Teaching a Healthy Respect for All Firearms

A big cheer for the single mother who, hating guns, nevertheless grants her son’s desire to own a BB gun (“Mothers and Sons and Guns,” by Celeste Fremon, Dec. 21).

She did all the right things, insisting the boy handle the gun only with her permission and that he learn and practice the rules of gun safety. That is one young man who will learn the great responsibility that goes along with owning a gun.

A big jeer, however, for Fremon’s assertion that the mere availability of guns is the major cause of death for gang members. “Guns don’t kill people,” she says. “People with access to guns do.” Maybe she didn’t live in Southern California in the ‘50s (like I did) and can be excused for not knowing we had gangs aplenty even then. Those gangs fought with fists and switchblades, though, not with guns, in spite of the fact that virtually anyone could obtain a gun--even a handgun--anonymously by mail order.

Brooks Pangburn

Duarte

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Responsible parents spend countless hours trying to teach their children about the dangers of drugs, alcohol and sexual promiscuity but little or no time is spent teaching respect for firearms (even if it’s only BB guns). With literally millions of guns in circulation, there is a good chance that any child will come into contact with a gun at some time in his or her life.

Fremon took the right approach in educating herself and talking to people with experience on the subject and then facing her own fear for the sake of her son. The choice she made was far better than denying him and tempting him to sneak off somewhere and experiment without her permission.

One resource for information on firearms safety (although not universally politically correct) is the National Rifle Assn., which has a wealth of information for parents who want to teach gun safety to their children.

Mark Kehlenbeck

Canoga Park

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Fremon describes her agony over being in the presence of a gun and her reluctance to allow her son ever to own one. Then, however, she permits him to purchase a BB gun, which can only encourage him to treat guns as though they are toys. What a dangerous compromise.

Diana L. Milligan

Long Beach

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Fremon’s personal account of a journey from ignorance and prejudice to open-mindedness was encouraging.

I challenge all others so fearfully ignorant of guns to begin a similar journey of their own--a journey to a place called understanding and tolerance.

Eric Christen

Irvine