"Kids on Guns"

(continued from Miami Magazine page)

Jason Warner, 10: "Yes, because if another riot comes and because for protection."

Robert Bowers, 11: "Yes, because people these days are crazy. They would come right up and shoot you."

Jennifer Canavan, 11: "Yes, I do want to own a gun because the crime rate is too hight. You can't really live safely nowadays without having some sort of protection. At least with a gun you have a chance."

Ana Maria Villegas, 12: "I will like to own a gun because I could need it. When I grow up probably if a man wants to do something to me I will have to use it."

George Izquierdo, 10: "Yes I do want to own a gun because the crime level has just boomed and if I have a family I want to protect my children and my wife from being hurt or killed. If I own a gun, I will use it for an emergency. If I do own a gun it will be a double-barrel shotgun because if someone hurt or killed one of my family members I want to be sure I killed him."

Another dozen of the forty children who said they wanted guns when they grew up said they wanted firearms for both protection and for hunting.

Most of the 20 children who said they do not want guns gave the possibility of accidents as their reason.

Keith Kelley, 12: "No, because it is very dangerous and if someone is make a surprise party and you can hurt someone." (He could forsee someone drawing a gun on some friends who might give him a surprise party.)

Tracy Palmer, 12: "I do not want a gun because it's dangerous to have if little kids get hold of it. And if something does happen to me I will know it was my time. I think it's a dangerous weapon because you may grab the gun and shoot someone but not mean it."

There were a couple of "yes and no" answers.

Mayla Migliori, 11: "No, because the person who comes in my house might find it and kill me or somebody else. Yes because a gun is a good self defense. You don't have to shoot. You can also just let the person who came in the house, let them see you with the gun."

Rachel Evans, 11: "Yes and no because I think it is a good idea to have a gun because it can protect you and no because people can abuse the use of a gun. They also may use it as a toy and not mean to pull the trigger. But when they do it, it will be a feeling that they will have for a long time if they hurt someone or a group of people."

Finally, we have a poetic note from Chris Comas, 11, who wrote:

"Yes, I would like to own a gun because I would like to have it and not need it rather than need it and not have it."

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