<p>Letting a 9-year-old girl shoot an Uzi…the owner of the range said in a TV news interview that they do birthday parties for kids. Unreal.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/26/us/arizona-girl-fatal-shooting-accident/index.html”>9-year-old accidentally kills range instructor with Uzi - CNN;
<p>It boggles the mind.</p>
<p>Aren’t 9-year-olds’ birthday parties supposed to involve laser tag or bowling, or, you know, other activities that tend to result in only minor injuries?</p>
<p>The only harm at a 9 yo’s birthday party should be throwing up from too much cake and excitement! </p>
<p>People who let children shoot guns (outside of riflery at camp) are insane, bubbas, or both. </p>
<p>I’m still stunned. Apparently this was a part of the families vacation? Wow. Our family vacations have consisted of trips to Disney World, Myrtle Beach & Jamaica. Have things changed that much since my kids were 9?</p>
<p>I’m not anti-gun, but I am anti-stupidity. So sad, so needless.</p>
<p>Stupid all the way around. Why does a 9 year old child need to learn how fire an Uzi? Her parents must have oatmeal for brains. The instructor displayed really questionable judgment and has paid the ultimate price. And thanks to the idiot adults in this child’s life, she has likely been irretrievably damaged. How will she ever get over this trauma?</p>
<p>I feel so sorry for that girl. And it makes me angry.</p>
<p>What in the hell is wrong with people?
Because of the stupidity of I can’t even think of how many people, a young girl is going to be scarred for the rest of her life. </p>
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<p>Oh the stupidity continues. Yes, let’s put lethal weapons in the hands of 4 year olds. Can’t trust them to butter their own bread, but darnit they can handle a gun! </p>
<p>The rest of the developed world is laughing at us. A sad laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. </p>
<p>It bothered me that the girl was actually shooting at a silhouette of a person. At age 9. </p>
<p>I was also surprised that the family was from New Jersey.</p>
<p>ETA: romani, you are right. I read the British press. No one outside of the US can even make sense of this.</p>
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<p><a href=“http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/27/opinion/robbins-why-was-child-firing-uzi/index.html?hpt=hp_t1”>http://www.cnn.com/2014/08/27/opinion/robbins-why-was-child-firing-uzi/index.html?hpt=hp_t1</a></p>
<p>Of course, the owner of the gun range said shooting the Uzi was on the girl’s “bucket list.” REALLY??</p>
<p>I’m a bit embarrassed to admit this, but last spring, my oldest brother took his five-year old grandson to his hunting club so they could shoot clay pigeons. Yes, this was in Texas. I’m sure the grandson’s mom and dad knew exactly where my brother was taking their son and what they were doing. If you met these people on the street in Houston, you would not think redneck - they are relatively wealthy, educated and traveled. Don’t get me wrong… I love my brother to death - I can’t imagine being closer to any family member, including my mom and dad, but I just can’t understand the gun culture, especially when it involves kids. But my brothers (all of them) have always been hunters and fishermen.</p>
<p>Don’t be embarrassed. My kids both went shooting with my dad when they were young. I used to love to go to the skeet club with my dad as a kid. However, there were no Uzis around. I, personally, have never been comfortable shooting so I didn’t stick with it. I don’t understand a lot of gun owners today.</p>
<p>There are lots of things adults do that kids don’t (or shouldn’t). What’s next, taking them to adult bookstores to look at sex toys?</p>
<p>I was raised in Texas. I wouldn’t have let my Ds near a gun, not that anyone in our family had guns or proposed doing anything gun related with them. Never EVER heard of a shooting range birthday party!</p>
<p><a href=“In Wake of Arizona Uzi Killing, NRA Tweets About Kids Having Fun With Guns – Mother Jones”>http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/08/nra-arizona-uzi-tweet-guns</a></p>
<p>this is twisted, apparently they haven’t considered the impact to this poor 9 yr old girl</p>
<p>In Wake of Arizona Uzi Killing, NRA Tweets About Kids Having Fun With Guns
The NRA Women account—sponsored by Smith & Wesson—has since taken down the tweet.</p>
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Sex toys aren’t made for killing things. I’d much, much rather have my kids playing with a dildo than a gun (not that either is really my preference but dildos don’t generally kill people…) </p>
<p>Agree, romani, but most parents would freak out about that–including those who think young kids should be shooting stuff for fun. </p>
<p>I was going to ask what 9 year old needs a bucket list but I guess if this is your idea of family fun a bucket list might come in handy. </p>
<p>Completely ridiculous! I am a life time outdoorsman (fishing and hunting) and it disgusts me that it is considered acceptable to have children at such a young age handle firearms. In this case a fully automatic weapon, what the hell is wrong with people! </p>