# Just in case you thought all the bad gun stories came out of the US... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230 "2008-11-05T06:35:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AllWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/db5fbb/32.png) [@AllWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllWalker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/1 "2008-11-05T06:35:51Z")
[Boy finds guns in Sydney park](http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/11/05/2410492.htm) Now, no one died, the boy rushed home and told his parents immediately, and the guns were not loaded. I’m not going to call this the worst gun story of all time. Still, it’s disturbing to realise an eight year old can stumble upon five high powered rifles like this in a park, right in my own city. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/2 "2008-11-05T13:13:43Z")
You do realize that they are inanimate objects, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/3 "2008-11-05T16:18:41Z")
Bad gun. Sit boy. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/4 "2008-11-05T16:23:52Z")
Was there ammunition near them? Guns without amo are pretty harmless. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanTigerTamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@SuntanTigerTamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanTigerTamer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/5 "2008-11-05T16:25:30Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > You do realize that they are inanimate objects, don’t you? You do realize that they are inanimate object built for the sole purpose of forcibly injecting large pieces of metal into animate objects, don’t you? But fuck it, if he would have killed himself with it, it would have been the parents fault. You gun-nuts sure cover your excuse bases well… :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/6 "2008-11-05T16:33:39Z")
> [@SuntanTigerTamer](#): > > You do realize that they are inanimate object built for the sole purpose of forcibly injecting large pieces of metal into animate objects, don’t you? > > But fuck it, if he would have killed himself with it, it would have been the parents fault. You gun-nuts sure cover your excuse bases well… > > :rolleyes: Because Australia finally perfected the elusive gun that fires without amo? ---
**Author:** ![jali](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecae2f/32.png) [@jali](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jali)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/7 "2008-11-05T16:37:05Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > You do realize that they are inanimate objects, don’t you? Is it not outrageous to you that an 8 year old child found a GUN in a park? A bayonet seems pretty dangerous to me. I’ll bite my tongue on the rest since I’m trying to remain peaceful today. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanTigerTamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@SuntanTigerTamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanTigerTamer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/8 "2008-11-05T16:41:40Z")
Does it really, really matter? Does the average person who dumps a bag full of guns in a park make sure that they aren’t loaded? Or did this kid, and his parents, probably just luck out. And what if someone other than a seemingly honest kid had found them? How difficult would it be to procure ammunition for the guns? And if there had been ammo (its AMMO, god damn it) in the guns, would your next question be “Was the safety on?” or “Was the dufflebag zipped securely?” Can’t you see that these questions have NOTHING to do with the debate. It doesn’t matter if the bag was zipped up or if there wasn’t ammunition, IT WAS A BAG FULL OF FUCKING GUNS FOUND IN A PARK BY A CHILD… ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/9 "2008-11-05T16:47:26Z")
I wonder how people would react if the boy had found a downed power line? A half-filled container of pesticide? A drum of industrial solvent? A container of hair dye? A container of concentrated hydrogen peroxide? I agree it’s best if children are kept away from dangerous things, but some amount of potential contact is inevitable. For example, my kitchen has many substances and instrumentalities which are potentially lethal. All I can do is pray that my children have the sense to stay away from such things without adult supervision. Which is apparantly what happened here - the boy did the exactly correct thing. Oh, and [here’s a novel way to teach gun safety to children](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PYHR72u51Q) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/10 "2008-11-05T16:52:38Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > I wonder how people would react if the boy had found a downed power line? A half-filled container of pesticide? A drum of industrial solvent? A container of hair dye? A container of concentrated hydrogen peroxide? I’d say “wow, that is one unlucky kid!” ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/11 "2008-11-05T16:57:01Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I’d say “wow, that is one unlucky kid!” Lol. Nice one. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/12 "2008-11-05T17:05:25Z")
> [@AllWalker](#): > > …the boy rushed home and told his parents immediately… You lost me right there. You mean he didn’t call all his friends so they could bring them back to their clubhouse, treehouse, or basement of the friend whose divorced mom drinks too much, then play with them in secret and try to steal some ammo from dad’s sock drawer? I really don’t understand kids these days. No initiative. March lockstep with what their parents and teachers tell them to do. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/13 "2008-11-05T17:19:19Z")
> [@SuntanTigerTamer](#): > > You do realize that they are inanimate object built for the sole purpose of forcibly injecting large pieces of metal into animate objects, don’t you? > : Well, then most guns never fulfill their “purpose”, which is odd. The purpose of guns is manyfold: Collecting (no shooting at all) Target shooting (no “animate objects”) Hunting ( some dudes actually need hunting to eat) Home defence (less than 1% are actually fired) Police, military, and so forth. And another site has said “\*None of the firearms were capable of being fired \*and no ammunition was located at the scene, police said” [http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24605110-26103,00.html](http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24605110-26103,00.html) “_Police say none were capable of being fired_ and no ammunition was found.” [http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/11/05/Boy\_finds\_highpowered\_guns\_in\_Sydney\_park](http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/11/05/Boy_finds_highpowered_guns_in_Sydney_park) _"Police said none of the firearms were capable of being fired as there were vital parts missing._" > **[Eight-year-old finds bag of guns](https://www.smh.com.au/national/eight-year-old-finds-bag-of-guns-20081105-gdt1mz.html)** Apparently the guns were “de-miled”. In other words- “Kid finds \*scrap metal \*in park, with a knife attached.” It is interesting that the OP cited the only site I can find that _didn’t_ mention that the guns were incapable of being fired. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/14 "2008-11-05T17:31:21Z")
Good for the kid. He did exactly the right thing, and for that he should be praised. I hope this story gets lost of publicity so that other kids will know what to do if they find themselves in a similar situation. Here in the States, the NRA created the [“Eddie Eagle”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Eagle) program, designed to educate children about what to do if they find a gun: Stop, Don’t Touch, Leave The Area, Tell An Adult. It’s much more sensible to educate children about the safest thing to do rather than pretend that guns don’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanTigerTamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@SuntanTigerTamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanTigerTamer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/15 "2008-11-05T17:45:58Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Well, then most guns never fulfill their “purpose”, which is odd. The purpose of guns is manyfold: > > Collecting (no shooting at all) > Target shooting (no “animate objects”) > Hunting ( some dudes actually need hunting to eat) > Home defence (less than 1% are actually fired) > Police, military, and so forth. Guns are manufactured and designed for the purpose of firing bits of metal at extremely high rates of speed into animate objects. There might be people out there that just enjoy lubing them up and shoving them up their asses, but this changes nothing about whether or not they are objects designed to kill in extremely efficient and violent ways. I am not stupid; I am under no delusion that anyone will be able to take all guns out of the hands of hunters, sport shooters, hobbyists, or violent criminals. I am just sick and tired of people pretending that guns aren’t the issue. They hand wave the issue away by talking about the mistakes stupid people make with them, and say absolutely nothing about the FACT that there will be just as many, if not more, stupid people next year. And the year after that. And the year after that. To me, its a choice between stricter guns regulations or a really swell eugenics program. I could go either way 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/16 "2008-11-05T17:48:30Z")
> [@SuntanTigerTamer](#): > > To me, its a choice between stricter guns regulations or a really swell eugenics program. I could go either way 😃 I’ll put you on the list. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/17 "2008-11-05T17:51:58Z")
> [@Max\_Torque](#): > > Here in the States, the NRA created the [“Eddie Eagle”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Eagle) program, designed to educate children about what to do if they find a gun: Stop, Don’t Touch, Leave The Area, Tell An Adult. Pussies! Why, back in my day… Then again, back in my father’s day kids could buy handguns for a couple dollars out of [the Johnson Smith catalog](http://www.johnsonsmith.com/) advertised in the back of comic books. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![SuntanTigerTamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@SuntanTigerTamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanTigerTamer)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/18 "2008-11-05T17:58:19Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > I’ll put you on the list. So beyond your “Guns are inanimate objects” hand wave, you have nothing to contribute? Seeya in MPSIMS! ---
**Author:** ![Jaglavak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85f322/32.png) [@Jaglavak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaglavak)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/19 "2008-11-05T18:15:25Z")
> [@mks57](#): > > You do realize that they are inanimate objects, don’t you? Aw geez guys! I own a rack of cannons myself, but even I think that a kid finding a sack of guns in a city park is ridiculous and should not happen. But the first reply starts up the gun debate again in mid stride? It’s almost like you two were married or something. There is some middle ground ya know… No really! Hang on, looking… :: thump, crash, shuffle :: I know I saw it around here somewhere just the other day… ---
**Author:** ![kellner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c2a13f/32.png) [@kellner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kellner)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230/20 "2008-11-05T18:23:12Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > You lost me right there. You mean he didn’t call all his friends so they could bring them back to their clubhouse, treehouse, or basement of the friend whose divorced mom drinks too much, then play with them in secret and try to steal some ammo from dad’s sock drawer? > > I really don’t understand kids these days. No initiative. March lockstep with what their parents and teachers tell them to do. That’s pretty much what my father did when he found a gun in the woods. He gathered a few friends, shot a tree and later he traded the gun for a stack of comic books. He certainly didn’t tell his mother, but on a different occasion she found the live artillery shell that he had hidden in his closet. He was devastated when she forced him to get rid of it. Ah, the joys of post-war childhood… Btw. although my grandmother was divorced and that caused a small sensation in rural Germany of the day, I feel obliged to point out that she didn’t drink. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-in-case-you-thought-all-the-bad-gun-stories-came-out-of-the-us/471230.md?page=2)