| If you grew up in the early to late 60s you | | | | They're afraid that if their kids play with guns |
| remember watching Vic Morrow in the great | | | | they will grow up to play with real guns. We have |
| series Combat. You were so taken by the his | | | | become so politically correct that it has gotten to |
| performance that if you were a normal kid, you | | | | the point where you can't even find guns in a toy |
| wanted to be Sergeant Saunders. And you got | | | | store anymore. Those days are long gone. So if a |
| the chance to do it too. The toy stores were | | | | kid wants to play army, he better have a very |
| stocked to the rafters with Saunders | | | | good imagination. |
| trademarked camouflaged helmet, Thompson Sub | | | | The question is, is this right? Certainly not every |
| Machine Gun and hand grenades. The gun had a | | | | kid who played with guns grew up to become a |
| pull back knob that was quite realistic and the gun | | | | killer. An associate of mine had not only a |
| made quite a racket when it was shot. The | | | | Saunders Tommy Gun, but also a German Luger, |
| grenades were equipped with the old style cap | | | | an M1 rifle, a Colt 45 and quite a few hand |
| explosives that also made quite a bang when the | | | | grenades. He says he had to have several when |
| grenade hit the ground correctly. | | | | attacking those German bunkers. Today, this kid |
| Taking your equipment, you and your friends | | | | who lived to play army, is a successful Internet |
| made off for the nearest woods or mazed area. | | | | marketer and has never held a real gun a day in |
| You took turns hunting each other down. Because | | | | his life. |
| nobody really got shot, you were pretty much on | | | | The truth is, it doesn't take a toy gun to turn a |
| the honor system when someone snuck up | | | | kid bad. If somebody is destined to turn to a life |
| behind you, started shooting and said, "you're | | | | of crime, he's going to do it with or without |
| dead". You were always tempted to say, "I'm | | | | having played with toy guns. So the question of |
| just wounded" and walk off to the aid station for | | | | whether or not kids should be allowed to play war |
| a brief timeout until you were "healed" and ready | | | | games is one that has to be answered by each |
| to get back in the game. Nobody really died and | | | | individual parent. Parents should make informed |
| the games went on forever until you simply got | | | | decisions about everything they allow or don't |
| tired of playing or your mother called you in for | | | | allow their children to do. There is an old saying |
| dinner. It was all pretty harmless fun. | | | | that says guns don't kill, people kill. That was true |
| But, it's 40 years later and parents are wondering | | | | in the 1960s and it is true today as well. |
| if they should let their kids play war games. | | | | Certainly toy guns don't kill anybody. |