At 08:51 AM 3/7/01 -0600 dendriite wrote:
>As to the cultural perception of firearms, you only have to look as far as
>your TV screen or the movies to see that you really never see weapons used
>responsibly. Even fictional police are pretty haphazard in the display and
>use of firearms.
>
I'm watching _Primetime_ on ABC right now. They conducted an experiment
by placing hidden cameras and disabled handguns in a room where teenagers
will discover them. The reaction of the kids is appallling. They get
excited, they jump around, the examine the gun, the even try firing them!
The results of the experiment were even unaffected by giving the kids "gun
safety" education immediately before the experiment.
Somehow, "guns don't kill people, people do" seems all the more apt.
Also disturbing is that the kids almost universally talk about how
*tempted* they were to pick up the gun and "check it out." This
temptation was very overwhelming for these kids.
Somehow, I can't help but think that there are some serious cultural
factors at work here.
JDG
__________________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED] - ICQ #3527685
"The point of living in a Republic after all, is that we do not live by
majority rule. We live by laws and a variety of isntitutions designed
to check each other." -Andrew Sullivan 01/29/01
