It is one of those almost unfathomable,
awful tragedies that is
the last thing newspapers want to
report.
An 8-year-old boy in Deposit was
shot to death Saturday afternoon.
Then it was revealed by the state
police that the little boy’s 12-yearold
brother had been arrested as
a juvenile delinquent for conduct
that would constitute the crime of
second-degree murder.
There was no adult around the
house on Neale Road when the
shooting occurred, an investigation
revealed.
Troopers said the 12-year-old
had retrieved a rifle from inside
the residence and discharged one
round.
That’s all it took, one bullet from
one rifle, allegedly in the hands of
a child who for whatever reason
ended the life of his little brother.
Maybe it was an accident, a kid
playing with a weapon he didn’t
know could do such harm.
Perhaps he was angry, lost his
temper and did it on purpose. Only
time will reveal all the facts.
What is not in dispute is that
a family is torn apart, lives have
been ruined and a child is dead.
People on both sides of the volatile
gun-control debate will most
certainly disagree when discussing
this horrible event, but there
is at least one thing that is beyond
dispute.
A child without adult supervision
should never have access to a
loaded firearm.
Toward that end, we offer this
item from the National Rifle Association’s
Gun Safety Rules:
Store guns so they are not accessible
to unauthorized persons.
Many factors must be considered
when deciding where and how to
store guns. A person’s particular
situation will be a major part of the
consideration. Dozens of gun storage
devices, as well as locking devices
that attach directly to the gun,
are available. However, mechanical
locking devices, like the mechanical
safeties built into guns, can fail and
should not be used as a substitute
for safe gun handling and the observance
of all gun safety rules.
We would like to think that this
would be a matter of common
sense, but the tragedy in Deposit is
sad evidence that it is not common
enough.
Somebody apparently left a loaded
rifle where a 12-year-old could
get at it, and then left two children
without an adult around.
This newspaper certainly has its
differences with the NRA and its
agenda, but we urge every parent
who feels the necessity of having a
gun in the house to at the very least
read the NRA’s “Parents’ Guide to
Gun Safety.” Here’s the Web address:
www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/
infoparents.asp.
It could help preserve a child’s
life.
Editorials
Prevent another tragedy
- Editorials
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Embargo no longer serves a purpose
Fifty years ago this week, President John F. Kennedy signed executive order 3447, banning trade with Cuba "in light of the subversive offensive of Sino-Soviet Communism." As this anniversary passes, it's worth asking whether this policy has had its desired effects and how much longer it should remain in place.
Continued ... -
Have a heartfelt Valentine's Day
"I love you." "Be mine." "You're cute when you're spending money."
Continued ... -
Embargo no longer serves a purpose
Fifty years ago this week, President John F. Kennedy signed executive order 3447, banning trade with Cuba "in light of the subversive offensive of Sino-Soviet Communism." As this anniversary passes, it's worth asking whether this policy has had its desired effects and how much longer it should remain in place.
Continued ... -
Women must win fight for opportunity
The Pentagon announced Thursday that it will recommend that Congress officially allow women to serve in more jobs closer to the front lines.
Continued ... -
Center helps victims of child abuse and neglect
We learned some good news about some terrible news in a story by reporter Joe Mahoney in Tuesday's Daily Star.
Continued ... - Wednesday, February 8, 2012
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Chamber made excellent choices on service awards
A special committee selected by the Otsego County Chamber has made two excellent decisions regarding the organization's annual awards for service to our communities.
Continued ... - Tuesday, February 7, 2012
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Cheers
To Michael Shea, Terry Bliss, and the passage of the bill to allow Otsego's exit from MOSA.
Continued ... - Monday, February 6, 2012
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A sad tale may come to an end with arrests
People are almost always sad, and sometimes outraged, whenever something awful happens to a fellow human being.
Continued ... - Saturday, February 4, 2012
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Pill abuse should be a priority for police, pols
Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Mark Pryor of Arkansas proposed a bill this week to help police combat a disturbing trend of increasing prescription drug abuse.
Continued ... - Friday, February 3, 2012
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More needs to be done to aid vets with PTSD
The recent story of Stamford grandmother Melody DiGregorio grieving the loss of her grandson, Air Force veteran Edward "Drew" Snyder, brings home the debilitating and often-unreported effects of post-traumatic stress disorder on our service men and women.
Continued ... - Thursday, February 2, 2012
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Area 'shocked' at underage drinking? That's shocking
It has been referenced so often that it has become a cliché.
Continued ... - Wednesday, February 1, 2012
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School's new lease on life a welcome development
It is a big place designed to echo with the sounds of young people in a healthy learning environment.
Continued ... - Tuesday, January 31, 2012
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Cheers
To the Central American Youth Ambassadors Program, to Ray Preston and to the NCOC building trades class and the Prattsville Fire Department.
Continued ... - Monday, January 30, 2012
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Mitt's not at fault for loopholes in tax code
As the longtime frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, Mitt Romney has faced withering attacks from rivals seeking to upset him.
Continued ... - Saturday, January 28, 2012
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Rest in peace, Naples and Stalter
Our area recently lost two important and influential members of our community: Oneonta surgeon Dr. Kenneth D. Stalter and newly elected Sixth Ward Council Member Mike Naples.
Continued ... - Friday, January 27, 2012
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Case closed on 2 years of turmoil
"Case closed."
Continued ...
Oneonta Mayor Dick Miller was referring to possible criminal charges against fired police officer Michael Breen on Wednesday, but Miller just as easily could have been talking about the more than two years of turmoil the city has endured with its police department. - Thursday, January 26, 2012
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Obama played his cards right Tuesday
Despite a daunting economy and a challenging re-election campaign, on Tuesday night President Barack Obama displayed what Mark Twain called "the calm confidence of a Christian holding four aces" in his State of the Union address.
Continued ... - Wednesday, January 25, 2012
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Searching for votes instead of honor
Say what you will about John McCain, the Republican nominee for president in 2008 who inflicted an ignorant Sarah Palin upon an unsuspecting nation.
Continued ... - Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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Cheers
To MLK Jr. Day events, Diana Nicols, and Jordan Beers and Mariah Ruff.
Continued ... - Monday, January 23, 2012
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Dignity not enough to show in speech
After weeks of watching the often unseemly, if not downright humorous, antics of the Republican candidates for his job, President Barack Obama should have little trouble providing at least one thing Tuesday night in his State of the Union address. Dignity.
Continued ...
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Embargo no longer serves a purpose
