[Hansam]

I'm saddened by this and other incidents involving children and firearms. My prayers go out to those people.

These things CAN be avoided however with proper education and practicing proper safety rules whenever handling or even just around firearms.

Just as the antis will take these incidents as chances to preach their anti-gun opinions and desires we as firearms enthusiasts should take these as chances to educate and teach others about firearms (the truth).

If everyone knew NOT to carry the gun with their finger on the trigger or NOT to assume the gun isn't loaded etc. and actually put that knowledge into practice then these NDs would be greatly reduced. If everyone also taught their young children properly about firearms then we wouldn't have incidents regarding kids who shot themselves or others while playing with mom/dad's gun.

As a responsible firearm owner and enthusiast I make it a point to educate my kids from very early on about proper respect and handling of firearms. I also bear in mind that my EDC is always loaded and cocked (unless its been stripped for cleaning in which case its simply not possible for the gun to go off when its sitting on the work bench in pieces).

In order to protect what limited freedoms we have today we need to be more active (not just reactive but PROACTIVE) in teaching others the truth about firearms and also in practicing what we teach on a daily basis.