• spujb@lemmy.cafe
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    6 months ago

    It was a child. 17 year olds are not allowed to drink, smoke, be in porn, rent cars, and many more things because they do not have the mental capacity of an adult. Victim blaming a child does nothing for anyone but make you feel self righteous.

    CDC:

    Unintentional injury is a leading cause of death among U.S. children and adolescents aged 0–17 years, and firearms are a leading injury method.

    Securing firearms (e.g., locked, unloaded, and separate from ammunition) is protective against unintentional firearm injury deaths among children and adolescents, underscoring the importance of promoting secure firearm storage.

    • stanleytweedle@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      he pointed a gun at his head and pulled the trigger.

      Seems like this is well past being a ‘gun safety’ issue. I’m not going to give a 17 year old a pass on driving into oncoming traffic just because they ‘do not have the mental capacity of an adult’. This was an exceptionally stupid teen. Tragic that their stupidity combined with access to modern technology ended their life but that’s what happened and I’m just glad his stupidity didn’t hurt anyone else.

      • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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        6 months ago

        Wrong, potentially because you are malinformed, but quite wrong.

        This is absolutely a ‘gun safety’ issue, because any gun safety course will have treat every gun as if it’s loaded as one of the first principles.

        The average 17 year old driving has had dozens of hours of training before being licensed. The same should apply to 17 year olds with guns at minimum.

        • stephan262@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          Do you know that he didn’t take a gun safety course? For all we know, he could have had plenty of knowledge on how to safely handle a firearm and simply decided to ignore it for the sake of looking cool. The fact is that no amount of safety training can stop someone who decides to do something stupid.

          I absolutely agree with your last point though. There should be extensive training in how to handle a firearm safely required before someone can buy a gun.

          • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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            6 months ago

            Thank you for your comment. I won’t do any speculation either way regarding this specific situation.

            What is important is the messaging to parents and society at large of the importance of the safety measures that we both seem to agree on :) Blaming and laughing at the kid straight away in this situation detracts from that crucial message that gun safes and basic education for kids save lives.

          • Hacksaw@lemmy.ca
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            6 months ago

            I mean I was with you so far, a 17 year old can drive a car, so we agree that they’re capable of taking on significant risks to themselves and others, they’re not babies that need to be Molly-coddled. But if he had to take a course and pass a test before getting a gun this very well could have been avoided. Most countries have a gun safety course requirement and therefore much lower rates of this shit happening.

          • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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            6 months ago

            Unironically yes. Kids are dumb as shit but if we as a society insist on guns being around, the least we can do is reduce the harm by giving them the education they need to be around guns safely.

            You snarked your way into being correct.

            • stanleytweedle@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              the least we can do is reduce the harm by giving them the education they need to be around guns safely.

              I agree with that statement, but that dumbass would still have a hole in his head. Quality drivers education lowers collision rates, but reckless kids still kill in cars everyday.

              • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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                6 months ago

                Objection, speculation.

                I’m not here to debate what would have happened, I am just disappointed that the immediate reaction to a youth’s tragic death is guffawing.

                I hate cars too and I think they shouldn’t be around either. But as long as they are I am going to insist that kids get drivers ed training and that that training is constantly improved upon. I am being quite consistent here.

                • stanleytweedle@lemmy.world
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                  6 months ago

                  lol, we’re commenting on each other’s speculations- impressive observation.

                  But yeah- super disappointing people’s empathy doesn’t always extend to those that recklessly put others in danger and kill themselves. Super sad…

                  But the good news is that we actually agree on the value of gun safety training. Turns out we can agree on the substance of gun policy while disagreeing that people that shoot themselves in the head are idiots!

                  • spujb@lemmy.cafe
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                    6 months ago

                    🤝 i guess lol

                    i also agree that all kids are idiots. never stated otherwise. :) take care

    • Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      It is not a “child”, you imbecile.

      It is the stereotypical hysterical Karen who will say anyone under 18yrs is “my baby, my child!”.

      There is a huge huge huge difference between a 5 year old (an actual fucking child), and a 17 year old. One has gone all the way through puberty into young adulthood, significantly more brain development and experiences. A 17yr old is not a child.

      We have something called language, which has words, with definitions. Fetus, infant, baby, toddler, child, preteen, adolescent, teenager, young adult, adult.

      Changing the definition of child to any age under 18 just to virtue signal your agenda, is blatantly disingenuous.

      A 17 yr old has plenty experience enough to know not to put a real gun to his head and pull the trigger. Huge huge huge difference if a 5yr old does it.

      17 is not a child.