Keep Your Guns: Come to Texas

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Gun owners across the U.S. proclaim that they have the right to “bear arms” under the protection of the 2^nd Amendment and many gun owners alike will argue that they must protect themselves and their properties. However, far too often, and statistics will show, that guns end up in the hands of the inexperienced and the unintended; often times in the hands of innocent children. In 2010 alone, 134 children/teens (under the age of 19) were unintentionally injured or killed by guns and a total of 2,694 were injured or killed due to various types of gun accidents, intentional and unintentional. While the U.S. is known as “Land of the Free and Home of the Brave”, it is important that children are protected from guns. While many gun owners are responsible for keeping their guns locked up, out of the hands of anyone but them, gun owners and children alike must be aware of and practice gun safety.

Keep Your Guns…but Your Children Safer

Even if you teach your child that guns are unsafe and should not be handled, many children are curious and handle guns, not knowing the danger behind them. To ensure that your guns will stay out of the hands of inexperienced or young people, teach and discuss the following rules about the dangers of guns:

Educate children that they shouldn’t touch guns and if they come across a gun, it should be left alone and an adult should be notified.

When your child plays or stays over at another home (such as a friend or relative), ask the homeowners if guns are present and if they are locked up safely.

Treat every gun as if it were loaded. Even the most experienced marksman can make a fatal mistake. Guns should never be pointed at yourself or others, but rather towards the ground. Using a gun as a “prop” or in a joking fashion is a recipe for disaster.

Guns should always be stored unloaded and in a rack or safe. The keys or the lock combination should be hidden and only available to the gun owner or a trusted, adult member of the home.

Ammunition should be stored separately from guns and locked up safely.

Guns should not be present in a home if a family member (or even a close friend) has a mental health issue or has violent tendencies.

Educate First, Shoot Later

If keeping a gun in your home is important, it is vital for you, as well as your family members, even children, to have a respectful and responsible relationship with guns. If your child shows interest in learning how to handle a gun safely and properly, there are numerous gun safety courses available. Professional education can decrease the number of unintentional gun injuries and fatalities. In a gun safety course, children and adults may learn:

How firearms work. It’s important to know HOW they work in order to understand how to handle them responsibly and safely.
Different types of ammunition and how they work. Ammunition is different and so is the damage that can be done if not used properly.
How to store firearms and ammunition. Always store with safety and security in mind.
The fundamentals for firing a gun. It’s not as easy as the movies. Gun handlers, who are responsible and safe, know how to fire a gun the right and safest way.
NRA Rules for safe firearm handling.

You do have the right to “bear arms”, but you should also bear arms safely and responsibly. If you have guns in your home it is vital for them to be stored securely and away from children and inexperienced individuals. Don’t let your gun collection be the cause of a preventable and tragic injury or death.

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Andrew Mounier

Andrew Mounier is a Content Engineer and Author. He has worked in marketing for over a decade and finds his passion in bringing concepts to life for the world to enjoy. He is also an avid legal blogger and currently working on a book with his wife about social entrepreneurship. He is a true Socialpreneur and finds that his goal in life is to be an agent for positive social change through both his writing and business endeavors.