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Kill a lot more folks with a video game than with a toy gun. And we shouldn't need to mention how many people JessicaFletcher slaughtered for your pleasure. The "cleverness" depends on whose ox is being gored, don't it.
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The girl brings up an interesting question with which I have struggled as a parent. Does giving our children toy guns perpetuate a cycle of violence that will forever prevent world peace? I have yet to allow a toy weapon into my house, but my sons are under 3. I'll have to decide soon whether I should try to insist that they not even pretend something is a gun or whether I should just let them use their imaginations as they will. I'm not planning to provide them with toy weapons, but if they pretend sticks or something built of Legos or their fingers are guns? Should I stop it? Can I stop it?
I have two brothers in the US armed forces, and I support them in the work they do. Neither of them has been called on to actually shoot and kill somebody yet, so I haven't had opportunity to talk to them about that kind of situation. My eldest brother was in Baghdad many times when firefights erupted in the streets, but the only object he was asked to shoot was a camera (he's on the staff of Stars & Stripes, the Army newspaper). He also covered conflicts in Afghanistan and Kuwait before they finally transferred him to Germany. I know he feels relieved to be able to wear civilian clothes and not carry a weapon in his current position, but he would like to get back where the action is and cover what‘s going on. My younger brother is stationed with the Marines in Okinawa and hasn't seen any action yet. I know for sure that both brothers believe in the necessity of the war and that they would die or kill to accomplish the goal of ending terrorism. I don't want to start a big debate on whether the current war is right or wrong, but rather consider this question of guns and children. Both of my brothers played with toy weapons as children: pirate games, cowboys, GI Joe, Star Wars, Legos, knights, as well as playing video games like Ironsword and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (this was the 80‘s and 90‘s). Neither of them was violent, both have lots of compassion for people, both are loving and friendly and intelligent. Both made informed decisions to join the military, but not because they wanted to use weapons. They were offered excellent opportunities to build careers. I guess what I’m saying is that in my brothers’ lives I don’t see a correlation between playing with weapons and becoming violent adults, even though they both became soldiers by choice. Perhaps it has more to do with the love and guidance our parents gave us than anything else.
Posts: 354 | Registered: Jul 2002
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quote:Originally posted by DeathofBees: The girl brings up an interesting question with which I have struggled as a parent. Does giving our children toy guns perpetuate a cycle of violence that will forever prevent world peace?
I played with toy guns and G.I. Joes all the time as a kid, and I've never shot someone even once.
Posts: 9945 | Registered: Sep 2002
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I did not buy toy guns for my children, but my son turned every stick and pencil into a "gun" anyway. He also made guns out of legos, or just used his hands in imaginary battles.
We didn't have any video games or many movies either, and no TV, but he picked it all up from his friends at school, anyway.
Posts: 2069 | Registered: May 2001
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quote:Originally posted by DeathofBees: The girl brings up an interesting question with which I have struggled as a parent. Does giving our children toy guns perpetuate a cycle of violence that will forever prevent world peace?
I played with toy guns and G.I. Joes all the time as a kid, and I've never shot someone even once.
Whereas I was never permitted toy guns as a child, and I've gone on so many murderous rampage sprees that I've lost count. So, you never know. It's all a craps shoot.
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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quote:Originally posted by DeathofBees: The girl brings up an interesting question with which I have struggled as a parent. Does giving our children toy guns perpetuate a cycle of violence that will forever prevent world peace?
I played with toy guns and G.I. Joes all the time as a kid, and I've never shot someone even once.
::nods:: A machete has always been your weapon of choice.
Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Sophie's developed a surprising bloodthirsty streak out of nowhere. She was telling me a "story" last night that ended with "and then seven zebras came in and killed the witch dead. Dead, dead, dead, so she died." I think we're dealing with some atavistic fear of the unknown, here.
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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quote:Originally posted by TomDavidson: Sophie's developed a surprising bloodthirsty streak out of nowhere. She was telling me a "story" last night that ended with "and then seven zebras came in and killed the witch dead. Dead, dead, dead, so she died." I think we're dealing with some atavistic fear of the unknown, here.
Maybe, but it's about freakin time a witch got hers at the hoofs of the zebra.
Posts: 14316 | Registered: Jul 2005
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