Dana Loesch Scorches NBC After They Tell Parents To Stop Buying Kids Toy Guns
All too often the media, in their rush to push a narrative, put out something that clearly illustrates they have no idea what they are talking about.
And when they do it regarding guns, you can usually find nationally syndicated radio host and NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch setting them straight with the facts.
The latest example is the clearly biased NBC News.
The leftist brains in charge of NBC Left Field, the sadly appropriate name for the network’s “video journalism” branch, put out a video before Christmas implicitly telling parents that buying toy guns for kids is a very idea.
BB guns and Nerf guns have been showing up on Christmas gift wish lists for decades. But in an era of school and police shootings, how should parents be thinking about kids and toy guns? – @NBCLeftField https://t.co/QHuQitv7q7
— NBC News (@NBCNews) December 21, 2018
In short: Guns bad. Parents who buy toy guns bad.
But Loesch had something to say about the NBC project. And her point is based in fact.
They’re TOYS. Let kids be kids, it’s also a good opportunity to teach responsibility. https://t.co/Ts03ScuYBT
— Dana Loesch (@DLoesch) December 21, 2018
In a piece for Bearing Arms, writer Tom Knighton had something to say about about that very topic. Based on his personal experience, Knighton backed Loesch’s claim about parents teaching children about responsibility with guns via toy guns.
It’s part of how he learned the four rules of gun safety, Knighton wrote.
“My father used my toy guns to help teach me the rules of gun safety. I was required to follow those same Four Rules we’ve all heard time and time again. It was pretty smart of him to do that, too. After all, kids screw up while they’re learning, but with a cap pistol, the stakes are much lower.
“If I messed up and did something wrong, there was zero chance of anyone getting hurt. That way, when I was old enough to handle a real firearm on my own, I already knew what to do. It was ingrained into me.”
He also addressed a toy gun buy back program started by former New York City cop,Sean Acosta. Once again, a narrative being pushed that toy guns are bad.
Knighton explained that there are good components to the program, such as not wanting anyone to think carrying a guy is “cool” or that guns are some kind of fashion accessory. But the downside is a big one.
Knighton first echoed Loesch’s sentiment about toy guns being toys.
“But these are toy guns, for crying out loud. Acosta is trying to jump onto the old and debunked canard that toy guns lead to adult violence, and that’s just ridiculous.
“Millions of American boys – and probably a massive number of American girls – have played with toy guns throughout the ages. Guess how many of them turned to violence? Relatively few.”
Then Kighton hit at the heart of it all. The real problem behind gun violence is not toy guns. Taking away toy guns does not even begin to address the actual factors involved.
“Acosta may mean well, but if he wants to put his efforts into curbing violence before it starts – something I’m definitely a fan of – then maybe he can look at things that might actually make a difference, such as mentoring young men before they reach the age when gangs start to get hold of them. There are a ton of other things to work on, but this isn’t benefitting anyone except Acosta’s sense of self-righteousness.”
Back in 2015, even the parenting columnist for the liberal website Slate reported that there can be positives for children who play with toy guns.
“Regardless of where we live or how safe we feel, parents need to take steps to protect their kids from gun violence,” Melinda Wenner Moyer wrote.
“But the good news is that it is perfectly normal for kids to pretend to play with guns from time to time. Aggressive play is not just part of growing up — research suggests that it can even help kids self-regulate better in real life.”
Citing a 2013 research study, Moyer wrote that something that could be crucial to the toy gun debate had been noted:
“They found that the more oral aggression the kids displayed — for example, pretending that stuffed animals bit or ate each other — the less aggressive their behavior was in the classroom. The researchers speculate that when kids incorporate violence into their pretend play, they may learn how to control real violent impulses and regulate their emotions.”
Moyer added that a “recent paper penned by academic psychologists” actually said that when children are prevented from such aggressive play, like pretend fighting, it can “interfere with their social, emotional, physical, cognitive, and communicative development.”
So, toy guns are not bad and parents who buy them for their children are not bad. Children need to be taught how to behave appropriately and toy guns, war play, and the like are just one set of ways in which that can be accomplished.
Or as Loesch put it: “Let kids be kids.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
