Watching the Skies?

Did anyone else open their paper this morning and see this image? Somehow I'm thinking that outside of North Carolina, this might raise a few eyebrows. Kid. Big Eyes. Innocence. Nature. Gun????

I am not against hunting per se. When I see a friend's car smashed because the proliferating deer population along with development and a diminishing food supply have pushed these poor animals into the roads and out of their safe habitat...I do see a need for hunting to reduce the population. And I have personally experienced venison to be a good meat selection. (Sorry Shirley!) I'm sure duck is a good poultry selection too and there may be reasons I don't know about to reduce the duck population. So, it's not the act of hunting that is bothering me.

It bothers me that one would put a gun in a child's hands for any reason. I don't really care what the pioneers did...we are not pioneers. If you need/want the animal for food, that's fine, but let's have the gun in the hands of a responsible, well-trained adult.

Here's what bothers me:

• This child is too young to make his own informed decision about killing animals. He may shoot a duck and watch it die and it may haunt him for a long time to come.
• A 7-year old does not have the maturity to operate a car or defend our country or vote or drink a beer. So why would anyone put a gun in his hands? I wouldn't let a 7-year old use my laptop...so I certainly wouldn't put something that could potentially kill a human being in his hands with confidence.
• Kids are stupid, stupid, stupid beings. I didn't have a glimmer of my own mortality until I was 21 years old. Out of regular kid curiosity, this kid could decide to look down the barrel of that gun to see what's inside and inadvertently pull the trigger.
• Don't tell me about safety locks, teaching responsible gun ownership and all that crap. I have to think twice about letting my son carry breakables from the table to the sink...because S*** happens!!! I can handle a broken glass, but I would not be able to handle a child bearing loss of life, serious injury or the horror of killing a live animal at the age of 7.
  
• Kids should be looking to the skies to name stars, figure out the shape a cloud makes or pray to their deity of choice. Kids' brows should not be knit in anticipation of, fear of or terror or a flock of birds flying over and forcing the use of a gun!

I don't have enough information to make an informed choice about gun laws, gun ownership, etc. But I do know kids...lots of them, mine and other people's...and this picture is just wrong!

Di

Comments

[pussreboots]

I agree. That's just wrong. He doesn't look happy either. It looks like a parent forcing a dangerous hobby on the child. I feel sorry for the kid.

[Di]

I appreciate your comment...and the non-confrontational way you presented your point of view. I was a little afraid I would get SLAMMED by gun activists or something.

[Rian Fike]

Very strong statement, very much needed in today's modern world. I teach in the inner city, and this message is needed here too.

The title of the photo, the name of the city, and the image of beautiful eyes aimed at the sky are very synchronistic for me this morning since I posted one of Nina's paintings in the exact same theme. What a wonderful way to greet the day!