Last week in Long Island, NY, the police department in Hempstead launched its 3rd gun buyback program for kids. They encourage children to exchange their toy guns for other toys. The official’s reasons were asinine although rooted with good intentions. The Mayor of Hempstead Village, Don Ryan told WABC “Saying no to guns is important – even toy guns.” Strike 1. Hempstead Village Trustee Lamont Johnson said, “We don’t want the kids playing with guns. Guns are dangerous.” Strike 2. Even the police got in on all the fun. Lt. Derek Warner of the Hempstead PD said parents should reexamine giving their kids toy guns because guns “can be a dangerous item.” Thank you, Sherlock.
Ok. Their intentions are good. I get it. Guns can be dangerous but so can cars, airplanes, and trucks. Sound the alert! I am going right downstairs, having my kids line up with all their planes, trains, and automobiles, and encouraging them to give them to my wife. In return, they will get head protectors, knee pads, ankle braces, because God forbid, they hurt themselves.
The absurdity of a toy gun buyback program is nothing more than the anti-gun crowd conditioning our children to become anti-gun and anti-Second Amendment. Change my mind on that!
Former President Ronald Reagan famously said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” While many members of both parties claim to be defenders of the Second Amendment, we all know these so-called patriots know very little about the mechanics of firearms or of the Second Amendment. Truthfully, many of them still believe “AR” stands for Assault or Automatic Rifle when even my nine-year-old son knows that AR stands for Awesome Rifle.
As a Second Amendment advocate whose main focus is firearms education for children, I believe the future of our country begins with our young. The best way to prepare them is to teach them a healthy respect for firearms, and that begins with gun safety. This is why I wrote my book Safety On: An Introduction to the World of Firearms for Children. My books were designed as a tool for parents to talk to their kids about gun safety in a fun and interesting way. The artwork truly pops with colorful photos keeping a child’s attention focused on the important message.
Teaching your kids proper gun safety is always the first step—always. Not trading in their N toy guns for a fat plush doll. Where anti-gun rights advocates prefer avoidance and ignorance, gun-rights supporters take the time to educate and inform. Teach them to shoot properly. Teach them the mechanics of firearms. Teach them the importance of the Second Amendment in an age-appropriate way. Teach them about the Constitution, which in many cases, they may not be getting in their schools. Teach them that they have a responsibility from G-d to defend themselves and their loved ones and that above all else, teach them not to take their rights to keep arms and their rights to bear arms for granted. These rights are special and important. Teach them to never give up their rights.
I have witnessed and truly believe that advancing the pro-rights message must start with our kids. They are the future. The political left and right both know and frequently say the children are our future, and they’re 100% right. Our quintessential American right to arms is an irrevocable part of that, and unless we teach it and reinforce it, it may not prevail. This is a crucial role in your job as a parent.
As Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence Richard Henry Lee famously said, “Whereas, to preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them.”In keeping with his wisdom, and how that truth has kept America a shining beacon of freedom for centuries, I created my picture books for your kids—and my own
Yehuda Remer is the author of the Safety On series and owns and operates Thepewpewjew.com. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram @Thepewpewjew.