Incoherent In Texas

Is that redundant?  Pardon my sarcasm, especially in light of the fact that yet another child has shot somebody with a gun that they just happened to come across while they were hanging out in their own home.  (Insert further sarcastic comment about the quality of the supervision that these children get.)

In this new unfortunate episode, an eight year old "found" a rifle and shot his five year old friend in the head with it while a grandfather and a teenager were also in the house.  Down Texas way.  

Here's the incoherence:

<< “It’s a very tragic accident, especially the day before Mother’s Day,” said Denton Police spokesperson Orlando Hinojosa. “Education is the most important thing about firearm safety. Just make sure your children know, if you do have weapons in the house, where they’re at, and for them not to be reachable.” >>  Thanks Raw Story for the quote.


What does Mothers' Day have to do with anything?  And really, what's the most important thing about firearm safety?  What's his point?  Is the most important thing education?  Or is it telling your children where the guns are?  Maybe it's making the guns unreachable?  What, pray tell, would it be?  The really crazy part of the quote might be "mak[ing] sure that your children know (where the guns are)."  Why would that be?  In case Al Qaeda invades your home and ties you up, then your eight year old can go and get the gun and save the day?  But then why make them unreachable?  How can the child help you then?

The whole thing makes no sense.

Well, miracles happen, I do have a suggested remedy for a change.  Guns around the house should be like wild animals, they should be considered inherently dangerous and "strict liability" should apply to any resulting injuries.

Here's how that one goes.  Since the time of the Romans, if you keep a tiger around the house, and the tiger gets out and injures somebody, you are responsible.  Strictly responsible.  The question is not: did you do everything that you could to avoid the situation that resulted in the injury?  No, the question is: is that your tiger?  Did you keep it at the house?  Poof!  You're responsible.  The wild animals thing is a civil remedy, but strict liability is common these days in criminal situations too.  So let your imaginations go wild.

Tigers and guns, inherently dangerous.   Something should be done to encourage these gun loving adults to be a lot more careful with their cannons.