On the one hand we have "open carry" protestors who think it's cool to walk around with uncovered rifles on city streets as if they were on a battlefield; on their other we have hoplophobes so panicked by the dread image of The Gun that they will call the police on a kindergartner -- a kindergartner with Down Syndrome, yet. Laws aside, maybe -- just maybe -- we could find a sweet spot in between these extremes in our social attitude towards firearms.
A school called police after a kindergartner with Down syndrome pointed a finger gun at her teacher. The girl's mom says they went too far (CNN)
Maggie Gaines called on the Tredyffrin-Easttown School District to update its threat assessment policy after her 6-year-old daughter Margot was questioned by administrators for making a gun gesture at her elementary school teacher and pretended to shoot her.Gaines said it was a harmless expression of anger. But Margot's school in southeast Pennsylvania determined her actions appeared threatening, so they conducted a threat assessment.
Administrators concluded that Margot made a "transient threat" and didn't intend to harm anyone, but they still called Tredyffrin police.