My first thought on seeing the picture was to notice the kid doesn't have his finger on the trigger. Tells me he's been taught more about gun safety than Diane Feinstein. Then I read the article. It's a .22, made up to look like an AR-15. My opinion: the dad who posted this pic was being deliberately provocative. I believe he hoped some left winger would do exactly what they did; see the picture and get the government to stick its nose in his business, and possibly violate the 2nd Amendment in the process. I'm sure he feels like he made a point, but he's kind of a dick to use his kid to make it.
Meh, idk about all that. There are tons of pictures with me holding all kinds of guns when I was a kid about this age. There just wasn't any facebook or other forms of social media to get them out on. Social services needs to spend their time cleaning up their own yard instead of cotinuing to run head long into these types of brick walls. They truly suck at what they do. ** I apologize to any social workers that may visit this site, it wasn't an individual statement, more of a blanket across the whole system. I know there are good workers out there, they are just in a terrible system**
McTiger, I see your point, but there is nothing illegal about the pic. The chic from family services wouldn't even give her name. The father is a certified firearms instructor. I have posted lots pics of kids in my family posing with guns. I wasn't trying to be provocative, just proud. I hope I would have the tenacity to stand up to 4 cops and a family services person as well as he did. Still, the whole point is they can't just come into your home without a warrant because of a picture.
I think most people would agree that the reaction of family services was ridiculous, even though it's not surprising. That being said, I've never understood why people think it's necessary to photograph themselves or others while holding a gun. I could understand if it was a gun that you made with your own two hands. Otherwise, I really don't see the point outside of trying to look like a badass but looking like a dumbass in the process. "Hey, look! I can hold things!"
For the same exact reason I take pictures of my kids w/ golf clubs, fishing rods, baseball bats, basketballs, etc. It's activities that my kids are involved in.
So you have pics of them holding their Xboxes? I guess I'm a little different. I really only take pics of my kid while he's actually doing said activity.
You don't have to understand it. You just have to respect their right to do it without the guhment threatening to take their kids. That's what's ridiculous, not the picture itself.
It was a present and he was proud of his new rifle no more than a kid wanting you to take a picture with a new bike.