Thread: Gun safety classes hope to lower number of kids shot

as a young fella, got brought to nz by parents and grandparents (mothers side) who believed enoch was right. (ok now the non political stuff)
we lived in a forestry village, we walked to school across farmland, got home and then we would break out airguns for a bit of target fun, later on we would walk into the forest and shoot possums.
sometimes we were allowed to take air rifles to school, there was allot of competition to who would be the best target shooter for the week, then walk home with the airguns.
as was the 70's there were fights at school ! trust me i got beaten the crap out of several occasions, but sometimes the bully got the shock of his life and was left embarrassed and bleeding.
at no stage did i ever use a weapon, ever threaten to use a weapon or tell my friends "i'm gonna shoot that bastard"
at possum shooting time, both of us would be armed but with respect for what firearms/air guns could do. there was never ever an issue.
I believe every child in nz should be taught firearms safety, even if they dont take up the sport its vital that they understand not to play with them, leave unsafe stored ones alone etc. and most of all treat it as a tool not a toy.