CHILDREN AND GUNS

“Nationally, guns kill twice as many children and young people as cancer, and five times as many as heart disease.  We see guns as much of a threat to their lives as bacteria and viruses.”   Dr. Judith S. Palfrey, Academy of Peadiatrics, in a report  in the New England Journal of Medicine.

After the Sandy Hooks Elementary School massacre of 20 first grade school children on December 14, 2012 until May 4, 2013, less than 5 months, there were 137 accidental shootings of children and teens, 57 of which were fatal.   These 137 incidents are of children and teens accidentally shot by themselves, by parents, siblings, relatives, friends, neighbors and caregivers, none of these shootings were by strangers.  To view this list of 137 accidental shootings with, names, dates, locations and details go to www.dailykos.com/story/2013/5/05/1206983/-Accidental-Shooting-of-Children.

One of those 137 incidents involved 5 year old Kristian Sparks of Burkesville, Ky who on May 2, 2013 accidentally shot and killed his 2 year old sister Caroline with his .22 caliber “Crickett” rifle he got for his birthday.

Two days after Caroline Sparks was killed by her 5 year old brother Rob Pincus at a home safety seminar of the NRA National Convention recommended parents store their guns in THEIR CHILDREN’S BEDROOM.

The .22 caliber Crickett rifle is manufactured by Keystone Sporting Arms (KSA) who specializes in manufacturing and selling guns designed for children.  KSA began business with four employees and produced 4,000 Crickett rifles in January 1996.  KSA purchased it’s two largest competitors and by 2008 had become the leading rifle supplier in the children market producing 60,000 Crickett and Chipmunk rifles that year. 

At the KSA website there are 8 pages of testimonials which you may read of parents who have purchased Crickett Rifles for their 5, 6  and 7 year old children.

The www.crickett.com website shows a small boy with his dog holding a gun with “Crickett—My First Rifle” in large letters —with an American Flag and the words Made In The USA underneath. The words “Keystone Sporting Arms Quality Firearms For America’s Youth” in large letters are on the webpage along with pictures of three Crickett Rifles.

In 20 states an 8 year old can legally buy and posses a shotgun.

In 22 states an 8 year old can buy a handgun at a gun show.

The U.S. Department of Labor lists some 25 occupations which are declared to be hazardous and anyone 18 years or younger are forbidden to be employed in these occupations.  Minors 14 and 15 years of age may not be employed in some 14 listed occupations deemed to be hazardous and minors under the age of 14 may not be employed or permitted to work.

Americans have enacted laws making it unlawful: (1) for people under a certain age usually 21 years or 18 years to purchase, consume or possess alcoholic beverages (2) for people under 16 or 17 years of age to drive motor vehicles (3) to sell tobacco products to anyone under 18 years of age.

These laws were enacted to protect the lives and health of children from dangerous products, machinery and activities. 

Why do Americans not enact laws to protect the lives of 5-6 and 7 year old children from dangerous guns?

If it is lawful for KSA to manufacture guns and advertise they were made especially for 5-6-and 7 year old children should it be lawful for  Budweiser to manufacture a beer and advertise it was made especially for 5,6 and 7 year old children?