It's a sad situation when anyone accidently gets killed in a firearms incident. Our hearts go out to the daddy who was cleaning a new handgun when it discharged, killing his two year old. One of my questions was, "Had the dad had firearms safety training?" "Why was the kid even in the same room?"

After wading through the Vicad discussion forum about that accident, here're a few of my comments: As a former law enforcement officer and hunter safety instructor it's easy to see both sides of this debate.

When our son was three or four years old we were visiting some folks who allowed our son to play with a BB gun that rattled at every move from its magazine full of BBs. I took the gun away from the toddler and put it up. When I turned around, the idiot that lived there was handing it back to the boy. That ended the visit, my family was rushed to the truck and we went home. Less than two years later the idiot and his wife were going target practicing with his hair trigger .270. When his wife took the rifle off its rack above the mantle she bumped something and the gun discharged splatterin' what few brains he had all over the living room wall.

That same boy learned at an early age not to point even a toy gun at anyone. He pointed a toy pistol at me and stood with an open mouth and teary eyes looking at all the little pieces it became. If he ever got another toy gun I didn't know about it.

My hero of the week is the 93 year old guy who, upon coming to after some "real man" beat him with a soft drink can, grabbed his .38 and the robber charged him. One shot to the throat "redeemed" the thug because "he saw the light". He told the cops, "I can't feel my leg but I got what I deserved."

It's long been my contention that there's nobody more dangerous than somebody with a gun they don't know how to use and they're scared to death. Any time you're around where customers are looking at handguns be wary. If you feel threatened by the way a gun is being handled, don't be afraid to say something about it, LOUDLY.

The reason handguns aren't allowed in lots of firearms safety classes for the general public is that they can be waved all around without everyone knowing where they're pointed. With a long gun you have a better chance to prevent unconscious muzzle (the business end where the bullet or shot charge exits the barrel) swing that can endanger someone.

As for all those who say that Victoria is such a safe place to live and ordinary citizens don't need firearms for protection, need to pay more attention to all the assaults, killings, and drive-by shootings around here.