‘Get em one like yours’ because giving your child a rifle is a great gift. A smaller rifle to fit in the hands of a child will surely not cause issues. And every parent who is intrested in shooting as a hobby surely will all be responsible when giving a child a gun.

Responsibility obviously has to be the biggest concern when talking about gun control, but there are people in the United States who don’t want gun safety laws, who love owning guns, and who have children. People who don’t believe in responsibility. All at the same time. Which can be concering when products like these are made. 

Seriously, what goes into getting a rifle, more specifically an AR-15 in the United States? What does a person need to do to get a weapon that shoots right through the human body, and liquifies the organs inside? Well it’s quite simple, in more than 40 states, all you need is:

• An ID to prove you are over 18
• Pass a quick background check
• And then pass one of the many online quizzes for ‘gun safety’.

What in god’s name is safe about that. I mean, handguns are more regulated than a semi-automatic rifle. The law on purchasing handguns is that you must be at least 21 years old. Check out this article by Madison Czopek from Austin-American-Statesman for more information on age requirements for firearms in the US. 

Thankfully, but also unfortunately because not many states followed along, here in California you have to be 21 years of age to buy any guns at all. However in most states, it is still legal for anyone who is 18 years old to buy an AR-15.

If the minimum age for a semi-automatic rifle is 18, then why make a smaller verision for kids half that age? It may be shocking, but not everyone buys guns for hunting or safety. People can actually become violent when in possession of firearms. Wow. 

Now, not only are children… under 18, but they are also probably not at the intelecual level to pass a gun safety test. Some may argue that, “Oh but by buying this JR-15 and teaching the kid myself, they should be safe.” Are most parents that cautious? No, and it’s especially a no for most parents in America. 

Without proper teaching about gun safety, we might just end up with children using guns for violence! Oh wait, we already have. But that can’t be right, parents are good about keeping guns away from children, so how does a child obtain a gun? Well.. from their parents. Whether they stole it, got it gifted, doesn’t particularly matter.

Children are ever growing, not only physically, but mentally as well. I’m sure you can see now what’s wrong with a child getting or even having access to guns, so then why do we have such quick and easy access to guns? Because even if gun owning adults put their guns away in cases, it’s proven time and time again that children can get through these cases. 

Majority of guns used in shootings where the suspect is 18 or younger are stolen from a parent, guardian, or other family member. Not only does this prove the desperate need of better safety around guns as a whole, but also one of the major reasons why it should be less acceptable to sell an “JR-15”.

Children shouldn’t be shooting guns, especially these smaller, semi-automatic long rifles. As Californians, we are possibly protected from this happening, but with proud gun-owning parents who “want to continue tradition” or something, there is no doubt the JR-15 will sell like crazy across the states. 

So look forward to postings on Facebook of proud Radical Conservative Republican parents gifting their non-developed children a JR-15. Afterall, they wanted to give them one that ‘looks, feels, and operates just like Mom and Dad’s gun’.