By Roy Denish
One child is killed every three hours, no background checks against those buying weapons in 33 states
150 Americans shot every day, 83 are killed every day.
West Field, MA October 26th 2008 10.53 am: The weather was overcast, a slight breeze swept across the open fields, a lively third-grader, son of a medical director walked past his father clutching an Israeli made micro Uzi pistolet automatique and aimes the gun at a pile of pumpkins, little knowing that he would not live another day to see the day- light.
Christopher Bizilj, the eight year old was killed due to a gun-shot injury that was caused by the weapon flipping backwards as soon as the trigger was released. The Muzzle velocity of an UZI is estimated to be 400 meter per second.
The misadventure occurred at the annual machine gun shoot and fire arms expo, organized by Westfield Sportsman Club. The organizers of the event bragged on their website “age is not limited nor licensed required” and the cost was just $ 5.00 to have “fun”
The death sparked a heated debate among politicians in the Capitol Hill. The anti-trigger happy supporters took law-makers to the task, petitions poured in, vigil services and demonstrations were held and newspapers were flooded with letters. But the pro-gun advocates came firing their cylinders to prevent the administration passing any new laws.
The obituary notice of Christopher Bizilj
Christopher
Karol Bizilj, 8, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday (October 26, 2008)
at Bay State Medical Center, Springfield, MA. Christopher was always
upbeat, smiling, and loved life. He was always looking forward to his
next adventure. His big brother was his closest and most influential
friend. Christopher is survived by his loving parents, Doctor Charles
and Suzanne Bizilj; his brother and best friend, Colin Bizilj. Burial
will be private and at the convenience of the family. There are no
calling hours. Memorial donations may be made to the Ashford School, 440
Westford Rd., Ashford, CT 06278. Donations will be used for new
computer technology at the school. Christopher’s parents, Charles and
Suzanne, ask that you celebrate his brilliant but short life, and the
positive impact that he had on so many people.
Following the death, the club prohibited anyone under the age of eight handling a gun or a bow. But the law seems to apply only to one state. Just three weeks ago in Nevada at a popular tourist shooting range, the Machine Gun Vegas; a seven year old child was seen target-shooting armed with a German made Heckler & Koch assault rifle. The kid was being taught the finer points by none other than Jackie Carrizosa, the former United States naval officer, now an instructor at the MGV.
Caption: The “Bad Ass Chick”, Jackie Carrizosa seen here with the “prepubescent” seven year old armed with the German made assault rifle, HK416, at the Machine Gun Vegas Shooting Range in Las Vegas. Picture posted on the Face book by Michael Nixon, the father of the boy.
The controversial photograph appeared on the MGV’s Face book page. The picture shows, the tattooed beauty nick named as “bad ass chick”, by Singer Robyn Rihanna instructing the “prepubescent” boy how to handle the seven pound rifle that uses a detachable magazine. The weapon with 850 rounds per minute cycle is made by the German arms maker with the collaboration of US army’s Delta Force (DF)
“Our whole family had an awesome time – our 7 year old son had a “blast”. Great staff and kickass guns. Thanks MGV!” Michael Nixon, the father of the seven year old posted on MGV’s Face book page.
The lingering question among the anti-gun advocates is whether children under the age of 18 should be permitted into shooting ranges. According to the Statistics by a non-profit organization, the Stop Hand Gun Violence, eighty three Americans are killed every day, eight children are maimed every day or one child is killed every three hours, more than 150 Americans shot every day and in 33 states there are no background checks against those buying guns. Food for thought: the national Rifle Association donated $ 6.7 million to congress in 2010.
The gun-wielding Carrizosa shot into the lime light after she was drafted as a weapon- trainer for Singer Rihanna for the movie, the Battleship, the movie to be released in may this year. Her lady luck smiled on her when the Director Peter Berg spotted her playing football with the US Navy.
However, the six million dollar question is whether States would ban under-age children handling guns or visiting shooting ranges especially when gun-related killings and injuries are mounting high.
The author is a freelance writer. Any questions contact roydenish@gmail.com
My son is 11 and has a .22 rifle. We started him with BB guns and taught him gun safety with that. Then when he was ready to move up we went with a .22 (a small caliber) rifle. He never uses it other than when we target shoot as a family -- it's kept locked in the safe with the others. In NY you can't even apply for a pistol permit until you're 18, so there's no question of him handling a hand gun. Even at 11 and 110lbs I would never consider letting him handle an uzi or other gun that has powerful recoil like that. That was extremely poor judgement by the adults present in that situation. It may have been a bullet that ended that boys life, but it was ignorant adults that killed him.
Guns don't kill people. Criminals and ignorant people with guns kill people. I don't think that changing the rules is going to change the statistics because I don't think that situations like this are the normal contributors to the stats. Banning kids from ranges only makes them more ignorant about guns, which makes guns more mysterious, aka more cool, and could actually lead to those stats getting worse.
Hear hear! And we'd have to ban them from schools if we were going to do that!
Quoting Godgaveme4:
Quoting antigunner:
However, the six million dollar question is whether States would ban under-age children handling guns or visiting shooting ranges especially when gun-related killings and injuries are mounting high.
Yes underage children should be allowed in shooting ranges. We started taking our kids to the range when they were 3. We would take them to the plinking range to shoot our youth .22. It is very ggod practice. We have never made guns taboo. Of course we also do not let them handle guns alone that are too big for them. If our kids ask to use a gun then we help them to try it out. When one of my boys was 6 he asked to fire a handgun. My husband helped him. He pulled the trigger once and was done. He has never asked again. But he knows what it feels like.I know this does not work for all families but it works for ours.
NOW to discuss the stats that are included in the article.
Quote:
eighty three Americans are killed every day, eight children are maimed every day or one child is killed every three hours, more than 150 Americans shot every day and in 33 states there are no background checks against those buying guns.Here is a little background on stats.
Did you know that when they talk about death by fiream they include, self-defense, murder, accidents, suicide, and cop shootings? So anyone killed with a gun is lumpedinto one big glorious category. That is very mis-leading.
Also, did you know that anyone under the age of 18 is considered a child? So those teen age gang bangers outthere shooting each other are included in all of these stats. Interesting don't you think?
So I do not take all of those stats that they list at face value.
There are many kids and teens that use the ranges to practice for their competitions that they participate in. Why would someone tae that away from them.
Is the plan to now to ban children from all places and activities where they could possibly get hurt?
You are kidding, right? This is one isolated incident that happened a long time ago. Don't let your kid that young handle a weapon of that size. The gun was taller than he was! That was the parent's fault. Do you know how many lives are saved by responsible, reasonable gun-owners in this country?! We are a hunting family. I can tell you, kids like the ones who killed students at Columbine are the kids who never handle weapons and are the ones that think they are a game, due to lack of education. I grew up, as young as three, with a loaded shot gun by the door during the day and by my parent's bed at night. I knew what guns could do, because Dad would bring home the deer he killed to clean them. I was taught proper gun safety from an early age. Guns were not taboo. I knew, if I wanted to touch a gun, all I had to do was tell an adult and they would secure it for me and teach me about it. It's when you don't talk with kids, that most accidently shootings happen.
But, what about your friends or families houses? They can still come across a gun and without gun safety information, they are the ones most likely to not know better and think it is a toy and harm someone.
Quoting Kate_Momof3:I eliminate this problem by not having a gun in my home.
If you want one, rock on. I just figure not having one is better than all the safety courses the NRA can offer. No fear of an accidental shooting when there isn't a gun to shoot.
Quoting momtimesx4:
My kids have grown up around guns and have been taught gun safety from the get go. They only get to touch one of them when myself or DH is around. As for as shooting them, only .22LR so far but they are well versed at cleaning them. My oldest got to help us build another AR15 earlier this year.
The article mentioned no background checks and I would like to know what they consider a background check, every 4473 needs a NICS Proceed code or state concealed permit in lieu of (depending on your states laws)
Oh man i meant to comment on that and research it. It seems a little off to me.
I know we do not have to fill out a background check form everytime we buy a gun.
I move that we ban children 18 and under from riding in cars....being anywhere near water....walking....running....riding bikes...Oh heck let's just put them all in bubbles and then let them out when they turn 19.
Quoting Saille717:
Hear hear! And we'd have to ban them from schools if we were going to do that!
Quoting Godgaveme4:
Quoting antigunner:
However, the six million dollar question is whether States would ban under-age children handling guns or visiting shooting ranges especially when gun-related killings and injuries are mounting high.
Yes underage children should be allowed in shooting ranges. We started taking our kids to the range when they were 3. We would take them to the plinking range to shoot our youth .22. It is very ggod practice. We have never made guns taboo. Of course we also do not let them handle guns alone that are too big for them. If our kids ask to use a gun then we help them to try it out. When one of my boys was 6 he asked to fire a handgun. My husband helped him. He pulled the trigger once and was done. He has never asked again. But he knows what it feels like.I know this does not work for all families but it works for ours.
NOW to discuss the stats that are included in the article.
Quote:
eighty three Americans are killed every day, eight children are maimed every day or one child is killed every three hours, more than 150 Americans shot every day and in 33 states there are no background checks against those buying guns.Here is a little background on stats.
Did you know that when they talk about death by fiream they include, self-defense, murder, accidents, suicide, and cop shootings? So anyone killed with a gun is lumpedinto one big glorious category. That is very mis-leading.
Also, did you know that anyone under the age of 18 is considered a child? So those teen age gang bangers outthere shooting each other are included in all of these stats. Interesting don't you think?
So I do not take all of those stats that they list at face value.
There are many kids and teens that use the ranges to practice for their competitions that they participate in. Why would someone tae that away from them.
Is the plan to now to ban children from all places and activities where they could possibly get hurt?
Quoting antigunner:
and in 33 states there are no background checks against those buying guns.
Wow talk about false information.
First of all in case no one is aware of this they are talking about gun shows. They are not talking about all gun purchases. HMMMM sounds like a little scare tactics going on there.
ALSO all lisenced dealers are required to run back ground checks on people who purchase from them.
But the question is should we ban children visiting from visting shooting range. I understand guns are kept locked at home. Should they be exposed?
That is exactly my question. should parents allow children to handle guns bigger than them?
The Young Won't Buy ObamaCare
- antigunner
on Apr. 12, 2012 at 2:45 PM