It’s May 2nd, and the month has already seen 20 people shot in Chicago, three of whom have already died. Philadelphia is slacking, with only four gunshot victims and no fatalities. The amount of #GunFAIL we are experiencing may not be at an all-time high, but once you stop and look at it there are a staggering number of lives being destroyed by guns on a daily basis in this society. People shoot each other and themselves, on purpose and by accident, all the damn time.
How do the people of Cumberland County, Kentucky feel about a five-year old getting a rifle as a gift from his parents which he then uses to kill his two year old sister?
US gun manufacturers market weapons for children specifically. The company which makes the gun involved in the accidental shooting has a “kids’ corner” on its website with the slogan “my first rifle”. There are photos of young girls firing pink guns.
The shooting has highlighted the cultural divide in the US over guns. The American countryside has seen little of the recent efforts in cities and suburban areas to curb gun use and tighten regulations on ownership.
“It’s a normal way of life. I mean, folks – and it’s not just rural Kentucky, it’s rural America. I mean folks hunting and fishing, it’s sports shooting – it’s just a way of life. You know, you begin at an early age, learning to use and respect a gun,” said Joe Phelps, Cumberland County Judge Executive, whose position has been described as similar to that of a local mayor.
When you tell me it’s normal to give a four or five year old child a rifle as a gift, I basically think you’re insane in the same way I would think the Chinese were insane if you told me that they hand out hand grenades instead of candy on Halloween.
If that’s your culture, there is something wrong with your culture because you are endangering children in an irresponsible way. Your two year old baby girl is dead and your five year old son’s life is ruined. Your life is ruined. But nobody could have predicted that this might happen. Local officials are reluctant to even criticize your parenting skills.
As Don King likes to say, “Only in America!”