I, as well as many on this board, grew up in homes with firearms that were never locked up in a safe, nor did they have trigger locks on them. Growing up, my dad always had a 1911, loaded with one in the chamber, sitting in the nook of his headboard. Under his bed, there was a shotgun, again fully loaded, as well as an M1 carbine, again fully loaded. Mom always had her .22 pistol loaded and in the nightstand. I didn't grow up and become a serial killer or a mass murderer. My friends were raised in homes with guns in pretty much the same way...and none of them became serial killers or mass murderers.

We were taught at a very young age to treat all weapons as if they were loaded. We were taught how to check to see if the safety was on, as well as how to properly handle the weapon. We learned at a young age that they are deadly, and not toys. I was 6 years old the first time I got to shoot my dad's M1, 8 when I was given my first .22 rifle, 10 when I was given a shotgun, and 18 when dad gave me my first .38. *GASP* Oh, the horror...how did this young man ever survive his childhood??

Someone, please tell me...How can this be? Why is it that we can have generations of people grow up around guns, and have them all their lives, yet they don't go out and become mass murderers??

Today's youth don't understand consequences anymore. They don't understand that if you don't follow the rules, that you'll be punished. Why is that?? Because years ago, the courts stepped in and started telling parents that they weren't allowed to bust their kids on the ass for breaking the rules. If you did, the child could call the cops, and you'd be hauled off in handcuffs. We, as a society, are now afraid to punish our kids. We're afraid to do much more than tell little Johnny no and put him in time out.

Sorry folks, but a bit more kids getting their rumps beat for breaking the rules at a younger age would teach them about consequences. It worked for the generations prior to mine...it will work for today's generation too.

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1987 560SL
85,000 miles