Guns and Football

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Here is an interesting statistic:

From 1997 to 2002, 34 students were killed by guns in elementary or secondary schools. During the same period, 53 high school students died playing football. (National Center for Catastrophic Sport Injury Research, Feb. 2001, and National School Safety Center data)

I could go on and on about "football free zones" and arresting third graders for drawing pictures of footballs, but I think you see the point.

If I had my way, every school would have a shooting range to teach kids shooting skills, gun safety and appropriate use of force.  It would help to instill a necessary sense of freedom and independence in the future populace.

Thomas Jefferson had it right:

A strong body makes the mind strong. As to the species of exercises, I advise the gun. While this gives moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball, and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun therefore be the constant companion of your walks.

   --- Thomas Jefferson, letter to his 15-year-old nephew Peter Carr, August 19, 1785