Whether you think guns are deplorable, murderous objects that should be banned outright, legally protected components of the constitution, or something in between these extreme ends of the spectrum, the violence they cause is a major issue. It’s not something you can afford to ignore, and it won’t be going away anytime soon.
And then there’s the above PSA, which was published to YouTube on December 13 by Sleeper 13 Productions, a company based in San Francisco.
In the video, an unnamed boy sneaks into his mother’s room, finds her handgun in her dresser, steals it, and takes it to school to give it to his teacher. She understandably reacts with horror, but then the kid says, “Can you take this away? I don’t feel safe with a gun in my house.” The PSA emphasizes safety, but the manner in which it does so is raising eyebrows on all sides.
Right on cue, gun advocates immediately came out against the video. According to the Washington Times:
The video…has been met with sharp criticism from gun-rights activists on Sleeper 13’s Facebook page.
“Weapons theft, unlawful possession of a weapon by a minor, illegal concealed carry of a weapon, carrying a weapon onto school property, assault, and brandishing,” wrote Jerry Harlan.
Meanwhile, Rejina Sincic of Sleeper 13 countered the criticism with a tweet calling for support while simultaneously insulting her detractors:
https://twitter.com/QueenSincic/status/545026152893386752
All in all, everything here bodes well for a civil and productive dialogue about gun violence.
Sources: YouTube and Washington Examiner