Right, I know a lot of you people come from countries and societies where guns are shunned and demonized, but as someone who's been around them since birth, I can tell you that with good parenting and teaching, guns can be perfectly safe, and actually increase your safety beyond a state of not having guns (statistically). My father always kept his guns far out of reach (top shelf of the closet, in some cases that were locked). When I got older, I was given a BB gun , which are only dangerous if you shoot someone in the face. But when I was given this gun, I was taught how to use it, how to clean it, and most importantly, how to use it safely. I was never to use it when an adult wasn't around, I was never to play with it indoors, I was always to wear eye protection, and I was always to never shoot towards anything but the target (usually old cans, those are fun to shoot at). From an early age I was taught how to be safe with guns, how to use them effectively, and how to keep other people from harming themselves with my guns. I never had one mishap growing up, and no one in my family did either. And guess what, with this proper training and all the saftety precautions, we are actually safer than someone without a gun (for instance a scenario where an armed robber breaks into your house at night). And for the record, in the scenario where the child kills himself: Poor parenting killed that child. No child should be left alone long enough for that to happen. That's a parental failure, not the fault of a gun. It's no different than leaving window cleaning chemicals where the kid can reach them.
If you don't like guns and don't want one, that's fine. Don't keep one. But don't berate others for keeping weapons while taking great care and precautions. Guns aren't something to be hated and feared. They're merely tools. It's the person wielding them that you should mind. Guns are inherently neutral. They can provide recreation, entertainment, a chance for people to bond together (like a father and son going hunting or to the shooting range), and a great deal of safety. Only when used improperly can they be a threat to innocents, and only then. So if people are taught to use them correctly (as AngelofMusic clearly has been, especially considering her father is a retired police officer), there's really no reason to show disgust.
And yes, that IS a nice silhouette.
(but she doesn't believe me)
EDIT: And yes, swords should be legalized as well. Think about it, what kind of criminal would try to attack someone with a big sword strapped to their back. I mean initially, there might be problems (as there always is when people are given new found freedoms), but over time, I think it would balance itself out. I know I'd carry a sword everywhere. I just think that there should be the same limitations placed on swords as guns. Then you'd be set.
