One of the best ways to #resist those who would marginalize, stigmatize and ostracize gun owners it to ensure that there are plenty of young enthusiastic shooters in the pipeline. Teaching kids the fun of the shooting sports ensures that there will be plenty of us to carry on and support gun rights down the road.
That  appears to be one of the motivations of Yehuda Remer in his series of books for kids (and the adults who teach them).
I ran into him at the NRA show over the weekend and his story is hardly the typical one. He grew up in a non-gun owning family in Los Angeles, one that was fairly hostile to the idea of firearm ownership. But as his views on politics, guns and life evolved, he discovered that they were different from those of his family. And that was OK.
When he looked for resources to use to teach children about firearms and how to use them safely, he was surprised by how few  — if any — there really are.
So with a little help from the Second Amendment Foundation, Remer wrote his first book, The ABCs of Guns.
As in, T is for trigger and F is for firing pin. He self-published that first work and then found a publisher for his second book, Safety On.
Published by White Feather Press, Safety On, is a handy primer for teaching kids how to be safe with firearms. It’s a well-written, nicely illustrated introduction to guns for parents to use when teaching their next-generation shooter the hows and whys of firearms safety.
As one Amazon reviewer wrote, Safety On is . . .
Simple, short and spot-on. My two love that this is ‘their’ book and not just daddy preaching ad nauseam. (They also relate to Eddie Eagle comics and vids because they are geared toward kids.)
The author does much here to promote responsible, competent, safe firearm-handling and love of individual liberty. It is up to us to do the hands-on preserving of these skills and human rights by demonstrating our commitment to the youngsters in our lives.
‘Safety On’ is a great reinforcement and teaching aid for a ‘gun family!’
Safety On also comes in a coloring book version to keep kids that much more engaged. If you want a free copy, keep an eye on our Weekend Photo Caption Contest posts in the weeks ahead. We’ll be giving away a copy of each book to the most talented caption writers out there.
I wonder if that’s how Jean Casarez sees it after her accidental killing of instructor Charles Vaccan at the “Bullets and Burgers” in White Hill, AZ. in 27 August 2014. Twelve years old now, and probably still Ducking Load Noises…
“Probably”??
So in other words you have no idea, and you’re just spinning a terrible tragedy to try and push your personal agenda.
Way to keep it classy.
@ Gerbs.
“Personal Agenda”? What’s my Personal Agenda! A Untrained 9-year old Girl had No Business being any where near a Fully-Loaded Fully-Automatic “Uzi”. It might have looked Cute to both of the Parents, but this Little Girl has to Live Out the Rest of Her Life “Living” with the Actions that HER Moronic Parents imposed on her. Not to mention the Surviving Family of the Instructor that was Killed…
It’s a tragedy to be sure, but how is it relevant to the article? This is to prevent such an accident from occuring. I agree, someone so young shouldn’t have a fully automatic gun in her hands, but only because it could get away from them. Start them off with a little semiauto .22lr, or even a bolt action .22lr.
@ Gralnok.
How “Isn’t” It!/? Training your Child Survival Skills before they even reach “Puberty”! For “What”? You not planning to be there for them as their growing up. What if teaching then gets You and your wife “Killed”, because a Firearm is a simpler solution that talking to your parents…
To Secundius
It isn’t relevant, because these books are supposed to teach firearms safety. Guns are fun, but they should be respected the same way a power tool should be. If used improperly, they are dangerous. If respected, they can be your friend. The instructor and the parents were morons for giving the kid a fully automatic Uzi, but if they gave her a simple Ruger Mk 4 (or any of its predecessors) she and the instructor would have been fine. Also, the instructor and the parents should know when to step in and grab the gun, keeping it pointed in a safe direction. But I digress, the article is about a series of books that, I assume, teach gun safety. Chief amongst the rules, always treat an unknown gun like it’s loaded. Don’t pick it up, point it at a friend, play with it, look down the barrel, etc. If nothing else, leave it alone and notify an adult. Let them make the decision on what to do with it.
Oh. My. Gawd.
That is so freaking cute! My brat is long since grown, but I want one!
ðŸ¤
Anyone who lets a new shooter fire full auto (or any firearm) without proper one to one supervision is an idiot. Some of my more “interesting” Australian army experiences was teaching female recruits to use full auto 9 mm.
The book sounds good though and would have been nice 20 years ago for teaching my son and nephews. Maybe grandkids some day.
Not sure if kids who like coloring books are old enough to handle a gun, but I like the idea. We should be teaching them safety and responsibility as young as possible. That way, they know what to do and what not to do with a firearm, should they find one.
See this? Alright? Old man gave me that when I was in grade 7. Seen a lot of action. 9mm. Safety, ALWAYS off. Told me he was proud of me once. FLAME DELETED
Shame they didn’t get the reference.
I think there should be a ‘scared straight’ program dealing with firearms non-safety. If kids see enough of that, and survive, they will be a safer bunch.
Kind of like Blood On The Streets for young drivers?
The Scared Straight program is your dad.
@ Gralnok.
How about teaching a Child the Importance and Safe Use of a Firearm, when their able to Grasp the Meaning of Safe Useage. Children that young only have a Rudimentary understanding of what it means to be safe. They look to their Parents for Safety, not a Gun. Just acknowledge the fact that your giving up your Parental Rights to being a Nurturing Parent…
Well, these books are to help teach more than a rudimentary knowledge of firearms. Again, going off of what I’ve seen so far. Why are you against educating kids about guns? They are safe, if used properly, but dangerous to those who know little about them. At the very least, a “Stay Away” approach would work until they are old enough for school, because I guarantee you, the indoctrination centers will tell them that guns, and their owners, are bad. They need to know that, on that topic, the teachers lie.
Oh, and for the record, I’m gay. I will never have kids. Whether that’s good or bad, I don’t know. All I can ever be is a cool uncle to my friend’s kids. However, if possible, I would like to take them target shooting. Unfortunately, they aren’t currently old enough for that, so a simple “Don’t Touch” approach should work. At least, until they are old enough to question why they shouldn’t touch the cool looking objects. Or, maybe my friends will have that talk with them. However it works out, I can at least give them the books, if they actually do help.
@ Gralnok.
If that’s the way you want to raise your child, Go For It! But “IF” your Child decides to Solve His/Hers problem with a Gun, who are you going to blame? The Teaching Books! Or yourself…
To Secundius
I had a massive post all typed out, but then I decided to simplify it.
I’m gay. I will never have kids. None of the scenarios I thought of would work because I wouldn’t even adopt. I’m not having kids. Period. It’s ultimately up to my friend to teach his kids right from wrong.
Dude, Gralnok just said he doesn’t have and never will have any kids.
I have two and I teach them both about guns on levels appropriate to their age. Young doesn’t necessarily mean untrained. At age of 9 I have been shooting pistol and full auto 7.62×39 assault rifle. (Vz. 58) Controlled short 2-4 round bursts at “machine gunner” targets so distant, they were hard to see.
Some problems are best dealt with using a gun. Like rapist problem, kidnapper problem or home invader problem.
Doesn’t your pinkie get tired from all that capitalizing of random words? It’s annoying to read.
@ Scouting.
I read his statement! What off it! I’m not a “Homophobe”. Just remember ~156ft-lbs of Trigger Pull will Break an AK-47’s Trigger…
clearly this dipshit doesn’t even read the posts he criticizes. Hence the general doom and gloom statements referring to nothing in particular. Everyone, you’ve been warned, don’t waste your time with this troll.
Gralnok i agree with you strongly. i also will never have kids and wish my father had allowed me to learn earlier. i was however helping him while he reloaded ammo (just passing him stuff he needed like primers, projectiles etc) and was out in the farm with him when he used the rifle so i saw first hand the damage they can do. that instills in a young child that they need to be treated with respect. i was about 13 when he first started teaching me and that was after i had slept over at a neighbours place and their son and i with his dads supervision took out the single shot .22 for some shots at a tin can. i had lied to them that dad allowed me to shoot only because of how keen i was to start shooting. dad turned up while i was shooting and while i was ashamed that i had lied to be able to get to have a couple shots there was no way i was going to back down and be ashamed of the fact that i had been shooting. he tried to teach me after that though my knowledge of firearms from all the study i had done over the years since i was about 6-7 was at that point about equal to his own.
also read and article by Massad Ayoob (SP?) years ago where he detailed how his father trained him. he was started with a little cut down .22 rifle (to suit his size) in the basement of their home at 4 years of age. his father was also teaching him knife fighting at the same age with unsheathed and razor sharp knives. good idea? that depends on the discipline and skill of the one doing the teaching.
Secundius,
I can only surmise that you didn’t teach your children to look both ways before crossing the street until they were well into puberty because, after all, children younger than that really can’t comprehend the danger of being hit by a car.
@ PeterZ in West Tennessee.
Considering that my Four Children have at Least 2-Children of their own, I must have done something right in bring them up. And none of them have Police Records either! And yours?
I have the coloring book version. Its a great teaching tool for young children.
“Safety On also comes in a coloring book version”
Which is perfect for the average college student in modern America.
“Safety On” is an excellent book for younger kids or kids with disabilities ( like my son ) to teach gun safety. I highly recommend it.
Start out small like a .22 then work your way up. Kids like things that go bang. All you’ve got to do is get that firearm in their hands, the fun will do the rest.
Just bought this to read with my 4 year old niece the next time she comes to visit! My sister will rake me over the coals for it, but ultimately her safety is more important than her mother’s politicized feelings.
@ PistolPete603.
Does he Mother know that you’ve asserted your Non-Parental Authority of the Child. If not, your probably looking a Court Summons and Restraining Order to Stay Away from the Child…
To Secundius.
At first I thought you were just being an ass to me only, but now I see you’re still interested in starting drama long after I left the conversation. Which would you prefer, the child learning about guns in a controlled environment from a book, or from a friend who doesn’t know that the loaded pistol from his dad’s dresser is not a simple airsoft pistol and will do much more than sting for a bit?
And a “Coloring Book” is a “Controlled Environment”! I learn about Firearm Safety the Hard Way by Military Service, and my Children by ME. I don’t see How a Coloring Book is going to Simplify the process any easier. If it were that Easy, there would be a PBS version with “Big Bird and Elmo” teaching the “Manual of Arms”…
Yes. A coloring book is a controlled environment, as long as you are there to answer any questions that the book doesn’t cover. You taught your kids gun safety? Good. Please elaborate, because I’m fairly certain you might have found the book helpful, were it published back then. Also, it is quite simple. Elmo and Big Bird could easily have a segment on gun safety, except it doesn’t fit the liberal agenda. To the makers of Sesame Street, guns are, and will always be, icky bad things that should not be talked about. Ironic, that for an educational program, something that could potentially save lives, isn’t talked about. At least, not to my knowledge. Forgive me, but it’s been a while since I watched any episodes of Sesame Street.
How about you mind your own damn business? And learn how to capitalize properly while you’re at it
It’s the Mothers Child, NOT the Uncles Child. Unless the Uncle is also the Father of the Child…
good grief!!
good grief! im not sure whats worse the nieve child behind the gun, or the adults who cant get along.