gun rights

Children in hunting ads - shocking?

Sophie Team Observers — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:01:20 +0200

Our Observer Alberto Celani alerted us to this PR campaign from Italian hunting association Federcaccia. Not everyone is delighted with the idea - should we be encouraging children to hunt, and even worse, use guns?

Gun ownership: a right or a hazard?

Julien — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:53:30 +0200

The United States constitution gives an individual the right to own and bear arms. However, fatal shootings in the past, many involving teenagers, have made gun control a hot topic in US politics. We asked our Observers if they felt it was important to own a gun for personal safety.

Need to know what to do during a school shooting? Buy the DVD.

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 15:25:26 +0200

A DVD that teaches students how to act in the event of a shooting is causing quite a stir in the US. Released in late June, the program is already being shown in more than 500 universities.

Shots Fired on Campus was developed in the aftermath of the Virginia Tech massacre. Created by security experts and former FBI agents, the 20 minute DVD teaches college students how to develop a "survival mind-set"; to keep an eye out for "pre-incident indicators" and to "take out the shooter" if they can't run or hide. It also includes a preparation guide for teachers if the worse should happen. Depending on its intended use, the programme costs between $500 and $1500 (€400 - €1100).

But as increasing numbers of universities choose to use the program, students are becoming worried about its implications. Some say it's a "step in the right direction", while others claim that it only teaches students "to be afraid of each other".

The manufacturers are selling the DVD online.

McKenzie, the 11-year-old who can field strip and reassemble a rifle in 53 secs

Sophie Team Observers — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:05:16 +0200

This video may prove shocking if you're not accustomed to seeing children handling guns. On the American blogosphere however, 11-year-old McKenzie has attracted great admiration.

The video of an eleven-year-old girl assembling a rifle in record time is causing a stir on the web. Largely admired in the US, the video has attracted such comments as "beware terrorists", "don't break her heart or she'll murder your whole family" and "this girl is awesome". However, in places where learning to use a gun at a tender age is not exactly commonplace the video has raised concern over children's access to guns - particularly since it involves a country infamous for its school shootings. Despite 1989 Child Access Prevention laws in place in many states, nearly 12 times more under-14-year-olds die from firearms incidents in the US compared with 25 other developed countries combined [according to the anti-gun violence Brady Campaign]. Nonetheless, owning a gun is a fundamental right in the US, and protected by the Second Amendment. Our Observers explain why.

Eleven-year-old McKenzie's record. Posted 12 January 08 by "gixxerguy811".