Because we have to change our thinking about gun ownership, not outlaw them.
You said you had a shotgun at 15 and "unfettered" access to a .22 before
then. Tim just mentioned that he had a .357 at 15 and a .44 at 17.
Obviously both of you were responsible and careful with them otherwise
either or both of you would not be around to be posting in rec.boats today.
But, let me ask you this:
Do you (and Tim) think that now-a-days any 15 year old kid in your
neighborhoods should have the right to have a shotgun or a .357 whatever
it was?
Is your confidence in other families and the parents that control
them high enough to feel comfortable with kids barely beyond puberty
walking around with those firearms?
Not me. Many parents today don't even enforce some of the basic
rules we grew up with.
I do understand what your saying ass well as asking, Richard. And it's a difficult question for me to answer. You said "think that now-a-days any 15 year old kid in your neighborhoods should have the right ..."
Well, around my 'neighborhood' you'll find that about any teenager has at least access to some type of a firearm. I mean, when the first day of deer season rolls around, the local schools shut down because most of the kids are going to be out deer hunting anyhow. "free day" is what the schools call it.
Now to be (I take it you mean 'casually") Walking around with a firearm, I'd say not only no, but "heck no!"
When I was a kid buying a .357, I had already been ingrained with a great deal of respect for people and for the firearms. You don't go flagging it around in front of people.
I'd like to say I that would be true with kids in my area today.
Me too. But I am not sure in today's days of violent video games and
lack of strong parental control of kids that access to firearms at 15
as a general rule is a good idea.
I am sure the community you grew up in was different back then and I
know you had strong family influences. Sounds like that culture remains
today but I am not sure that's true everywhere.