Replica guns

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by Gavin Smith

I don't see why it's any different to cowboys and indians...

Genocide anyone?

Chris

[Lou]

Originally Posted by Gavin Smith

I don't see why it's any different to cowboys and indians or fighting with pretend swords (or lightsabres) for that matter. I have a three year old son, he plays with guns. I don't encourage it but when he's old enough to understand I will try to teach him about what guns really mean.

To me it's just more politically correct BS being thrust upon us.

Has anyone seen Action Man these days?

Gavin

Why don't you just stop him from playing with them now, instead of just "not encouraging it"?

I guess you already teach him that other things are wrong, so why not that playing with guns is wrong, in the same way that hitting other kids is wrong? I would bet it is just because we are used to having toy guns around - as you say, we all used to play cowboys and indians!

I don't see it as PC - to me PC is something without real foundation that is thought to be the "right" thing to do. I can't see that encouraging play with items that would be illegal if they were real is a good thing, therefore why does saying it make it "PC". I remember those fake cigarettes that were sweets - would you argue that they were suitable toys these days? How about candy spliffs - maybe a new best-seller there. You could sell them alongside a little pair of scales and a plastic razor-blade, get the kids to play a more modern version of "shopkeepers"?

Lou

[Gavin Smith]

Originally Posted by Lou

Why don't you just stop him from playing with them now, instead of just "not encouraging it"?

I guess you already teach him that other things are wrong, so why not that playing with guns is wrong, in the same way that hitting other kids is wrong? I would bet it is just because we are used to having toy guns around - as you say, we all used to play cowboys and indians!

Lou

Fundamentally there is nothing wrong with guns. I discourage him from shooting his sister but if we wants to shoot at trees and squirrels (oops that's torn it) then so be it.

It's a game and as he get's older he will stop playing it. Well at least until he's 16 or so and then he'll probably start again with paintball.

You can still buy candy "sticks" as they are now known.

Gavin

[Ainsleyberryman]

Boys being boys will first use guns, take them away they will use a stick, take that away they will use their hands and feet. What do you do then ?

The Male is desgned to be agressive, combative, etc. Thats how we got to eat wild animals back in the Cave Man days. Its natural.

However, modern life is too different to our natural instincts.

When kids are old enough to reason, then reason with them and life will be better.

Right, Im off now to play Quake 4 and Doom............

[NotDeadYet]

I played with guns when I was a kid though I much preferred swords. To my knowledge, I don't ever recall robbing an off-licence, carjacking anyone, carrying out any drive-by shootings or going on the rampage on my local post office.

But then I probably have two advantages, the first is parents that discouraged armed insurrection in the streets as a hobby and frequently disabused me of the idea that piracy was an acceptable career. The second was enough common sense to realise that shooting someone wasn't especially bright. I guess there was a third advantage, my parents didn't wrap me in cotton wool or insulate me from the nasty real world.

Playing with weapons as a kid didn't do me any harm. Except maybe when the plod in Derbyshire, er, had words with a very drunk Scotsman in a full suit of armour leading a lone crusade against the Saracens (OK, it was a tree but from a distance it looked like a Saracen) with a French broadsword at 3am in the middle of winter.

[Helen F H]

Originally Posted by NotDeadYet

Playing with weapons as a kid didn't do me any harm. Except maybe when the plod in Derbyshire, er, had words with a very drunk Scotsman in a full suit of armour leading a lone crusade against the Saracens (OK, it was a tree but from a distance it looked like a Saracen) with a French broadsword at 3am in the middle of winter.

PMSL, i sooo want to go out on the piss with you......except make sure there are no trees around.

[MATTBIN]

Does the Kilt go on before or after the armour?


If its before thus upholding the tradition of what a Scot wears under their kilt nobody would see it and they wouldnt know what clan you belonged to. If after then I suppose the armour would keep the crown jewels safe.
Matt

[chrisch]

OK. I have to agree that there is nothing inherently wrong with guns (or shooting squirells [aka tree rats]) As a gun owner I wouldn't feel happy that a child mistook a real gun for a toy. Which was where I started with replica vs toy.

I too played cowboys and indians etc and it didn't stop me turning out to be a tiresome old leftie!

Since there is no intention to ban toys this is the crux of it - what is a toy and what is a replica? Just because the person "playing" with an object is an inadequate spotty 30-something man doesn't mean the object is not a toy. Replicas are toys for adults.

Light-sabres, for example, are less difficult to pin down legally since there are no real ones (AFAIK if there are URL please!!). Water pistols and spud guns are usually some Dan Dare type design not AK47.

PC Bullshit - err.. I think that's what Blair is planning.

Chris

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by MATTBIN

If after then I suppose the armour would keep the crown jewels safe.

Mmm.. one of those really cold days when skin sticks to metal.........

[MATTBIN]

If its that cold do you think they would be anywhere near the metal, round your ears more likely.
Matt