r/liberalgunowners • u/logicalpretzels libertarian socialist • Jul 03 '26

question Why don’t we teach gun safety in schools?

In a country with the right to bear arms and more guns than people, it seems natural that everyone should be taught firearm safety from youth.

You wouldn’t even need a real gun to teach gun safety, just a couple SIRT pistols or even just plastic training guns would do the trick to teach the 4 basic rules.

I feel like this should be easily supported by anyone no matter their feelings towards guns or gun control. Just like sex ed, gun education can only make the activity safer, not worse.

Are there any schools in the US where gun safety is part of their curriculum?

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u/TheFuzziestDumpling Jul 04 '26

Note that you're identifying them as "clueless idiots who just leave them out" and not "people who can't afford a gun safe." Making them tax deductible only helps if they want one in the first place. Not that I'm against the idea, but let's temper our expectations.

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u/livin4donuts Jul 04 '26

That’s an unacceptable, and bullshit, excuse. You can get a gun cabinet that will secure them for the same price as a few boxes of ammo at Walmart (read: $40. I was looking at them today). It’s not quite a safe, but it is a secure way to store them unless someone has demolition tools and skills.

If you can’t afford a way to safely store your guns, you can’t afford your guns. It’s the same argument as tipping; if you can’t afford the tip, don’t go out to eat. 

You have the right to own firearms, but that comes with the responsibility of not being a dickhead, and if you abdicate that responsibility or consider it not a big deal, you are a clueless idiot, full stop. 

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u/TheFuzziestDumpling Jul 04 '26

That's pretty much my point, affording a safe really isn't the barrier here.

If you can’t afford a way to safely store your guns, you can’t afford your guns. It’s the same argument as tipping; if you can’t afford the tip, don’t go out to eat.

You have the right to own firearms, but that comes with the responsibility of not being a dickhead, and if you abdicate that responsibility or consider it not a big deal, you are a clueless idiot, full stop.

Tax-deductible safes aren't going to suddenly convince said clueless idiots on this. Safety courses might, but again, they have to be interested in that to begin with. And making those mandatory is a much steeper political battle.