Right Attitude, Bad Example

Right Attitude, Bad Example

I received an email this afternoon from a reader:

I'm just a random reader of your blog. I came across this newspaper clipping in an old album that my mother bought in a lot of antiques. Apparently the owner was a Los Angeles police officer. The clipping is from the LA Examiner, from 1935. I thought it was a great picture, and it kind of drives home how much attitudes towards guns and personal responsibility have changed.

Indeed it does. And it does more than that. James, if you're ever in Tucson, I'll be more than happy to take you to the range.

Here's the picture:


The attitude is correct, but pointing all those guns at the camera? The photographer might have had a remote trigger. I doubt seriously he had a time delay. He was probably standing right behind the viewfinder. Every bang-switch has a booger-hook on it. And at least one of the Chief's revolvers is loaded. There's no reason to believe the rest were not. He was a brave (or stupid) man.

Is it any wonder that the rate of accidental gunshot wounding and death has declined (precipitously!) since the turn of the century until now it is at the lowest rate ever recorded - despite the fact that there are more guns in private hands than at any time in history?

The principle is correct, but the photograph? Yeesh.

My how attitudes have changed.