There has been a massive surge in gun violence over the past year or so, and in truth, I found the incident with the elementary school deaths particularly harrowing and disturbing.
Some Democrats have been loudly calling for the legal age to be raised to 25, in order to help "prevent" future deaths. I don't know how I feel towards this, exactly. I do think young people should be taught life skills and personal responsibility from early on if possible, but today's generation is so immature and sheltered and attached to their parents well after college that perhaps they aren't mature enough to use lethal weapons. I was discussing this with a friend of mine a while ago, over whether teenagers should be allowed to use weapons or not.
I know that in the U.S. and Europe, for example, it was very common even 30 or 40 years ago, for lots of teenagers to move out, get a job and start a family after basic education, but it seems much less commonplace today. And I do think that America has one of the higher drinking ages at the age of 21, while Europeans are much more lenient in that regard.
The Invention of Adolescence
'Boys Will Be Boys'? No, Adolescence Is A 20th Century Invention
And yet, we still allow young men to join the military even at age 17, and still try teenagers as adults for very serious crimes, including very recently. And 30 states permit children before they are teenagers to use guns:
"In 30 states, it’s legal for a child to possess a rifle or shotgun, which advocates say teaches them to use guns responsibly – but critics see it laying a path for danger."
My first rifle: how young is too young to operate a gun?
So my point is, American laws and norms seem to be all the over the place, and are extremely confusing and contradictory sometimes. So regarding this specific issue, do you think the Democrats are correct, guys? I mean, should the age be increased to 25 or not? Would that help prevent future deaths by gun violence?
Some Democrats have been loudly calling for the legal age to be raised to 25, in order to help "prevent" future deaths. I don't know how I feel towards this, exactly. I do think young people should be taught life skills and personal responsibility from early on if possible, but today's generation is so immature and sheltered and attached to their parents well after college that perhaps they aren't mature enough to use lethal weapons. I was discussing this with a friend of mine a while ago, over whether teenagers should be allowed to use weapons or not.
I know that in the U.S. and Europe, for example, it was very common even 30 or 40 years ago, for lots of teenagers to move out, get a job and start a family after basic education, but it seems much less commonplace today. And I do think that America has one of the higher drinking ages at the age of 21, while Europeans are much more lenient in that regard.
The Invention of Adolescence
'Boys Will Be Boys'? No, Adolescence Is A 20th Century Invention
And yet, we still allow young men to join the military even at age 17, and still try teenagers as adults for very serious crimes, including very recently. And 30 states permit children before they are teenagers to use guns:
"In 30 states, it’s legal for a child to possess a rifle or shotgun, which advocates say teaches them to use guns responsibly – but critics see it laying a path for danger."
My first rifle: how young is too young to operate a gun?
So my point is, American laws and norms seem to be all the over the place, and are extremely confusing and contradictory sometimes. So regarding this specific issue, do you think the Democrats are correct, guys? I mean, should the age be increased to 25 or not? Would that help prevent future deaths by gun violence?