"Oh, my God, my baby, my baby," screamed a woman in the background of a call to 911 late last month. Her gut-wrenching cries were, according to the Zanesville (Ohio) Times Recorder, followed by "Sounds... of individuals getting into a car, the car starting," and then, " 'He's not breathing' is audible. The call then disconnects."
This child whose breathing stopped was just three years old. His 13-year-old brother now stands accused of murdering him -- with a shotgun. The news report doesn't tell us why this horrible crime happened, but we do know that there hardly could be a more tragic scenario for any parent or family member than to see young lives destroyed by gunfire so quickly, so horribly, and so senselessly.
I can see how tragedies such as this might lead some to find some merit in the National Rifle Association's (NRA) push to force its "gun safety" program into Virginia schools, as it has done successfully in other states over the past 20 years.
But it would be wise to stop this misguided excuse for gun safety education in its tracks. The NRA dresses up its gun safety course in the guise of a colorful cartoon character named Eddie Eagle. Yet there is absolutely no evidence directly linking the use of the Eddie Eagle program to a decline in children's deaths by guns. In fact, a study published in 2004 by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that children could memorize Eddie's simple advice about avoiding guns, but that advice went unheeded when children were put in real-life scenarios and asked to role-play a response. Indeed, not a single child out of 11 in the Eddie Eagle program study "used the skills in a real-life situation." The authors noted, "Studies have found that when children find guns, they often play with them," and concluded: "Existing programs are insufficient for teaching gun-safety skills to children."
Another study published in the late 1990s by the Violence Policy Center (VPC) noted that Eddie Eagle was like "Joe Camel with feathers," pointing out that: "The primary goal of the National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle program is not to safeguard children, but to protect the interests of the NRA and the firearms industry by making guns more acceptable to children and youth... The hoped-for result is new customers for the industry and new members for the NRA."
When I look at the full record of NRA activities, it's difficult for me to believe that the NRA leadership is serious about gun safety for children or anybody else. The cartoon bird provides a kid-friendly excuse to oppose stronger laws that would keep guns away from children -- laws requiring adults to safely store their firearms out of the reach of children, for example. By promoting Eddie Eagle as its answer to gun safety, the NRA places the burden on children to stay away from guns. What's more, the NRA repeatedly uses its lobbying muscle to fight proposals that would require firearms education courses and safety training for adults who want to purchase guns, and not on adults or parents to keep guns out of reach, or on manufacturers to make sure children can't fire their weapons.
Children in the United States die from gunfire at a higher rate than in any other industrialized nation, underscoring the need for gun safety education. But the responsibility for protecting children from these lethal weapons should not be dumped on already overburdened teachers and fiscally-strapped school districts that have limited instruction time. The responsibility belongs to parents, gun owners, and gun manufacturers.
When you consider the heart-ripping tragedies that mount every day in the form of accidental gun deaths, gun suicides, and the alleged gun homicide of a three-year-old by his sibling, one has to ask why. Why does the NRA continue to stand in the way of adult education and child safety laws that could stem the carnage?
http://www.blackgate.net/blog/gun-safety-program-attacked/
2009 US accounted for more than two-thirds of $55 billion in global arms transfer deals. What is the NRA's interest and why would the NRA be opposed to a treaty attempting to get a handle on the proliferation of conventional weapons in other nations?
Is this about the Second Amendment of the US Constitution? Is this about self-defense for individuals in their homes? Or, is this about the for-profit arms manufacturers?
Questions. Questions. Questions.
“Is it a "sales" office?â€
The only firearms the NRA sells is at Friends of the NRA banquets as a fundraiser for the NRA Foundation, which is a 501c3 charity.
“Isn't it illegal for the NRA to be involved in international weapons' sales?â€
The NRA is not involved in international weapons sales.
“What is the NRA's interest and why would the NRA be opposed to a treaty attempting to get a handle on the proliferation of conventional weapons in other nations?â€
“And what is the NRA doing with an office in the United Nations?â€
The NRA is registered as a Non Governmental Organization (NGO), and they are monitoring the United Nations Conference on the Illicit Trade in Small Arms to insure that legal civilian firearms ownership is not included in the treaty as the Mexican Ambassador has suggested. Another NGO monitoring the conference is the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA). The support the United Nations regulating banning civilian firearms.
“Questions. Questions. Questions.â€
Your questions show how little you know about the NRA. I suggest you go to the NRA website and educate yourself.
False!
How does the teaching children that if they find a gun, “Don’t touch, leave the area, tell an adult’ make firearms acceptable to children? That is like telling children “Don’t play with matches†make matches more acceptable to children as well.
The Brady Campaign and the Violence Policy Center are not trying to stop firearms crimes. Their goal is to total citizen disarmament, and they know the only way they achieve this is to vilify the NRA and firearms owners in general even if it means misrepresenting life saving safety programs like the Eddie Eagle Gunsafe program…shame on them.
Ms. Palin was right on script last week end. "President Obama is coming for your guns."
Wayne LaPierre's campaign "GunBanObama" ....
Sarah Palin
Chuck Norris
Newt Gingrich
All three are on your side.
Wow!
The Brady Campaign and the Violence Policy Center never saw a gun ban they didn’t like and, and they never saw a gun they find acceptable. In 1976, HCI's chairman Nelson Shields stated that the long-term goal of the organization was a ban on handgun ownership, and the Brady Campaign has never contradicted it.
Richard Harris, "A Reporter at Large: Handguns," New Yorker, July 26, 1976, 53, 58
Call your friends at the Brady Campaign for a list of firearms they find acceptable and will not push to ban. They will likely disconnect the call.
The claims that EE are the same as Joe are ludicrous and laughable at best, and a blatant hatred of all things NRA.
When there are six to eight gunners following my posts with their outlandish comments, it appears that my comments are much more than simply "LOL."
When you stop trailing me on this blog or half a dozen gunners stop posting after my comments, then maybe it might look that what I say doesn't matter in the scheme of things.
Until then ....
Eddie Eagle is Joe Camel with feathers. Another propaganda ploy of cartoonish dimensions to grab the attention of the youth in America. NRA ought to be dragged before a Congressional hearing just like the tobacco industry had been for false advertising detrimental to the health of our nation. It is a public health matter.
The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.
http://www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/awards.asp
Once again, you don’t know what your are talking about, and you obviously have never seen the program or any of its materials which is administrated by the Knox County Sheriff’s Department, and many other law enforcement agencies use . I have seen both, and the only message Eddie Eagle sends to children is, “If you see a gun, don’t touch, leave the area, tell an adult.†That is the only message the program sends which is why it has received so many endorcements and awards.
If the Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program promotes firearms to youth than prove is. Get the program guide and point out to us where Eddie Eagle touches a gun, talks positively about guns or gun ownership, talks about shooting, or the shooting sports. Good luck! I’ve seen the material and the program and things are not there. Once again you are not thinking for yourself or researching for yourself, and you are just reciting the propaganda of the gun ban groups.
Meanwhile the NRA counters any and all attempts at controlling gun violence. In fact, their policies in effect support criminal buys of guns. Isn't there a video about "Loopholes Galore?" The NRA is a racket. I would like to see a RICO case brought against them very soon.
Semper fi
Thus the notion that there is any relation between the two defies logic and cannot be taken seriously. It's like saying McGruff the crime dog wants to teach kids how to be robbers, or Smokey the Bear promotes arson.
The bottom line is you can't come up with any good reason to oppose this program. All it does is tell kids not to touch guns. It doesn't say anything about gun ownership and does not tell anyone to join the NRA. The only effect it has is increased awareness of gun safety, which no person could reasonably oppose.
Your logical outcome of your agenda is to remove all guns from responsible citizens and leave the thugs as the only remaining gun owners. You are misguided and dangerous, and I'm pleased to report that you are losing the argument as evidenced by the increase of states allowing carry permits.
Wow! That worked to sell more guns. Mission accomplished, as has been said before.
Americans own guns. They will always own guns. But Mary the Mole and the gun lobby knew their particular audience of many NRA gun owners had issues, and fear mongering played well to those "issues" .... poor souls. They really believe that the government has the interest and the time to come to their home to "grab" their guns. This way the NRA ramps up fear, so that any measure that attempts to control violence, is voted down. Machine guns for everyone!
Did you buy enough ammo for the seige?
Some day maybe sooner rather than later gun owners will wish some of their neighbors were not able to buy machine guns so damn easily. Shouldn't they at least have a background check and license? Why the free-for-all?
Semper fi
Paul Helmke knows this is a lie! Joe Camel advertisements featured a cartoon camel WITH A CIGARETTE IN ITS MOUTH, and an admiring woman looking on. By contrast, Eddie Eagle never touches a firearm, never advocates firearms use or ownership, and once again tells children, “If you find a gun, don’t touch, leave the area, tell an adult.†Helmke so hates lawful firearms owners and the NRA that he vilifies everything about firearms ownership including firearms safety programs that save lives, and it has received numerous endorsements and awards from groups that are not bent on citizen disarmament.
http://www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/awards.asp
In Knox County, Tennessee, the Knox County Sheriffs Department teaches The Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program in the public schools, and it has paid off. In Knoxville, a child found a handgun on the sink in a credit union restroom. He thought it was a toy and was about to pick it up, but he then remembered The Eddie Eagle GunSafe lesion that he learned in school. He didn’t touch the gun, left the restroom, and told his father. His father notified the branch manager, they entered the restroom, and found a loaded handgun that was left there by the branch security guard. The Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program saves lives, and shame on those who unjustly vilify it.
“We appreciate the cooperation of the Mount Holly Police,†said Foulk, who said students at his school were very receptive to the program. “I think this is one message that children sometimes don’t get.â€
Sgt. R.T. Calhoun of the Mount Holly Police was also enthusiastic.
“Yesterday the kids were so loud it was hurting my ears,†he said after the Catawba Heights presentation on Wednesday.
Both Calhoun and Foulk said they hope representatives from NRA headquarters come back next year -- before testing time.
http://www.gastongazette.com/news/elementary-47075-students-hands.html
How shocking! The most fanatical gun ban group in the nation had "study" that found negative things about the NRA. Who would have though that? I assumed they would agree with everything the NRA does.
If anyone thinks VPC "studies" about the NRA have any credibility, I've got some ocean-front property in Montana to sell them.
"By promoting Eddie Eagle as its answer to gun safety, the NRA places the burden on children to stay away from guns."
Teaching kids gun safety doesn't remove any responsibility from adults, it just makes them better prepared to survive bad situations. We do that for just about everything else, from teaching kids to dial 911 to teaching kids not to talk to strangers. The notion that kids should stay totally ignorant of guns and what to do if they find one just because adults should be responsible makes no sense and cannot be taken seriously.
It seems the real issue here is Paul and his gun banning cronies don't want kids to know anything about guns, even if it would save their lives. They are so afraid more people would find out that guns are not evil magic talismans that kill on their own, but inanimate tools that can be handled and used safety with proper knowledge, that they would happily sacrifice lives to keep up their charade.
The gun lobby on this blog want to sell more guns. That's all.
It's commerce.
It is not about responsibility.
It is not about controlling gun violence.
It is about sales. $$$
Of course, many members of the gun lobby while feeling good about team membership do not reap the financial rewards of some others in the business of selling guns to anyone and everyone ... but they may regret one day when they do reap what they sow: propaganda and lies that contribute to the increasing gun violence in our nation. USA: more gun violence deaths per capita than any other nation in the industrialized world, with domestic violence and gun deaths increasing at an alarming pace.
Gun guys -- you're doing your job. For what?
But of course that would force you to admit guns can be used for good, and we all know your propaganda of guns as evil mind-influencing talismans will never allow that.
Anyway if you really cared about reducing gun violence, you would support gun safety programs like Eddie Eagle. Gun accident deaths have plummeted over the last few decades, especially ones involving kids. What is the reasons for these reductions? It's certainly not the work of the VPC and Brady Bunch.
Paul and the rest of his ilk don't care about reducing gun violence or death, only reducing gun ownership. That's why they will never support these programs, even though they work to reduce injuries and save lives.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAVYFRM5Tl8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnxC9mt-OTc
They'd rather spend their time and resources being ignored by people who sell hot bean water than invest in any safety program.
Do you speak for other open-minded Progressives?
Semper fi