Zach LarkinsRELATED?
Kansas and Illinois aren't all that far apart, distance wise. It would be easy to drive from one to the other in a couple of hours. Maybe that's what has me flummoxed here.
Our first story comes from Leavenworth, Kansas where two boys are accused of wielding a concealed weapon to steal cash from a discount store. This really does not make much news anymore. It seems every other day some kid is trying to show his gonads by ripping off a convenience or liquor store. What is worrisome is that these boys were only 11 and 14 years old. And their weapon of choice? A squirt gun. Now this might be laughable except for the fact that they had the foresight to wrap the gun in black tape to make it look real.
Apparently that didn't work out for them too well as the clerk saw the gun for what it was and wrestled with the kid brandishing it. The other kid took this time to scoff some money from the till, but both were apprehended within minutes of the holdup. "It's very troubling that a kid that is 11 years old can formulate the thought in their mind to do something like this," police Maj. Pat Kitchens said. Police say they expect the boys to be charged with robbery. The law doesn't care whether the gun carried water or bullets. "The crime is dictated by the behaviour of the suspects in this instance," Kitchens said.
Our second story comes from Chicago, Illinois where a 10 month old boy has been issued a gun permit. Bubba Ludwig can't walk, talk or open the refrigerator door, but strangely, he does have his very own Illinois gun permit.
Now, first off, I always thought it was hillbillies and rednecks who named their kids ‘Bubba'. This caught me by surprise knowing that Chicago is a northern town. Is this a sign of Johnny Reb rising again? How long before the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has to learn to play ‘Dixie'? But I digress.
Bubba (real name Howard David Ludwig) got his certificate after his loving daddy paid a $5.00 fee and filled out an application form. Howard Sr. really wasn't expecting to get a permit, but he got one nonetheless. It seems there is no age requirement in Illinois for obtaining a firearms certificate. The card lists the baby's height (2 feet, 3 inches), weight (20 pounds) and has a scribble where the signature should be. And this is fine and dandy with the Illinois State Police, who oversee the application process. Their purpose, said Lt. Scott Compton, is to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons, those under an order of protection and those convicted of domestic violence. "Does a 10 month old need a FOID card? No, but there are no restrictions under the act regarding age of applicants," he said.
In his defence, Howard Sr. seems to be doing the right thing. You see, his own father bought Bubba a 12-gauge Beretta shotgun as a gift. And who can't appreciate such thoughtfulness? "Yep, gonna mek that there boy a man, by gum. None them sissified rattles er other girlie stuff fer him. Gon' mek ‘im a hunter, teach thet chile how to kill thangs, show ‘im jest whar his meat cum frum."
People who follow my writings know I have nothing against owning a gun. But isn't this taking things to an extreme? Might it not be that this kind of thinking leads to young boys trying to hold up a store with a squirt gun? Heaven help us.
Our first story comes from Leavenworth, Kansas where two boys are accused of wielding a concealed weapon to steal cash from a discount store. This really does not make much news anymore. It seems every other day some kid is trying to show his gonads by ripping off a convenience or liquor store. What is worrisome is that these boys were only 11 and 14 years old. And their weapon of choice? A squirt gun. Now this might be laughable except for the fact that they had the foresight to wrap the gun in black tape to make it look real.
Apparently that didn't work out for them too well as the clerk saw the gun for what it was and wrestled with the kid brandishing it. The other kid took this time to scoff some money from the till, but both were apprehended within minutes of the holdup. "It's very troubling that a kid that is 11 years old can formulate the thought in their mind to do something like this," police Maj. Pat Kitchens said. Police say they expect the boys to be charged with robbery. The law doesn't care whether the gun carried water or bullets. "The crime is dictated by the behaviour of the suspects in this instance," Kitchens said.
Our second story comes from Chicago, Illinois where a 10 month old boy has been issued a gun permit. Bubba Ludwig can't walk, talk or open the refrigerator door, but strangely, he does have his very own Illinois gun permit.
Now, first off, I always thought it was hillbillies and rednecks who named their kids ‘Bubba'. This caught me by surprise knowing that Chicago is a northern town. Is this a sign of Johnny Reb rising again? How long before the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has to learn to play ‘Dixie'? But I digress.
Bubba (real name Howard David Ludwig) got his certificate after his loving daddy paid a $5.00 fee and filled out an application form. Howard Sr. really wasn't expecting to get a permit, but he got one nonetheless. It seems there is no age requirement in Illinois for obtaining a firearms certificate. The card lists the baby's height (2 feet, 3 inches), weight (20 pounds) and has a scribble where the signature should be. And this is fine and dandy with the Illinois State Police, who oversee the application process. Their purpose, said Lt. Scott Compton, is to keep guns out of the hands of convicted felons, those under an order of protection and those convicted of domestic violence. "Does a 10 month old need a FOID card? No, but there are no restrictions under the act regarding age of applicants," he said.
In his defence, Howard Sr. seems to be doing the right thing. You see, his own father bought Bubba a 12-gauge Beretta shotgun as a gift. And who can't appreciate such thoughtfulness? "Yep, gonna mek that there boy a man, by gum. None them sissified rattles er other girlie stuff fer him. Gon' mek ‘im a hunter, teach thet chile how to kill thangs, show ‘im jest whar his meat cum frum."
People who follow my writings know I have nothing against owning a gun. But isn't this taking things to an extreme? Might it not be that this kind of thinking leads to young boys trying to hold up a store with a squirt gun? Heaven help us.
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It's time for parents to step up to the plate and teach their children right from wrong, monitor their activities, and quit blaming T.V. and movies for being a bad influence. SO sick of hearing that excuse.
I wonder what the baby's mother had to say about daddy's gift?
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Tales From The Green Lantern