Thought The NRA Couldn't Get Crazier? WRONG!

(The image above is from the page of the Children's Defense Fund.)

No organization is more extreme in its position on guns than the National Rifle Association (NRA). They not only support concealed carry in all states, but they support open carry of firearms. They oppose all gun restrictions that cities and states have found it prudent to pass. They don't think firearms manufacturers should be able to be sued. They oppose efforts to ban the sale and possession of assault weapons (even though they have no real use except to kill humans in large numbers). And they don't think there should be any restrictions on the ability to buy a gun -- including background checks that would prevent criminals, terrorists, and the dangerously mentally-ill from purchasing any kind of gun they want.

Reviewing that list of positions taken by the NRA, one might be tempted to think the NRA couldn't get any crazier. But if you thought that, then you were wrong. Rob Pincus, teaching a seminar at the NRA's recent convention in Kentucky, told parents that they should consider leaving a loaded gun in their child's room. His idea was that the child's room would be the first place he would go if his home was broken into. And if that idea wasn't crazy enough, he went on to say that it would be sufficient to just hide the gun rather than secure it (lock it or put it in a safe)!

That is a completely insane idea. Is there any child that wouldn't eventually find a gun hidden somewhere in his room? And once the gun was found, wouldn't most children want to touch and handle the gun? Of course they would. Children don't truly understand the dangers inherent in handling a loaded gun -- even those children who have been warned against touching a gun. This is an idea, which if followed, would guarantee more child gun deaths in this country.

If the NRA's reaction to the Newtown massacre of young children didn't convince you that the NRA cared more about guns than they do about children, then this crazy idea should remove any doubt.

Here is some food for thought from the Center for Injury Research and Policy:

Gun-Related Injury Facts

• Nearly 1,500 children younger than 18 years of age die from shootings every year.
• More American homes have guns than dogs.
• 1 in 3 families with children have at least one gun in the house. There are more than 22 million children living in homes with guns.
• Most of the victims of unintentional shootings are boys. They are usually shot by a friend or relative, especially a brother.
• Half of all unintentional shooting deaths among children occur at home, and almost half occur in the home of a friend or relative.

Myths About Guns

• Most parents with guns think their children do not know where they hide them. However, 8 in 10 first graders know where their parents’ guns are hidden.
• Many parents think their children are not capable of firing a gun. However, children as young as 3 years are strong enough to pull the trigger of most American guns.
• Parents believe their children know the difference between real guns and toy guns, but few children younger than 8 years can tell the difference.
• Parents often believe their child would not touch a gun because “he knows better.” However, studies have found that most children will handle a gun if they find one, even if they have been taught not to.
• Some parents consider non-powder guns, like BB, pellet, and paintball guns, to be toys. These guns, which can fire at the speed of traditional guns, lead to nearly 22,000 injuries each year, especially eye injuries.