HARRIS COUNTY, TX — I am here today to call out a Texas gun owner. I don’t know her, but she will be made an example of. Anyone who has a firearm that ends up being accessible to a child, who shouldn’t have access to it, is to be held responsible.
A mother was out for the night celebrating her birthday and left her 4-year-old son with a long-time friend and neighbor.
Then the following morning, police were called after a report of a shooting. That 4-year-old boy had somehow gotten a hold of a loaded firearm and somehow shot himself. When police and paramedics arrived, the boy was not breathing. They were unable to save him.
If you feel that I am being too harsh since this is such a recent news story, I disagree. Assuming that no foul play was involved, you are 100% responsible for the things that go on in your home. Yes, this includes storing firearms properly when you have children in the home.
Every single person who owns a firearm needs to step up their game if they haven’t already. You are responsible for your firearms at all times, day and night. Any excuse that someone could possibly come up with will not fly, because each of these tragedies is preventable.
One of the biggest reasons for the irrational fears of firearms in America is linked to the irresponsible gun owner. These stories are seen all over the news and give gun owners a bad name. They give responsible gun owners a bad name. It doesn’t matter that you and I know the overwhelming majority of gun owners are responsible. All that matters is what the public sees in the form of news stories. Why are we giving them more reasons to fear firearms, when it’s so damn easy to responsibly keep them out of a child’s reach?
Current gun owners and future gun owners: You had better prepare your homes accordingly. If you have children in the home that are too young to safely be around firearms, they should be completely inaccessible. Only you know your child’s level of understanding and safety with firearms. It is up to you to make these decisions. And if you have a child over that is not yours, such as this case, you should be erring on the side of caution and making your firearms completely inaccessible while that child is inside your home.
Again, if you’re a gun owner and haven’t stepped up your game yet, it’s time. Not a single excuse will be accepted. If this is something that you cannot handle, sell your guns to me.
