At 2:39 PM 7/19/96 -0700, Ernest Hua wrote:

You might have had a different childhood, but when I (and most of my friends) were 6 (or 12 or even 18), our primary concern was having fun, avoiding stuff we don't like (like homework), attracting females (or males, as the case may be), attracting attention in general, avoiding being one-upped (in conversation or in sports or otherwise) but always on-upping someone else, ...

When I was in high school (age 14-18), I was on the high school rifle team. That means I carried a rifle into school at the beginning of the season and back home at the end of the season. I should not be necessary to mention it, but I never shot anyone then, before, or since.

Incidentally, if you are interested, I DO have a child (almost 2 yrs), and I certainly would not even contemplate letting him have a gun (no matter how well he can use it) until he can legal get one himself. I will certainly invoke serious wrath (on him and anyone else involved) if I ever found him with a gun.

I have two children, ages 20 and 24. We never gave them toy guns. (Guns are serious things. If you want toys, spend your own money.) However, we did give them the opportunity to learn about and shoot real guns when they were quiet young. I first shot a rifle at age 8 at summer camp. I recommend teaching children about proper use of guns at a similar age, with tight supervision. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bill Frantz | The Internet may fairly be | Periwinkle -- Consulting (408)356-8506 | regarded as a never-ending | 16345 Englewood Ave. frantz@netcom.com | worldwide conversation. | Los Gatos, CA 95032, USA