>>>>>>>Because guns are more dangerous and less otherwise useful. Medications have a purpose other than killing. Knives have many purposes other than killing. Guns are for killing.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Not according to the statistics:
>>>>>>http://www.disastercenter.com/cdc/111riskb.html
>>>>>>http://adam.about.com/encyclopedia/Death-among-children-and-adolescents.htm
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>How do those statistics support your point? Guns don't kill only by homicide, but also by accident (my greatest fear about them) and suicide.
>>>>>
>>>
>>>>My point is that a kid can die via a gun, or a steak knife, or drain cleaner, or medication.
>>>
>>>Yeah, but first, those other things have other reasons to exist and be in a home beyond hurting/killing.
>>>
>>>Second, guns kill more easily than those other things do. The others are more survivable.
>>>
>>>>
>>>>Do you not allow your kids into people's houses who have drain cleaner or steak knives?
>>>>Do you interrogate the homeowners of each house before your kids enter because one or more
>>>>of these items might be laying around??
>>>
>>>As I said, I never thought to ask about guns when my kids were young (they're 25 and 21 now) because it never occurred to me that anyone I knew would own a gun. To this day, I'm not aware of any of my local friends (as opposed to people I know online only) owning guns. I know a few people around who hunt and presumably somewhere have hunting weapons, but not anyone I'm particularly friendly with.
>>>
>>>There were some homes I preferred my kids not to go to because I thought the supervision was inadequate, and people I wouldn't let drive my kids in their cars because I didn't think it was safe or because they smoked in their cars.
>>>
>>>
>>>>You have irrationaly singled out the gun when there are many dangers in a house.
>>>
>>>Cost-benefit analysis. A gun in a home is solely a danger. Knives and cleaning products and medications in homes provide a benefit to the homeowner.
>>>
>>>Tamar
>>
>>
>>My son is now 5. When he was 3, he was playing in the family room, which is adjacent to the
>>kitchen.
>>
>>I left to get something, and when I canme back in 5 or so minutes, he had gone into the kitchen
>>and grabbed 2 large steak knives off the counter. Not the table knives, the really large ones,
>>and was sitting on the couch with both of them.
>>
>>Of course when I came in my heart jumped and I immedialtly took them away.
>>
>>Did I then decide, "That's it - no more steak knives in this house, and my son will neven go into
>>a house with steak knives again". No of course not. That would be upsurd and irrational.
>>
>>Was is dangerous? Yes. Could it happen again, yes. The steak knives are in the kitchen drawer
>>where most people keep them.
>>
>>Same situation you're afraid of, different instrument.
>
>Could have been worse. The instrument might have been an accordian.

HEHEHEHE