As long as I can remember growing up, my parents kept a loaded gun by their bed. My three brothers and I were told never to touch it unless we were given permission to, for example during target practice. And guess what?  We never did.

They also told us not to put metal objects in wall sockets, not to touch a hot stove, not to play outside when it was lightening, not to ride our bicycles in front of cars or play in the street.

So what kept us from playing with the gun? Probably the same thing that kept us from sticking knitting needles in wall sockets. We knew we could die… or get killed by our parents if they found out we did.

The threat of death was a huge deterrent, and the fear of disobeying our parents was a common condition shared by all kids our age.

Back then, parents were the adults and actually taught kids right from wrong. The school reinforced their influence, they didn’t countermand it. The community shared the same believe system of respect, honor, integrity, and consequences to actions.

Guns have never been the problem until the social engineers, who jumped the tracks of common sense, needed to blame their morally bankrupt ideas on something besides a warped agenda.