Last night at work I noticed a children's book getting ready to be reshelved...
(The Right to Bear Arms by Paul J. Deegan, c.1987)
I thought, "Wow, a Second Amendment book for kids! Cool," and started flipping through the pages. It began simply enough, describing what the Second Amendment means and a little bit of its history, recounting the era in which the Amendments were written...
(Paul Bunyan?)
"Hmm...no," I said to myself. "I suppose they weren't." (& they weren't thinking about duck hunting or collecting either, Jimmah - I believe it was intended to protect us from people like you.)
I continued reading and found a tale of a boy at home alone one evening. He thought he heard the sound of someone breaking into the house. He was frightened...
(the raccoon mask, official uniform of burglars everywhere)
...and suddenly remembered that Dad had a rifle in his closet. The boy wondered if he should go get it in case the burglar got in?
(Yes, I know it's a shotgun. The book called it a rifle.)
But no, in the end, the boy decided to do the "right" thing...
(when seconds count, the police are only minutes away)
Luckily for the boy, the policeman arrived in time (with his handgun) and the burglar ran away.
Sadly, every story does not have such a happy ending. A child should be taught to safely use the tools available to them...
(photo courtesy of the ever-so-talented Oleg Volk)
...even if they're pink.
14 comments:
Dear God! Who put this book out, the Brady Campaign?
My kids will learn how to protect themselves with the best tools available to them, while waiting for the Police to arrive (if they come at all).
You'd think there would be a better book on this topic available somewhere...
It's all about appearances:
See? We have a book on the 2nd amendment. We're showing diversity and acceptance. We don't need another from the NRA or any other such controversial, paranoid, right-wing extremist organization.
WV: Kulldear - a slow, but cherished killdeer
In North Carolina, it is illegal to leave a firearm where a minor can access it, so her right to defend herself doesn't kick in until she's 18
"In North Carolina, it is illegal to leave a firearm where a minor can access it."yup, we have the same MAP law here.
Breda, had this book been written in 1947 rather than 1987 I bet it'd have a distinctly different message.
Mike W. Or in 2010 for that matter!
We've come a long way since the depths of the 80s!
Breda, had this book been written in 1947 rather than 1987 I bet it'd have a distinctly different message.
.....or how about 1776? I am sure they would have had a different tact especially during Lexington and Concord!
Oh, that picture is magnifique!As for that NC law, I think the "12/6 rule" applies here.
What's ironic is there are more than a few stories in the Armed Citizen column of America's First Freedom (and the other NRA flagship pubs) of brave young people (often "tweens", 10-12) who used the family firearm to defend against a home invasion/robbery attempt.
Good kids one and all.
Recommend you, ahem, weed that particular book. Tell your director it's "outdated".
I love the way you ended the story.
Could be a pump-action rifle...
Nice trigger awareness on that pink machine. Nice to see a picture of a responsible kid.
Hey Breda. Have you ever considered writing children's books? ;)
"...and the burglar ran away."
...to victimize someone else.
and that book was reported "lost" in the system forever more.
Right?
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