BENTON, MISSOURI — A concealed carrier volunteering for a 4-H project at a local Missouri school was charged with the unlawful use of a firearm and child endangerment after he drew his pistol and used the butt of it to nail in a thumb tack into a wooden plaque inside an elementary school.
We’ve discussed plenty of times that a firearm is a tool — but it’s not that type of tool. More importantly, the level of dumb in this sequence of events shows a blatant disregard for the safety of the gun owner and potentially children and staff in the nearby area.
As KSPR 33 reported, it’s illegal to carry a gun into an elementary school without express permission of the school — something this concealed carrier did not have prior to this event.
This is a great way to not only lose your permit but potentially hurt or harm yourself or others. This is the antithesis of what we try to demonstrate with responsible concealed carry practices.
Modern firearms and pistols are made with some pretty good safety mechanisms built in to prevent negligent discharge but that’s not an invitation to go experimenting in the midst of children and school staff. The concealed carrier was arrested on the premises and charged. It’s pretty darn likely that this will be the last time this guy is invited to participate in any school event or an event sponsored by 4-H.
It’s a reminder that we have a responsibility, while out in the community, to engage in practices that exemplify and epitomize firearm safety. Drawing a firearm only when needed and using it only as it is properly designed — that’s a basic respect for a tool that can be used to save our lives and the lives of those around us.
Every once in awhile we run across a story that shows a concealed carrier acting the fool. This isn’t ammunition for some anti-gun argument — it’s a learning lesson for the rest of us that there are people watching and we will be held accountable for any action we take with a firearm.
Concealed carry and gun ownership are both important staples of the self-evident principle that we all have the right to protect our lives and our property. The vast majority of gun owners and concealed carriers seem to get this because stories like this are far from the norm. But, if you can’t act like an adult, please don’t show your dumb in front of children.
