Police let kids hold guns, People get upset...

[hollohas]

California Police Sticking to Guns in Defense of Letting Kids Hold Automatic Weapons

Photos of officers from the Santa Rosa Police Department letting kids handle the department’s SWAT team weaponry at a community event has sparked a debate over how much exposure to guns is healthy for kids.
Community organizer Attila Nagy, who took the photos, told FoxNews.com that he was concerned it might encourage kids to use guns in the future.

Wow.

But the police department is pushing back, saying they see nothing wrong with how they handled the event.
"The weapons are rendered safe and are unloaded. We ensure the safety of those weapons," Santa Rosa Police Capt. Gary Negri told FoxNews.com, adding that the police attend the event to build ties between the police and the community.
"Our goal is saying to people, ‘hey, don't be intimidated by the police.’ We want to break down that barrier… Once these events are over, people will be more comfortable having conversations with officers.”
Another goal, Negri said, was to educate kids about guns.
“Education and gun safety is a component of what we do… We teach kids the difference between a real gun and a Toys R' Us gun.”

But the department's response hasn't convinced everyone. One woman, Elaine Holtz, was so concerned by the SWAT team's weapons that she approached the police officer at the community event and asked what was going on.
"I would not want my child to be involved with something like that... Those guns, they should have been behind glass -- to teach the kids that you don't want to deal with this gun, because it kills." Holtz told FoxNews.com.

I'm glad the police aren't backing down. They did a good thing and the people should be happy the police would do something like this. Some of the quotes from people that are upset about it are crazy.

[SuperiorDG]

"I did not see any education going on; it looked like it was just fun,"

Education should not be fun. This is what they (the conservatives) are teaching.

[Cochese]

I tend to take points made by community organizers/activists with a grain of salt.

Those named Nagy or Attilla? Even more so.

[Zundfolge]

Police let kids hold guns, Idiots get upset...


There, fixed it for you.

[rondog]

Goddamn blissninnies. I swear, there's so damn many people in this country that just need a good slappin'. OF COURSE kids should be exposed to firearms! They need to be taught all about them, how they work, how to shoot them and what they can and can't do.

I was raised with guns, every member of my family that I can recall owned and shot guns and hunted, except my mom. She had enough to do with cooking the birds! My folks enrolled me in a Police Athletic League class and Sgt. Ernie Powell taught us all about guns and marksmanship with .22 rifles. I even have an old 8mm movie of my grandma blasting away at cans with her .410, which I now own.

I got my grandson into shooting when he was 9 or 10, and the first thing I showed him was what bullets could do to cans and jugs of water, and taught him that bullets do the same to human beings. He's 14 now and damn careful with guns! He loves to shoot, but I'm real proud of the way he handles them.

Kids that know about guns and grow up with them, will respect them. Kids that are kept away from guns are the ones that seek them out and do stupid shit with them.

"Should kids be allowed to touch a machine gun?" Hell no, they should be allowed to SHOOT machine guns!

[Delfuego]

I'd get upset too! If ONLY the kids get to touch the guns...

[sniper7]

poor little parents, scarred their kids might actually have to deal with something in the real world or maybe they might get exposed to their freedoms they should be able to enjoy.

[two shoes]

poor little parents, scarred their kids might actually have to deal with something in the real world or maybe they might get exposed to their freedoms they should be able to enjoy.

+100

No shit! I would say that these types of parents will not be around to protect the kids from everything for forever, but I have known more than one where living at home until their 30's was the norm....

My boys can clear just about any gun safely (set safety if applicable, drop mag, work action to clear chamber). If they encounter something they haven't seen, they leave it alone, gtfo and know to call me. This is in case they had a dip-shit friend get stupid while visiting.

[hollohas]

"Should kids be allowed to touch a machine gun?" Hell no, they should be allowed to SHOOT machine guns!

Damn straight!

[Rooskibar03]

People like this woman make me Facepalm myself.

""I would not want my child to be involved with something like that... Those guns, they should have been behind glass -- to teach the kids that you don't want to deal with this gun, because it kills." Holtz told FoxNews.com.

"I am coming from the heart of a woman, a mother, a grandmother," she added."

What does being a woman, mother, and grandmother have to do with anything. What is she Nancy Pelosi?