[Jeff Higgins]

I guess I'm an idiot. So was my dad, and my grandfather. All of my uncles, too. So is every NRA instructor I know. I grew up in a house with loaded guns everywhere. So have both of my boys, so did all of my cousins, so did my dad, my grandfather, and on and on. Never an accident.

Why? We were around them all of the time and were taught to respect them. Even the empty ones were considered "loaded" at all times and treated accordingly. Any lack of respect for firearms was very quickly corrected indeed. Rather than trying to hide these items from curious children, the men in my family simply exposed those children to firearms at a very early age. Both of my sons were gun owners on their sixth Christmas. Both had killed game animals by their 12th.

I guess by the same logic, young men should not be allowed around young women. An accidental discharge is far more likely in that mix than with kids and guns. Maybe we should never expose our children to "dangerous" situations where they must learn some self control and responsibility. Maybe those of us that expect that from our children are "idiots".