Do you want ammo with that?
Jun. 19th, 2002 11:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tugrikYesterday I made the mistake of trying El Pollo Loco for lunch again. It's one of those places that while they serve passable food, it's definately not something I enjoy for the money spent. It takes about 4-5 months to forget this fact, and I end up eating there without thinking about it. It takes only a few bites to suddenly remind me that I don't want to eat there anymore.
While finishing the rather bland chicken burrito I bought, a momentarily scary event occurred. Next to the El Pollo is a kids' arcade. The arcade must be one of the places with ticket-generating machines that kids use to win prizes. Into the restaurant galloped three fifth-grade-or-so kids, each with various cheesy plastic prizes and pocketfuls of tickets. They ordered sodas and then sat down at the table a little away from me to dig through their loot. One of the prizes was a replica gun that shot foam pellets. The disturbing thing was that the only thing that didn't look real was the bright orange muzzle-tip... which the kid proceeded to break off 'because it was ugly' (overheard him telling his friends). He casually loaded it up with the foam pellets, ratcheting the springs into place, and stuffed it in his waistline, grip sticking out 'tough-guy' style.
The only way I knew it was a toy was from watching him unpack it from the plastic. I'm no gun-control nut, but this did not look like a good idea in the least. I grew up on a farm and was shooting shotguns, rifles, and handguns back in 3rd grade, sure... but we were taught that guns were tools to be respected and only used with utmost care and supervision. Us kids were trained safely by parents and relatives alike, and it was part of the culture of growing up on a Missouri farm. Still, having a kid running around with a very real looking pistol tucked into his belt is a good way to get said kid shot by the local law enforcement.
As if to drive this point home... the toy-pistol holder and one of his pals went up to refill sodas. To be funny, the kid whipped out the gun and shouted "freeze!" at his friend, taking a very well-trained looking two-handed-hold stance. All four workers at the counter freaked out, leaping back or ducking. The kid popped a few foam pellets at his friend with a plastic-spring KLAK! KLAK! KLAK! sound, and then they ran off back to the arcade laughing, chasing each other around.
It took a few moments for various people to calm down. One of the girls at the register looked visibly disturbed, just holding her hands over her mouth and walking back to the break room. I ducked out and got back on the motorcycle to head to work. The whole mess just left me feeling terribly squicky on multiple fronts... worried for the lady who got so scared, concerned that those kids would get themselves shot eventually by someone with a real gun, and hopeful that the parents would find out about this behaviour and put a stop to it. Teach your kids before they get themselves hurt!
Toy guns are fine, IMHO. Just make sure that they're hugely garish colored things that in no way resemble real weapons. Super soakers have it right. If your kids are curious about firearms, once they're old enough take them to a real shooting range and have them take the safety courses, and teach them everything they want to know. Remove the mystery, install the respect. If you make it 'taboo' it'll just mean they'll go find out about it in the parking lot afterschool when someone's older brother shows off a handgun or whatnot, and that's how Bad Things happen.
I promised myself I wouldn't soapbox in my LJ, though, so I'll stop my rant here. I'll also do my best to remember not to go to El Pollo Loco again anytime soon. :)
While finishing the rather bland chicken burrito I bought, a momentarily scary event occurred. Next to the El Pollo is a kids' arcade. The arcade must be one of the places with ticket-generating machines that kids use to win prizes. Into the restaurant galloped three fifth-grade-or-so kids, each with various cheesy plastic prizes and pocketfuls of tickets. They ordered sodas and then sat down at the table a little away from me to dig through their loot. One of the prizes was a replica gun that shot foam pellets. The disturbing thing was that the only thing that didn't look real was the bright orange muzzle-tip... which the kid proceeded to break off 'because it was ugly' (overheard him telling his friends). He casually loaded it up with the foam pellets, ratcheting the springs into place, and stuffed it in his waistline, grip sticking out 'tough-guy' style.
The only way I knew it was a toy was from watching him unpack it from the plastic. I'm no gun-control nut, but this did not look like a good idea in the least. I grew up on a farm and was shooting shotguns, rifles, and handguns back in 3rd grade, sure... but we were taught that guns were tools to be respected and only used with utmost care and supervision. Us kids were trained safely by parents and relatives alike, and it was part of the culture of growing up on a Missouri farm. Still, having a kid running around with a very real looking pistol tucked into his belt is a good way to get said kid shot by the local law enforcement.
As if to drive this point home... the toy-pistol holder and one of his pals went up to refill sodas. To be funny, the kid whipped out the gun and shouted "freeze!" at his friend, taking a very well-trained looking two-handed-hold stance. All four workers at the counter freaked out, leaping back or ducking. The kid popped a few foam pellets at his friend with a plastic-spring KLAK! KLAK! KLAK! sound, and then they ran off back to the arcade laughing, chasing each other around.
It took a few moments for various people to calm down. One of the girls at the register looked visibly disturbed, just holding her hands over her mouth and walking back to the break room. I ducked out and got back on the motorcycle to head to work. The whole mess just left me feeling terribly squicky on multiple fronts... worried for the lady who got so scared, concerned that those kids would get themselves shot eventually by someone with a real gun, and hopeful that the parents would find out about this behaviour and put a stop to it. Teach your kids before they get themselves hurt!
Toy guns are fine, IMHO. Just make sure that they're hugely garish colored things that in no way resemble real weapons. Super soakers have it right. If your kids are curious about firearms, once they're old enough take them to a real shooting range and have them take the safety courses, and teach them everything they want to know. Remove the mystery, install the respect. If you make it 'taboo' it'll just mean they'll go find out about it in the parking lot afterschool when someone's older brother shows off a handgun or whatnot, and that's how Bad Things happen.
I promised myself I wouldn't soapbox in my LJ, though, so I'll stop my rant here. I'll also do my best to remember not to go to El Pollo Loco again anytime soon. :)
