A popular song by the rock group Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, from 1970, titled “Teach Your Children,” undoubtedly has a different meaning to me than it did to members of the band.
The foursome was notoriously known for drug use, especially smoking dope, and that’s something I did not instill in my two kids. The song title was also missing three important words, “Teach Your Children Right and Wrong.”
So much for my being judgmental here, but that’s just how I view things whenever that tune plays. Hopefully, the children these musicians fathered learned right from wrong, and if so, most likely it came from their mothers’ teaching.
There’s something else all children need to be taught: gun safety. Dad made sure my brother and I knew the primary safety rule—to treat any gun as if it were loaded.
The second cardinal rule is to never point a gun at someone, even toy guns. These same guidelines were taught to Gunnar and Miranda, and hopefully, they passed them on to the grandchildren.
During junior high, I voluntarily signed up for a gun safety course taught by Mr. Bob Hickey at Clark Junior High in Anchorage, Alaska. Hickey was also my home classroom teacher. My folks and other friends’ parents encouraged us kids to take this class for various reasons.
Gun safety classes for children are essential because they provide young people with the knowledge and skills to handle firearms responsibly and safely. By educating kids early, these classes help prevent accidental shootings and instill respect for the dangers associated with guns.
Furthermore, structured instruction encourages open conversations about firearms, removing curiosity-driven secrecy and replacing it with practical guidelines that can save lives.
Such programs also reinforce important values, such as self-discipline and responsibility, helping children make better decisions if they ever encounter a firearm. Ultimately, gun safety education empowers adolescents to protect themselves and others by teaching them to follow critical safety rules in any situation involving guns.
Our country is entering a new era where firearms training should be a prerequisite, ensuring personal and family safety. Extremist religious fanatics have broached our borders, both legally and illegally, with these clandestine cells having the ability to inflict much harm.
My wife was trained on how to use firearms and has her own revolver in the event someone attempts to break into our house. Joleen’s father was a Second Amendment advocate and taught all his children how to shoot safely.
To end things here, had Nancy Guthrie owned a gun and been taught how to use the weapon, it’s likely she would not be missing. Unfortunately, many people ignorantly believe that the police will always be there for them. In Nancy’s case, as in so many others, this was proven untrue!
I like to write junk... 