Thursday, July 2, 2009

Minors and Firearms

Kurt over at Armed and Safe/St Louis Examiner looks at the issue of a case dealing w/ minors and firearms:
The question thus becomes one of whether or not the Second Amendment protects a minor's possession of a firearm. Readers might guess that I'll have difficulty finding a way of reconciling shall not be infringed with a lack of protection for such a right. Those readers would be correct.
Here's the comment I left:

As a parent, I'm mixed. Do we go down the slippery-slope and say it's OK for grade school children to walk around w/ handguns unsupervised? Drop the age to 16? 12?

With parents legally responsible for youth under the age of 18, who becomes responsible/accountable should something happen?

It's a legitimate debate that needs to be examined for not only Constitutional issues but safety issues as well.

Initially I think we should look at getting the handgun/long-gun ages at all levels dropped to age 18.

Kurt also notes that the state is ignoring the fact that the 9th Circuit (of which WA is a part of) ruled for incorporation.

3 comments:

Bob S. said...

We let kids drive at 15 or 16...if they are mature enough. Each parent decides if they want to let their child get a license.

We hold kids as young as 15 responsible as adults for their crimes.

I know 19 year olds that are less mature and responsible than my 16 year old.

I don't think there is a single answer to the issue. I do know that it should be the parents choice, not the governments.

As with anything, if there is a problem....criminalize the irresponsible action, not the possession.

kaveman said...

I agree with Bob S. This is a choice for parents.

Personally, at age 12, I was given my own .22 rifle and kept it my room. I was allowed to come and go as I pleased with it, with the very real knowledge that if I ever misused it, it would be taken away immediately.

I didn't want that to happen, so I used it responsibly.

Maybe my next blog post will be about the time I was spotted in a tree with my rifle by 20 cops.

Goog stuff.

harp1034 said...

I had a M-14 when I was 17. Yes, it was a real M-14. No, my parents were not around. When I was 18 I had a M-16 and a .45 Automatic Pistol.