The chicagotribune.com didn’t invent anti-gun animus, but they’ve pretty much perfected the art, editorializing against gun rights in The Land of Lincoln with Bloombergian self-righteous fervor. Gun right advocates are routinely portrayed as “extremists.” Pro-gun control extremists advocates get a disproportionate amount of ink. Only not so much in How to Shoot a Gun If You’re A Kid. Author Peter Nickeas plays it straight, chronicling a beginner’s shooting class for kids at GAT Guns in East Dundee, Illinois. It’s only when we get to the end of the article that Nickeas or, more likely his editor, felt compelled to introduce “balance” to the piece . . .
While safety is always good to teach, Dr. Louis St. Petery still has concerns about such classes.
“For the younger age groups, I think it’s inappropriate,” said St. Petery, a pediatric cardiologist from Tallahassee, Fla. and a strong advocate for gun safety in homes with children.
“I don’t think a 7-year-old can shoot a gun any better than they can drive a car,” said St. Petery, who raised three children with a gun in the home. “When you get into the teens, and they’re going to go hunting with parents, you want to get them trained in the use of a firearm.
“You’re into an age of reason where you can do that,” he said. “But it sounds to me like the younger age group is inappropriate.”
Sounds to me like Dr. Petery was not witness to the class in question. Or any gun safety class for that matter.(Facts, who needs ’em?) Nickeas ends the article with a vignette of pride and satisfaction at a job well done. Oh wait . . .
During the class, a 7-year-old girl fired two shots with instructor Inzerello’s hand over hers before he stopped her. The child looked unsure of herself. There were a few tears, but she didn’t break down.
Inzerello tried to console as well as explain. “It’s physical, it’s not mental,” he said. “Good job. You hit a bulls-eye.”
What, she didn’t break down and cry at the ballistic task forced I say, I say forced on her by gun-crazed parents? Thank God an understanding extremist instructor was there to console her.
I know: baby steps. Winning? Right?