kids to abstain from using guns.  Kids never listen anyway.  What we need is "gun education"  so that children can grow up practicing  "safe shooting".  This education should start in elementary school as the children are first beginning to mature.  As their bodies change, their increased hormone levels coupled with the influence of movies and the pressures of school, will eventually lead to very strong urges to shoot somebody.  It is best that they are prepared to handle these urges in an acceptable way. 

Guns should be openly discussed in mandated school assemblies.  Parents, of course, would be notified in advance so that any who wished to remove their children from such a program for religious reasons, however ill-advised this was, could do so.  The workings of a gun would be shown,  as well as the basics of how to shoot one.  They would be told that they really should wait until they are mature enough and find that "special something" that they really want to shoot before they decide to shoot for the very first time

Of course for any adolescent, urges to shoot something will at times become irresistible and they will have to have a safe way to relieve these tensions.  Experienced teachers could tell them about a totally natural and harmless way of  self shooting, which can be very stimulating and satisfying if properly done.  Better they take out a toe than to attempt it without instruction, shoot themselves in the eye, and end up blind.  Teachers could pass out free targets and ammunition.  Even though some children do not yet have all the necessary equipment to use it they can still have fun blowing up the shell casings.  Undue guilt should not be foisted on them.  They should learn that some people have different shooting styles and prefer to shoot at different things.  That does not make them "evil" or "sinful".  If they feel they want to shoot something unusual they could talk with a counselor or perhaps a local "teen G/L support group" (gun and loading)  could help them explore their alternative targeting.

Confidentiality would be very important to the success of the program.  If a child fears that his or her parents might find out that they are weaponry active they would be unlikely to seek advice or practice "safe shooting".  Unwanted deaths could occur, causing the spread of venerable deceased persons, since old people cannot get out of the way fast enough.

It is naive to think that unwanted deaths will not occur.  Children should be allowed to dispose of unwanted kills in a safe manner at local clinics where counselors would be on hand to assure them that they are doing the right thing by getting rid of what would eventually be an unwanted corpse.  They must be able to do so without anyone's permission, especially their parents.  Far better they have such options available so they don't have to go to some back ally Mafia wise guy who tries to do the job with a wood chipper and a glad bag.

Perhaps if we use the techniques that have been so effective in solving teen sex problems our society faces, gun control can be more easily dealt with than we imagined.