A good reason not to keep guns in the house
1420 AM reports tragic news today, as a Hockley County child accidentally shot his brother with his grandfather’s pistol found in his other brother’s room.
Sheriff David Kinney says no charges have been filed. It is being investigated as an accident. Here’s Kinney speaking on News Channel 11. “The weapon, we found out the 13-year-old had taken the weapon about three months ago from his grandpa’s house in Lubbock, without the grandpa’s permission or knowledge.”
Guns are designed to kill, and having one in the home in a place where a child could access it is not wise. Grandpa had every right to own a gun and keep it in his home, but this story and the many other accidental gun death stories like it are a major reason why I have made a personal decision not to allow guns — mine or anyone else’s — in my home.
My heart goes out to the family in this sorrowful time.
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May 15th, 2008 at 12:23 am
I bet there’s a lot of women’s rights advocates that would disagree. I bet some of them would say that a gun in the hands of a trained woman is the difference between getting raped and getting home safely. And that’s just the beginning of the arguments in favor of having a gun at home.
More children die in car crashes than shooting incidents. Do we outlaw cars?
And what about the kids of police officers, sheriff’s deputies, FBI agents and the like? Should we also make it illegal for police to have guns in their home? And what about the farmers & ranchers who have shotguns and rifles in the home to protect against critters like coyotes? You think a coyote won’t approach your homestead and come right up to your back door? And that says nothing of rattle snakes.
How many times has a gun saved a life in West Texas for one reason or another? I don’t know. But I’ll bet it’s higher than zero.
My father was a police officer for many years. When I was little, every few months he would show me the gun. Do you touch this? No Daddy. Is this dangerous? Yes Daddy. What might happen if you pull this trigger? I might get hurt, Daddy. Gun safety and gun etiquette were taught in our home. There was no alternative available to our family.
I wonder why Chase Lightner’s grandfather had a loaded gun within reach of a child? I wonder why he reports to the Sheriff that he did not know it was missing? How the hell do you not know your gun is missing? Did this man even think about gun locks?
There’s no sense in charging Grandpa with a crime. He’ll suffer far more on his own for the death of this boy than any misery a jail cell can bring.
I do not have a gun. But I have considered the downside of not having one. Oh, and there is a serious downside.
Let me leave you with these thoughts. One student properly trained, qualified, and licensed with “concealed carry” on the campus of Virginia Tech could have dropped the death toll from 32 to 16. One student properly trained, qualified, and licensed with “concealed carry” on the campus of Virginia Tech could have dropped the death toll from 32 to 8. One student properly trained, qualified, and licensed with “concealed carry” on the campus of Virginia Tech could have dropped the death toll from 32 to 4. And just maybe, one student properly trained, qualified, and licensed with “concealed carry” on the campus of Virginia Tech could have dropped the death toll from 32 to 1.
May 15th, 2008 at 7:23 am
I’m not advocating charging grandpa with a crime or outlawing guns in the home or anything like that. I wanted to share my personal reaction to this news story, not criticize anyone involved in it.
Having grown up in Lubbock, I often get looked at like I’m from another planet whenever I mention my stance on guns in the home. I don’t want guns anywhere near me if I can help it, especially when I’m in my own home. If someone comes to my house and they’re packing, I will politely ask them to leave.
I’m glad your father taught you gun safety; my father and my uncle did the same for me. The power of care and attention are undeniable.
Indeed, I think that care and attention would have reduced the Virginia Tech death toll to zero.
May 15th, 2008 at 7:42 am
You say, “Indeed, I think that care and attention would have reduced the Virginia Tech death toll to zero.” I would agree.
May 20th, 2008 at 8:54 am
What do you plan to do if your home is ever broken in to while you are there? How fast do you think the police will respond?
Regardless the chances of such an event, the chance still exists. Do you think you are prepared for a potential violent burglar who is capable of murder and rape?
May 20th, 2008 at 9:19 am
That’s the dilemma, isn’t it?
Do you think the risk of accidental gun death/injury is greater than the risk of death/injury from a home invader?
Do you think we live (or will ultimately live) in a lawless society mostly full of shady characters, or do you think we live (or will ultimately live) in a law-abiding society mostly full of good people?
I’ve weighed the risks and made my decision not to keep a gun in my home.
June 12th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
I own several guns and keep them in my home. However, only once has there ever been a loaded gun in my home. That one time was a result of having a person walk into my kitchen off the street and case the place out right in front of me. I kept that gun loaded for about ten minutes after he left before I became so uncomfortable with it that I unloaded it and decided I’d be better off just hitting him with it if he came back.
In fact, I don’t even store my guns and my ammunition in the same place.
My guns are not for self protection any more than my kitchen knives are. Could they be used that way? Sure, but that isn’t why I have them. I understand why you might want a gun for self protection and that an unloaded gun isn’t of much use (other than the significant use of visual deterence) in the chance that you actually need one, but if you feel like you need that kind of immediate protection close to hand at least keep the loaded clip out of the gun and nothing in the chamber and for the love of God, don’t keep it within the reach of children…