High School Junior From New Hampshire Pens NYT Op-Ed About His Love Of Guns
Following recent trends of gun-owning teenagers getting involved in the national debate on guns and gun rights, a high school junior from New Hampshire named Dakota Hanchett wrote an op-ed in today’s New York Times explaining why he didn’t join the recent school protest.
There was a walkout at my school last week. It was meant to honor the students who died in the school shooting in Florida, but it was also about protesting firearms. I didn’t join in. I feel horrible about the kids who were killed or hurt, but firearms aren’t the problem — people are.
I think people who use guns in mass shootings are using those guns to seek help. There are other ways to get help, but the people who do these things have probably asked for help or have shown signs that they need it but were let down by the adults around them.
Dakota also explains the difficulty in having open-minded discussions with his peers who are unfamiliar with guns and in many cases afraid of them.
They’ve been told not to touch or talk about guns, and some of the kids think it is just absolutely wrong for people to own them. That is their opinion, and I respect it and am open to talking about it. But even if people try to be nice, they don’t really want to debate it.
Mr. Hanchett then asks
if we can teach students about sex and about drug and alcohol abuse, why can’t we teach them about firearm safety?
And he offers a potential solution for making it easier to talk about guns at school –
why can’t we have a couple of police officers come in and show us an unloaded gun and talk about how to keep us safe?
That class would be for high school students, but if the school district thought it was working it could be spread to younger students.
Dakota’s final point is probably the most poignant –
I think the people who are afraid of guns should talk to the people who are familiar with them, and both should keep an open mind. Even if people on the other side don’t agree, they need to be respectful, listen, be honest and not get upset with the other person.
Well said, Dakota Hanchett. Thank you for sharing your perspective and making a positive contribution to this nasty “debate.” We hope more young people in favor of guns continue to speak up and share their opinions.
Speaking of more young people speaking up, the video below shows a young woman eloquently speaking about her experience with guns and her thoughtful views on gun rights –
Personally I have no problem with tightening gun control a little bit, but not putting a death grip on it. I think some training in using a gun and hunters safety would be a good idea. Also a good role model for kids seeking to buy guns when they turn 18 like someone to volunteer through each State to take kids out hunting and watch over them while they hunt if their father isn’t in the picture to do it or don’t do it, because of a disability or other possible conflict and not able to go out and do this with their children. This should also include 40 hours of range time as a child maybe 8 hrs as an adult a mental health quiz either in this training class or prior to buying a weapon. Mental illness is a problem in this country and we need to start with the above and stopping young adults from buying guns that are mentally unstable. Even though you can go out on the street corner and but a gun just about anywhere in the United States. These guns are not registered and have most likely already killed another person, but the point is if someone wants a gun they will find a way to get it. These kids are both right I suggest anyone that wants to prohibit guns and restrict the 2nd Amendment should listen to these kids. In School kids can’t even use their finger and thumb as a fake gun while playing without getting into trouble, this is how bad it has gotten a grade school child can watch this behavior on TV in cartoons no less, but they can’t even play during recess with their friends, cops and robbers. The schools are sucking the imagination right out of our kids.
Tim. “Tightening gun control a little bit”? There is no such thing as a “little bit”. Their “little bit” is CONFISCATION.. All you have to do is ask or watch what they are doing. ANY law passed against our 2nd Amendment is UNCONSTITUTIONAL and should have never been allowed. All they want to do is continue to chip away at our RIGHTS. Look at all the states “banning” the AR platform and now, “bump stocks”? It will not end! Also, what would be considered a “mental health quiz and WHO would determine what is asked so that does not violate HIPPA Laws?
Most states have hunter safety classes for kids and in some cases, adults. The NRA has had an Eddie Eagle program available for YEARS to teach young kids not to touch a gun, find an adult, be safe! This should be taught in ALL schools. Kids are curious and if you force them NOT to do something they will head the other direction; so, teach them about firearms and SAFETY.
Shame on the politicians and “school administrators” who are anti-gun. They need to be ANTI-CRIMINAL instead. Guns are NOT the problem, CRIMINALS are the problem and they pay NO attention to laws. Stop blaming the inanimate object; they are only a tool, just like a car or a truck or a boat.
Finally a young adult who has a head on his shoulders and thinks for himself. Not a follower of the extreme left. Some people just enjoy shooting holes in paper and becoming proficient in shooting. Doesn’t make them murderers. There are responsible gun owners out there. People just need to talk to them. This young man could be the starting point. He should go to Washington and talk in front of some of the leaders of our great country.
Extreme left? What kind of right wing nut job are you.. The majority of gun owners and NRA members want sensible gun control to be legislated.
How much more legislation do you want? Laws abound everywhere restricting the rights of law abiding citizens.
Of course you stated it in your last sentence – gun control.
You probably aren’t aware there are already laws in place on “sensible” back ground checks. Every time an individual purchases a firearm the is a federal background check, which includes any and all arrests individuals may have had. In Illinois it is even stricter. In Illinois a person must possess a Firearm Owner ID. To get one there is an extensive background ground check both state wide as well as federal. You can evendors buy a firearm, let alone ammunition without one. People who want gun control have no idea what they are talking about when it comes to firearms.