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AIBU?

To wonder what kind of idiot teaches a 9-year-old to use an Uzi

397 replies

BadLad · 27/08/2014 11:33

m.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-28948946

A 9-year-old kills her shooting instructor when she loses control of the Uzi he is teaching her to use.

Apparently many (that's right, many) firing ranges have strict rules when teaching children.

Oh well, that's all right then, what was I worried about?

OP posts:

Report

AuntieStella · 27/08/2014 12:55

"There's still no reason to assume that it's riskier than running a children's bicycle tour, for instance."

Shooting in general, perhaps not.

A 600 round per minute sub machine gun in the hands of someone so small she appeared to have difficulty holding is steady is quite a different risk.

It would be a bit like putting one of the children on the bicycle tour on a bike that was too heavy for them to steer leading to their wobble causing a driver to swerve and die.

Mrsjayy · 27/08/2014 12:55

I am also sorry for swearing I never swear usually

AgaPanthers · 27/08/2014 12:56

Well given that they were using the guns in Arizona and lived in New Jersey, the link doesn't seem all that proximate. Actually New Jersey has very restrictive gun laws.

Shakirasma · 27/08/2014 12:57

Can you not see that it is morally wrong to allow joe public, especially children, to use such weapons?

Can you not see that such behaviour sends totally the wrong message to children, the next generation, that guns are toys and nothing to fear?

differentnameforthis · 27/08/2014 12:58

It was a huge risk! That risk resulted in death!

Would it be OK to let my 11yr old drive my car? Would you say I would be taking a huge risk or not?

Gruntfuttock · 27/08/2014 12:58

"There's still no reason to assume that it's riskier than running a children's bicycle tour, for instance."

Wow. I don't think it's possible to ever get through to someone who can write that. Indoctrinated to the hilt by U.S. gun culture.

FrankelandFilly · 27/08/2014 12:59

Sadly this will have no impact on the permissive use and sale of guns in the USA. Law makers did nothing after the Sandy Hook tragedy after all.

An Uzi is designed to do nothing but kill (I'm distinguishing between guns that can be used for target shooting, but obviously the purpose of the majority of guns is to kill/seriously maim) it has no place in the hands of the general public let alone those of a 9 year old child.

PausingFlatly · 27/08/2014 13:00

Aga, that was just gibberish to fill the place where an answer might have been.

Would you like to try again?

thegreylady · 27/08/2014 13:00

Aga your attitude is almost as scary as the gun! If this is normal and people accept it as normal then there is something very wrong in America.

LineRunner · 27/08/2014 13:01

Aga

It's your kind of logic that led to man being shot in the face by a little kid.

Gruntfuttock · 27/08/2014 13:01

"I am also sorry for swearing I never swear usually" Mrsjayy this thread is enough to make anyone swear. Even I did upthread and I'm downright angelic!

Ev1lEdna · 27/08/2014 13:01

Aga

People die riding bicycles, while camping, rock climbing, and many other things.

This is indeed true BUT none of those things are actual lethal weapons. Weapons/guns have two purposes 1) to maim 2) to kill. Bikes for example are 1) transport 2) exercise equipment 3) a toy for fun - certainly to be treated cautiously, using helmets, road safety etc but they aren't made expressly to hurt or kill; guns are and THAT is the real difference between a bit of 'fun' with a gun and the things you mention above.

OwlCapone · 27/08/2014 13:01

There's still no reason to assume that it's riskier than running a children's bicycle tour, for instance.

Only if, as part of that bicycle tour, you put a 9 yr old on a heavy motorbike with Boudicca type blades on the wheels. Can you really not see the difference between an Uzi and a bicycle?

BadLad · 27/08/2014 13:02

Whilst I don't agree with what he was doing, it's legal, he sounded like a nice guy and it appeared to be a safe environment.

The fact that it's legal is much of what it makes it baffling, along with the fact that the parents thought it would be a good idea.

To me, anyway.

OP posts:

Gruntfuttock · 27/08/2014 13:02

thegreylady "Aga your attitude is almost as scary as the gun! If this is normal and people accept it as normal then there is something very wrong in America."

Now I know you can't have only just noticed that.

AgaPanthers · 27/08/2014 13:03

"Wow. I don't think it's possible to ever get through to someone who can write that. Indoctrinated to the hilt by U.S. gun culture."

I've not been indoctrinated, I just don't like jumping to conclusions. I don't have statistics on gun range deaths. I do have statistics on children's bicycle deaths, it is not in my opinion high-risk, but there is a real risk of death. Whether it is lower risk than shooting an Uzi is not necessarily a trivial question.

OwlCapone · 27/08/2014 13:03

I let DSs fire an air rifle so I am not a to guns as such. However, this is an appropriate sized gun for their age. It is beyond stupid to think it is ok for a child to use a weapon that is far too powerful for them to control.

thegreylady · 27/08/2014 13:05

Grunt I apologise...of course I knew that.'Twas rhetoric I'm afraid :)

OwlCapone · 27/08/2014 13:05

Whether it is lower risk than shooting an Uzi is not necessarily a trivial question.

A bicycle and an Uzi are not comparable in the slightest. It's like comparing a hamster with a hungry lion.

Eauneau · 27/08/2014 13:05

AgaPanthers what you appear to be saying is so completely ridiculous that I can nearly believe I am reading it.

A 9 year old girl shot a man in the head a close range and you are saying 'ah why the hysteria, the same thing happens with rock climbing?'

For starters, when people do take their children rock climbing, they don't tend to bring them to the most ridiculously dangerous rock face they can find.

And as you seem to be missing the point rather spectacularly, I think what people are most shocked about is the fact that a fucking 9 year old was allowed to handle a piece of machinery solely designed to kill as many people as possible. Apart from the obvious stupidity and danger of that, don't you think it's kind of a strange message to send to kids that this is what is done for fun?

So yes - OMG guns.

Ev1lEdna · 27/08/2014 13:05

But it doesn't warrant pages of posts about how Americans are so stupid

Just to be fair I do agree with this part of your first post.

BadLad · 27/08/2014 13:07

What the fuck? FUN? No, a fun thing on holiday is not shooting a fucking gun at 9yrs old! It's staying up a little later, it's having a picnic on the beach, it's going into the penny arcade, eating candy floss, having a donkey ride. Shooting a fucking gun is a fun holiday activity for a 9yr old! The mind boggles!

You beat me to it. I was aghast to read that in the UK people consider building a sandcastle a fun activity for a 9-year-old, whereas in America it's firing an Uzi.

OP posts:

Onesleeptillwembley · 27/08/2014 13:07

Linerunner @ 13.01
Sums it up.

Mrsjayy · 27/08/2014 13:07

I cant even think what to say aga a machine gun killed a man in a tourist attraction its not the same as hiring a mountain bike or sky diving it just is not the same

Gruntfuttock · 27/08/2014 13:09

No, but IMO people who think that 9 yr old + Uzi = fun aren't exactly geniuses. Trying to moderate my language here, but it's not easy.

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