Toy Guns and Violence
... violence and even learn how to use real guns. Wendy Dutton asserts that “when you put a toy gun in a kids hand, you are encouraging that child to practice using a real gun” (249). Not only toy guns, children should be forbidden to play with any other war toys. Research shows that the effect of war toys on children is the same as toy guns, even more. Playing with sword toys is so interesting for children because they play it face to face and they really feel the power of winning. Winning in these kinds of plays gives the illusion to children that the only way to win is through violent actions. The next step is to ban violent video games. Children shouldn’t be allowed to watch the TV programs, cartoons, and movies that are violent. According to statistics “over fifty percent of TV cartoons are found to glorify violence, on average showing twenty five violent act an hour. And seventy five percent of video games are combat oriented” (internet). Children see the thrill of gun play and the idolize gun toting heroes in the movie. Video games encourage children to do violent actions in order to win. Another reason is that real guns do not belong in homes. We should not keep real guns at home, but if we have to, we should keep them in a safe and secure place, out of children’s reach. When some children find real guns at home, they think that it is a toy gun. Because most of the time there is no clear difference between real guns and toy guns. They shoot it without knowing what will happen. My father’s friend lost his youngest son because his older son found a real gun in his parents’ room and thought it was his toy gun and shot at his brother. There were always allowed to play with toy guns and, as a result, they knew how to use them. He shot his brother because he didn’t know that it was a real and loaded gun. His brother died. Now he hates guns. He hates himself too. The most important reason for these tragedies is easy availability of guns in the United States.” In America guns are found in half of the homes” (internet). There is no rule in to ban real guns at home. In my country (Iran) ordinary people can’t have guns, unless they are hunters. Having guns at home without a permit is illegal and gets an eight year prison sentence. Finally, children have a unique personality and some behave more aggressively than the others, but it is the adults’ duty to teach them that aggression is not the solution to problems. We should show them that aggression will not be tolerated. As a solution we should talk to our children about gun violence. Elizabeth Crane maintains that “Demystifying guns is part of our jo...