Dear parents,

            I am a normal, energetic twelve year old boy that made a bad decision. My dad allowed me to get an airsoft gun about one year ago when I was eleven. I was in the fifth grade and I couldnt have been any happier when I got it. I was not the first one in my grade to get one but I was one of the kids that got an airsoft gun before anyone else. It was a terrible little plastic electric gun that didnt shoot very hard or far, and the bullets just kind of floated in the air. But eventually most of that people in my grade started getting them and getting nice ones. (There are many different price ranges for airsoft guns; they range from $15.99 to $3,000.00 dollars to buy an airsoft gun). Most kids were getting nice guns in the fifty dollar range. It felt like a hobby or something to buy a gun and get good at shooting it then buy a newer more powerful gun. So I bought another gun that was smaller and more powerful. Buy then sum kids had little guns that barely shoot and others has three hundred and ninety nine dollar guns that shot six hundred bbs in one load and 16 bbs in a second compared to the little ones most people had that shot one bb in 20 seconds and you had to cock the gun every time yourself. Kids started showing off there guns and there skills but playing one another in airsoft, it was like laser tag but it just stung and hurt a little when you got shot. The only reason we played because we could play anywhere it was thrilling because you were running around that back yard trying to strategize how you would get your Aponte out and how you would not get shot. People stared to not shot trees and plant and other thing because it was just not fun and a waist of bbs to do that. So if you went over to a friends house you would wear long pants, you would bring a sweatshirt and you would bring your airsoft gun to play them in the back yard and show off how good you are. I dont think anyone realized how dangerous these guns were because we would think ya right keep out of reach of children, and dangers, and all that little things and warning it said. No one thought anything would happen to them and thing things were just toys and playing was just a game but in reality what we were doing was dangers and dumb. I realized that and everyone else realized that when one day I decided to bring my airsoft gun up to a park and play around with it. I ended up shooting my best friend in the eye, seriously hurting him. He had to go to the hospital and spend that night there. Once he was out of that hospital he had to spend five days in bed at a thirty degree angle and not move his neck or else he would had to go back to the hospital and Im not sure what would have happened. Out of all of this I realized that airsoft guns are not toys and now I dont even want to own an airsoft gun. Air soft guns may look like toys but they are seriously dangers. Although they are mad for kids and teenagers I do not think that most people that but them are responsible enough to have them. The best thing that you could to for your kids (even if they hate you for it) is not allowing them to have any type of gun that shoots. Because they will problem take it for garnet and not use it properly and maybe might end up like me. I hope this letter has helped you to not allow your kids to buy guns of any kind.    

Please for your kids wellbeing dont let them buy any type of guns!

Sincerely,

Kevin Carney