Children do not have a fully developed prefrontal cortex to think. You want to give them guns? How's your prefrontal cortex doing?
I was referring, although I did not specify, that I’m fine with children using guns under a responsible adult’s supervision, such as a parent. Proper training in the use of a lethal weapon can help a child become more responsible than leaving them to their own devices.
Eventually, I’ll do a deep dive on this subject, using my own family history as an example. In all honesty, however, I don’t see myself as being eligible to use a gun as a child, although I did shoot guns unsupervised as a young teen with a friend, because of my unstable family situation and lack of training or even now because of my lack of proficiency. I have never owned a gun, by the way.
I believe gun ownership requires responsibility, proficiency, and understanding of legal peril if someone gets shot, justified or not, just like what law enforcement officers go through after they shoot someone.
Remember, most non-criminal gun owners are, or were involved in law enforcement, military, hunting, and sport, such as skeet shooting and sanctioned target related competitions.
There is certainly a strong cultural aspect to gun ownership in the United States that many outside that group don’t understand. Gun ownership in the United States is a right that must be protected even when tragedy strikes, just like our driving privilege even though some drivers deliberately drive into crowds of people, drive recklessly, or use the vehicle in the commission of a crime.
Bottom line, never, ever, sign off on your rights, or someone else’s rights. After all, you never know when you might need that right. For example, a woman who is being stalked by a dangerous ex-lover.
