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Exercising 2nd Amendment rights, Kentucky 5-year-old kills sister

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This week, a 5-year-old Kentucky boy was playing with the mini-rifle he had gotten as a gift and ended up shooting and killing his 2-year-old sister. Apparently, even kindergartners have a right to keep and bear arms that shall not be infringed.

For many people, it was a revelation that there are companies that manufacture guns specifically for children. The boy in question had a Crickett rifle, a smaller version of an adult weapon designed specifically for little trigger fingers. The guns come in a variety of happy colors, including pink and even swirls.

Some people think giving guns that shoot real bullets to kids is a rather insane idea, but not folks in the gun culture, where it is perfectly normal. A state legislator in Kentucky, Rep. Robert R. Damron, insisted that the kiddie rifle was not the problem.

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“Why single out firearms?” Damron asked, according to the Associated Press. “Why not talk about all the other things that endanger children too?”

Well, perhaps because, in this case, a child died -- not because she swallowed a toy or fell off a playground swing, but because her brother, who probably cannot yet even tie his shoes, had been entrusted with a lethal weapon.

I suppose someone will suggest that giving guns to children under 3 feet tall should be outlawed, but such a law would certainly be opposed by the National Rifle Assn. as the first step down a slippery slope toward confiscating all guns and enslaving America. Maybe a better idea would be to fine anyone idiotic enough to put a gun in the hands of a tiny child. Possible? Naw, the NRA would kill that idea too. The gun lobby depends on a legion of idiots.

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But, hey, here’s an idea the NRA could support: Arm 2-year-olds so they can defend themselves. A toddler militia -- what could be more American?

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