If you have kids, you might find you have a couple of nosy neighbors today. It’s National ASK Day. They like to say that it’s not about gun control, yet their “activists” say that this is about preaching to others about the dangers of owning guns. So, it’s not about taking your guns with force, just trying to be nannies who bother you into giving them up. Because that’s so much better – death by harassment and annoyance.
At least if we had kids, no one would have to ask. We’re pretty outspoken about our gun ownership in a very polite and “normal” way – whether it’s the NRA stickers, the political volunteer time, or the fact that we’d probably be shooting parents instead of soccer parents, I think we’d send the message pretty loud and clear while sending the right messages about gun ownership being a normal thing.
I understood the meaning of the last sentence – after I read it twice.
Somehow “we’d probably be shooting parents” just sounded wrong on the first read.
Ha! I have heard the term before from parents of kids who are really into competitive shooting, so I don’t hear it like that at all. I’ll leave it like that just because I think it’s funny now. :)
Next time, you really ought to write “gunner parents” rather than “shooting parents” for the sake of clarity.
I have never heard people whose kids actually compete use that term before. And, I’ll be honest, I think it sounds very silly. I would rather just say, “I drag my kid to shooting events in an SUV” than use the term gunner.
“Is there a gun where my child plays?”
No, its in my holster.
No, its a safebox by the bed.
No, its locked up in the gun cabinet.
I have actually had a parent ask before, but because his daughter was babysitting our kids. He wasn’t particularly gun-hostile–but he knew a few gun owners that seemed to lack the sense that God gave turnips. Sad to say, my wife and I have met a few of those, too–couples that had handguns lying around the house, loaded, with a toddler.
They would do better asking if there is a swimming pool at the house, since they kill many more kids than guns do.
Swimming pools are generally a bit more obvious of a hazard when you drop your kid off. When we lived in California, it might have been worthwhile to ask if there was pot in the house, but that would have been a silly question, rather like asking if there was salt in the kitchen.
When we lived in California, it might have been worthwhile to ask if there was pot in the house, but that would have been a silly question, rather like asking if there was salt in the kitchen.
Now that is funny!
I’d like to know which of my neighbors do not have guns, then I could put a sign in my yard which reads, “Please burglarize and rob them —–>, they have no guns to protect themselves like I do.”
Just kiddin’…
About 5 years back, we where actually been “Asked” by some liberal weenies over in Swarthmore. They didn’t let their kid come over to play, and we had to explain to our tearful 4 year old that there are bigots in the world.
The idiots thought they were being all magnanimous is inviting our kid over to their house of helplessness and literally couldn’t understand why we declined, or that they’d given offense.
I actually DO ask parents if they have guns in the house before I allow my kid to visit. I don’t CARE if they have them…just if they’re safe about storage. My four year old lacks the muscle to pull a trigger or rack a slide, but he knows what guns are and where the danger points are(muzzle and trigger). The elder and the younger both know not to even touch one unless supervised, are such rules observed in other houses? That’s why I ask.
It might be worthwhile (FUN) to ask, and if positive say, “Well hey, when do you wanna go to the range?!” :-)
Or in the case of a negative reply with, “Oh shucks, then we aren’t gonna ever go shootin’ are we?”
Clayton: Yes, I know, I was just being a bit sarcastic about the pool thing. Mostly about how people will focus on one thing and ignore a larger danger. On an OT note, I really liked the story on your Civilian Gun page about the 2 robbers in the liquor store in Iowa. That clerk with the .44 did a great job and a huge public service.
If anyone had asked my parents if there were guns in the house, the reply would have been “Yes and my kids know how to use them…”
My wife has had to deal with this a few times, and I gather that one or two moms in the ‘hood got squirrelly about it. But she answers “they’re all locked up” which is the easiest way to say “until Dad comes home”. But it’s not like I keep a .45 on the coffee table during playgroups.
I like the “shooting parents” phrasing. I’m trying to resist (peacefully) becoming a soccer parent. ;-)
“Now that is funny!”
More like tragic. It’s part of what made me a conservative, not a libertarian. I had a conversation with another parent in line at Sears one day. He was going on about how important it was to get kids involved in team sports really earn on, “before they get involved in ” and I was expecting him to say, “drugs” but no, he said ‘guns.” Many parents where we lived would prefer their kids be smoking pot, not target shooting.