Safety First

In 2023, John Hopkins University conducted a study to find the leading cause of death in children in the United States. It was not drownings, or car accidents or even cancer. The number one cause of death in children ages 1-17 in America was firearms. So, as a society that treasures its children, and its Second Amendment, how do we approach this with safety first?

In1965, American lawyer Ralph Nader published “Unsafe at Any Speed” to bring awareness to the fatality of car accidents. Automobile accidents were one of the top five killers in America at the time. In 1968, seat belts became law. Crumple zones, anti-locking breaks and air bags were later added as precautions in saving lives. Because of his crusade for automobile safety, Ralph Nader has saved millions of lives and to this day is still saving lives.

Today, over 2500 children a year perish due to a bullet entering their body. A disturbing fact indeed, however facts are where we gather our truths, and our individual truths bring us sometimes to different conclusions.

There are some signs of change. The City of Groveland Police Department conduct complimentary gun safety courses throughout the year. Citizens are welcome to learn how to safely shoot and store firearms. The push for gun safety, gun vaults and locks as well as gun awareness are everywhere we turn. A. W. Peterson Gun Shop in Tavares offers gun safe classes as well.

Is it the prevalence of guns or a mental health issue proliferating in America which keeps us from implementing more gun safety laws? Is this an American issue or a universal one? In countries with gun restrictions, there is a considerable decline in suicides and gun violence. However, to balance our freedoms, many of us are married to our guns. We love them more than our own family at times. Yet do we love them more than our own children? On the flip side, what measures will we implement to save our children?

The mantra of guns “do not kill people, people kill people” I can whole heartedly agree with. There is a person or child behind every gun that can cause life threating consequences. So, if people are the culprit, let’s address people. Better yet, let’s address the people’s access to firearms. Most of us can agree children should not possess guns. If you side on allowing children to bear arms, then the responsibility is placed squarely on the parent. Would that be child abuse by allowing your child to possess a firearm?

I am a firm believer in parental rights coupled with parental responsibilities. The parents are responsible for their child’s safety whether with guns or not. The definition of abuse places intentionality as the measure of neglect. You can argue none of us intentionally pursue neglect. We may intentionally lead towards freedom as an argument to allow children to carry or have access to firearms. Yet neglect is a tough metric to measure.

With arguments or counter arguments, it boils down to one thing and one thing alone. Not the freedom argument or even the intentionality or neglect argument. It comes down to the simple fact that a parent who has lost a child to gun violence does not want another parent to ever have to experience it themselves.

Farmer Banks Helfrich teaches gardening monthly at Florida Blue Clermont and on his seven-acre farm in north Clermont. Farm tours are every 2nd Sunday. Call Banks for more information. (407) 616-9720.