There is no question that Republican vice presidential running mate Paul Ryan appeals to the party's base, but when the Wisconsin Congressman was photographed in Cincinnati this week buying his 10-year-old daughter camouflage gear to go with with the high powered rifle he got her last Christmas, many political pundits expressed their distaste.
The backlash against Ryan's parenting choices was quickly met with a counter-backlash from gun enthusiasts on Twitter. Parents who support Ryan and see nothing unusual in taking your daughter on a hunting expedition with her own rifle tweeted pictures of their little girls posing with rifles, automatic weapons, and handguns.
According to the Daily Mail, right wing blogger Michelle Malkin quickly tweeted her support for Ryan by noting that she herself had taken her 12-year daughter shooting for her birthday. 'Self-defence is one of the best gifts you can give a girl,' referring to her own decision to teach her daughter how to shoot a firearm.
Other pro-gun tweeters took note. Gary Hollinger posted a picture of his teenage granddaughter firing her own M16A2 semi-automatic weapon. The gun can fire up to 30 rounds in three shot bursts and is currently being used by over 50 armies across the world.
Another proud parent uploaded a picture of his 13-year-old daughter and the 20-pound turkey she had dispatched with her Remington 870 shotgun before heading off to the mall to buy some shoes.
One father named Matt McCracken posted an image of his little girl holding a rifle that was almost as tall as herself with the quote, 'this is my daughter age 10 learning gun safety.'
Other pint sized pistol holders included Stephanie Janiczek who tweeted, 'My Papa bought me my first shotgun, a Remington MDL 1100 with a full choke barell when I was twelve. Got first buck with it.' [sic]
But critics have called them pint sized political props and are appalled by what they see as parental irresponsibility. They point to a 2008 case where an 8-year-old boy died after accidentally shooting himself in the head with an Uzi submachine gun under adult supervision at a gun fair in Connecticut. To allow such things defies common sense, critics claim.
Meanwhile, Ryan was unapologetic and told reporters he plans to take his 10 year old daughter deer hunting this in Wisconsin and Oklahoma this autumn.
'She's going to get to go hunting this year for the first time,' Ryan said, adding that he bought her a Remington 700. 243 junior model rifle last Christmas.
'She's 10-years-old, so she can hunt starting at 10. She's been getting ready, she's been practicing. I just need to get her some clothes.'
Critics on twitter were condemnatory or shocked. A Twitter user called Troy Martez wrote: 'Aww! There's nothing sweeter than a Dad and a daughter bonding over the body of a dead animal they probably won't eat.'
Another referenced Ryan's complete opposition to abortion under any circumstances: 'Ryan gets daughter a rifle??? Maybe its for her shotgun wedding if she is not allowed to use birth control.'
Ryan earlier told Deer Hunting Magazine: 'My daughter, she's been hunting with me for years, watching me, but she's old enough this year to hunt on her own. She's really looking forward to it.'
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Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.seanomelb | Oct 02, 2012, 07:37 PM EDT
The Palestinians do not have enough AK47's to defend themselves from the terrorist Israeli state. A fascist like kaydog1 cannot make a valid argument on any subject.
kaydog1 | Oct 02, 2012, 12:59 PM EDT
It was entirely predictable that the sissy Irish and Australian Leftists of the Irish Central would be wringing their hands over a Father teaching his daughter about the proper use of firearms. Their Leftist ideology requires that all Proletarians be disarmed, so that only the all-knowing, all-providing government may have weapons. The exception to that rule, of course, is if noble third-world freedom-fighting muslims wish to arm their children. You'll NEVER see the likes of seano critical of the parents of Palestinian children who are receiving their first AK-47 or suicide vest.
seanomelb | Oct 01, 2012, 08:02 PM EDT
maybe he's hoping she will become another Annie Oakley!! the idiot.
TexasMJM | Oct 01, 2012, 05:58 PM EDT
There is nothing, NOTHING, wrong with responsibly instructing children in the proper and safe use of firearms, especially if you have firearms in your house. In fact, if you are a hunter or sports shooting enthusiast and you do have firearms in a house with children you are negligent if you don't train your children. The vast majority of the tragic and unfortunate accidents occur when the child has not been instructed and finds a weapon that was hidden. And I daresay that a child who has strong and open bonds with their parents, as those that are formed by sharing a common interest and experience, are MUCH less likely to become the types of dissociated troubled young adults that commit the horrific school shootings we read about. In essence, this is another ill-informed piece attempting to make political hay out of a non-issue. I can assure, to most Americans this is not an activity that "raises eyebrows and arguments." Rather, this is a story about a father attempting to share his heritage and love of the outdoors with his daughter. I can think of nothing more appropriate. To attempt to turn it into anything else is biased, unfounded, and cheap.
seanomelb | Sep 30, 2012, 07:53 PM EDT
Briano why stop there after all Bush,Cheney,Rumsfeld,Reagan,shah of Iran and countless latin American dictators facilitated by the US also qualify for you one-eyed list.
racallahan | Sep 30, 2012, 05:35 PM EDT
Hunting, especially in places like the South and Midwest, is part of the culture. You you Eurotrash idiots prefer we give our kids RPGs like the Arabs??????
BrianO | Sep 30, 2012, 10:06 AM EDT
Better than giving them to Mexican drug lords, ask Eric Holder about that.
olovely | Sep 29, 2012, 01:27 PM EDT
"Where's my pony Daddy?" BLAM-BLAM-BLAM. "What do you mean Justin Bieber is too unwholsome!!!" BLAM-BLAM-BLAM. Yeah, giving rifles to 10 year old girls makes so much sense you guys.
BrianO | Sep 29, 2012, 11:44 AM EDT
More anti Constitutionalists trying to convince people to abandon your American heritage. you don't like hunting or guns go to england, oh wait they hunt there, go to Ireland, oh wait they hunt there, maybe Italy, iraq, Iran< china, Oz.
olovely | Sep 29, 2012, 09:40 AM EDT
Paul Ryan is damaging Romney worse that Palin did to John McCain. He's WAY too extreme politically, economically and he's hard to take on the social side too. Wingnuts may think a high powered rifle is the perfect gift for their little 10 year old princess, but ordinary Americans think it's NUTS.
seanfer7 | Sep 29, 2012, 08:36 AM EDT
This is the guy you want to be 2nd in command?
alisaann | Sep 28, 2012, 10:48 PM EDT
and this is HOW and WHY we have so many kids getting their hands on guns and SHOOTING up SCHOOLS...kids DON'T need HIGH POWER WEAPONS....HELL EVERY DAY CITIZENS DON'T NEED THEM TO PROTECT THEMSELVES, FROM ROBBIERS....AND WE DON'T NEED VP's WHO THINK IT'S GREAT TO ARM KIDS. ALISA
cillowen | Sep 28, 2012, 09:01 PM EDT
definitely a George Wash. a prez candidate worthy of leading us.
BrianO | Sep 28, 2012, 08:28 PM EDT
Mass murders of the past, Mao,Stalin,Armenian holocaust,hitler,jewish holocaust, seems like controlling government is what you must fear the most, not a ten year old.
seanomelb | Sep 28, 2012, 07:20 PM EDT
The NRA are the enablers of mass murder by their ability as a corporation to propogandise the second amendment and blurring the real reason for its insertion in the constitution and Ryan and co. are part of that. Let us hope Ryan's daughter does not become a gun victim.
PiperMac52 | Sep 28, 2012, 05:59 PM EDT
America was founded on those values and they remain strong throughout the heartland. Hunting is a way of life that formed tight bonds among many families in this country and it is passed on from generation to generation. Why do you find that so strange?
Smyrnian | Sep 28, 2012, 04:07 PM EDT
We all know IC is terrified of gun rights; heaven forbid. They LOVE Obama and Christine Quinn though, and any leftist ideology of course. So much for any balance at IC.
Tom Mo | Sep 28, 2012, 02:56 PM EDT
McNamara31. All your percentages are fine except that people are killed by PEOPLE, using guns. Very few killers, if any, are members of the NRA. I know it's trite but true,if guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.
McNamara31 | Sep 28, 2012, 02:46 PM EDT
Tom Mo... Sadly another "American thing": Among the world’s 23 wealthiest countries, 80 percent of all gun deaths are American deaths, and 87 percent of all kids killed by guns are American kids. That being said;just because a vast amount of Americans have a psychosis about gun ownership doesn't make it right.I do agree with Kibbey's point that with over 300 million guns in the United States, all parents have to warn their kids about gun safety because of our non existent gun control that allows mentally unstable adults to buy guns and assault weapons at gun fairs.
Seanmor | Sep 28, 2012, 02:21 PM EDT
Paul Ryan is merely exercising his Constitutional rights by buying a hunting rifle, but his 10-year old daughter is much young to be presented with this weapon. I'n not a fan of hunting and I never allow anyone, not even my fellow Legionnaire from the local post to hund in my own woods. However, I do bear in mind that ALL our Constitutional rights are very precious and we should always zealously protect them.
Tom Mo | Sep 28, 2012, 01:46 PM EDT
Eschetic. That would be the 2nd Amendment. Ryan like many millions of Americans is probably a member of the National Rifle Association. I am a proud member myself. Perople like Antoinette Kelly just don't get it. I thought my sons and daughter to shoot at targets when they were young. It's an American thing.
EphraimKibbey | Sep 28, 2012, 01:41 PM EDT
I'm not a hunter but I am a gun owner. I like making holes in paper, so sue me. Unlike other parts of the world, in America there are guns everywhere. A child going to a friends house to play may be confronted with an unsecured firearm. While the owner SHOULD have secured it, should'a, would'a and could'a do nothing to comfort a grieving parent. Every child in America needs to know the rules of gun safety whether they will ever own a gun or not. It is almost as important as teaching them to look both ways before crossing the street. While parents can not prevent their child from encountering a gun, they can all make sure that their child walks away from the encounter unharmed. This is as important for girls as it is for boys and I commend Paul Ryan for his freedom from gender-stereotypical thought in this instance. Maybe there is hope for him yet.
Eschetic | Sep 28, 2012, 12:41 PM EDT
I can't honestly count this article as a slam on Ryan - I don't personally agree with his parenting choices (having a gun in the house statistically INCREASES your chances of being shot with it; there are NO statistics which support any supposed higher level of safety of "self defense"), but so long as this country misinterprets the First Amendment (which actually predicates gun ownership on membership in "a well organized militia") many "middle Americans" will insist on this ill-advised behavior. Ryan is at least consistent on this front of his midwestern beliefs and certainly should not be criticized for making sure that if his daughter MUST have a gun, she ALSO have the training which goes with responsible gun ownership.
pilib04 | Sep 28, 2012, 11:53 AM EDT
Porickseantuny, was that Bristol Palin's problem or did she leave her aspirin at home?
pilib04 | Sep 28, 2012, 11:51 AM EDT
Sick puppy.
McNamara31 | Sep 28, 2012, 11:29 AM EDT
These are the idiots (Ryan)that have been promoted by the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh, Roger Ailes and Karl Rove. Everything they support leads a trail back to "corporate money" or lobby like the NRA that Ryan was pandering to with this comment.Freedom to bear arms was not created with the aim that in the year 2012 this ignorant father would place a high powered rifle in a child's hand.
wjb1tex | Sep 28, 2012, 10:51 AM EDT
Whew! For a minute I thought a day would pass without IC finding something to blast the Republicans about. Not to worry. There's always something.
BrianO | Sep 28, 2012, 10:27 AM EDT
Hunting means being more self sufficient, something the nanny state politicians can't tolerate.
bern1952 | Sep 28, 2012, 10:01 AM EDT
I suppose if he was out there buying her condoms or the morning after pill it would be considered acceptable. Hunting is still a legal sport in most parts of the United States. I imagine sex will soon take over as the most acceptable sport.