Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns
I wish I were making this up but, alas, I’m not — pink guns for girls.
Firearms shops in the US are stocking pink rifles and shotguns to encourage girls to get into shooting. …
They include a Remington 20-gauge shotgun with a pink and black stock emblazoned with the slogan: “Shoot like a girl if you can!” …
“Females want to shoot guns, but they want them to look pretty, too,” he said. “Guys could give a rat’s butt what their gun looks like.”
I think it’s time to take aim at those guns with a limerick:
Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns
By Madeleine Begun Kane
Would you like your young daughter to shoot?
Simply buy her a shotgun that’s cute.
But be sure that it’s pink.
It’s so pretty, she’ll think.
Breeding killers—a stylish pursuit.
(You can find more of my feminist humor here, my family humor here, and my outdoor sports humor here.)
Tags: Breeding Killers, Daughters, Firearms, Firearms Shops, Girls, Gun Humor, Hunter Humor, Pink Guns, Pink Remington, Rifles, Sexist Humor, Shoot Like A Girl, Shotguns
I certainly don’t have a problem with women being armed , despite the scorn of many on the left, and it can be quite useful in protecting against violence against women. And the pink guns–I think it is kinda nice.
But the pink gun thing is a growing movement in the gay and lesbian community–with groups such as Pink Pistols. And frankly I would rather be armed than bashed: http://www.girlinshortshorts.blogspot.com/2007/04/lesbians-with-guns-oh-my.html
But I can tell you and I are never going to agree on this one.
~Becky
Maybe they should make them look like dildos.
At least put some freakin’ flowers and puppies on them. Maybe some butterfles.
How about Hello Kitty guns?
But just pink? I don’t think that’s enough. What about guns that woft perfume every time you shoot thus masking the gunpower smell?
[…] Madeleine Begun Kane presents Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns posted at Mad Kane’s Political Madness. […]
Great limerick. Love the last line especially.
Thanks, Cero!
Polishifter, I like your butterfly idea. :)
Becky, I don’t agree, but I appreciate your comments!
I am trying to understand where pink camouflage would be effective.
[…] Madeleine Begun Kane presents Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns, an post, including a rather clever limerick about how firearms shops in the US are now stocking pink rifles to get females interested in buying guns, posted at Mad Kane’s Political Madness. […]
[…] Madeleine Begun Kane presents Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns posted at Mad Kane’s Political Madness. […]
Mother/Daughter Blog Carnival- October 8th…
Welcome to the October 8, 2007 edition of mothers and daughters blog carnival. Here is my post to share, right before I had my latest surgery: http://wendydelmo.typepad.com/one_day_at_a_time/2006/12/my_kids_are_the.html Loni presents In Other Words: Th…
[…] Phil for Humanity and Why We Must Act to Prevent Global Warming. Liberal England and The Acquittal of Steven Truscott. Fear and Loathing – The Gonzo Papers and USAppetites. Washington Interns Gone Bad and If You Don’t Like Free Speech, Just Shut Up! Menstrual Poetry and Minorities are not “Normal People.” Green Rising and What’s the Point? Nursing Online Education Database and 10 Facts You Never Knew From Sicko Corbett Koehler – Global Warming and Jimmy Atkinson’s Common Causes of Global Warming. Mad Kane’s Political Madness and Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns Letters From A Broad and Living Downtown and Car Free! And Doctor Biobrain’s Response and Vince McMahon for President! (is the doctor on the ropes? ed.) The Richmond Democrat and Previewing Virginia’s Web Campaign for 2008 […]
[…] All Women Blogging Carnival at Women Start Your Business Now — The weirdest article in this is about pink guns for girls. […]
[…] Madeleine Begun Kane presents Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns posted at Mad Kane’s Political Madness. […]
My 12 year old daughter has a bright pink AR-15 that she loves to shoot. I’m not sure why pink guns seem to offend some people? Earlier this year my daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 insulin dependent diabetes. While laying in the hospital bed she asked for some things when she got out of the hospital, a pink cell phone, a pink computer and a pink rifle.
http://www.pinkrifle.com even shows a photo of the gun.
As for the cute little poem, it is fun in its own way, but that doesn’t make it very accurate. It seems to be nothing more than a false commentary on women and girls who enjoy firearms. People who have a gut reaction in opposition to firearms simply are showing a misunderstanding and ignorance of the facts. JMO
Interesting piece. At least they’re not trying to link pink guns to breast cancer awareness or the ribbon campaign.
Guns Cause violence like flies cause garbage.
Come on people! Just Because I own a gun, and know how to use it, I am now a killer? Seriously? I am a college educated young woman! I like spending time hunting with my husband and family! I love this pink gun! If you seriously think that the target market is young children, i think you are sorely mistaken! There are grown women who like the color pink as well!
[…] Madeleine Begun Kane points out the insanity of thinking that women only want to shoot “cute” guns in Not Tickled Pink About Girlish Pink Guns posted at Mad Kane’s Political Madness. […]
I have two young daughters, aged 14 & 12. Both of these young ladies have been properly trained through numerous courses on the safe handling and shooting of firearms. Each has chosen their own firearms and enjoy either going to indoor or outdoor ranges or afield. If you have any information where I can purchase a Remington Pink 20 or 28 gauge shotgun, let me know I’d be more than happy to buy two. FYI, Remington is coming out in 2008 with a Model 597 Semi-Auto in 22LR with the Pink Camo Stock, I already have two on order!
Possession of Firearms by law abiding citizens is not the problem, it is lack of proper training, trained supervision and mindset of the owners.
Using firearms in any way does not breed a killer. Teaching kids how to make crappy,ill thought out limericks helps them to grow up to be mentally challenged it seems though.
Clever limericks, but I am offended by your use of the phrase “breeding killers.” Intellectually dishonest at the least.
As for the person who is pleased that no one is tying pink guns to breast cancer awareness, well then they have not heard of “Shoot For The Cure” events, have they?
I’m curious…with which part of Becky’s comment do you disagree?
The part where she says “it can be quite useful in protecting against violence against women?”
Or perhaps it’s “frankly I would rather be armed than bashed” that you have a problem with?
Perhaps it’s a purely aesthetic disagreement? “And the pink guns–I think it is kinda nice.”
But I think that most likely, the part you really disagree with is this: “I certainly don’t have a problem with women being armed , despite the scorn of many on the left.”
Considering that you are a self-proclaimed feminist, I really don’t understand why you would have a problem with empowering women…or even young girls…in the area of self defense. Is it that you feel women incapable of handling the responsibility of firearms ownership? Do you feel that women are too emotional or unstable to be entrusted with the most effective tools of self-defense available? Do you fear women so much that you actually believe being trained to effectively employ a particular tool will turn them into “killers?”
Doesn’t sound like a very healthy feminist attitude to me.
As the father of one daughter and the grandfather of three beautiful little girls, I want them to have available and be knowledgeable in the use of EVERY available method of self-defense. If it takes making those tools more aesthetically pleasing to help them become comfortable with them…sounds like a great idea to me.
All cutesy limericks aside.
You hate guns. OK, that’s your decision and that’s fine.
So why not just tell your other women readers that when/if the rapist comes to their house, just lay down and spread your legs because there’s nothing you’ll be able to do to stop him.
Smart. But hey, at least we all know how much you hate these evil guns.
Neaderthal.
Hey Polishifter, someone has http://thebredafallacy.blogspot.com/2008/01/limerick.html
My mother is not a killer.
My grandmother is not a killer.
My wife is not a killer.
Observational humor doesn’t work when you haven’t taken the time to observe the phenomenon you’re trying to use to make with the funnies.
Well, I don’t have a daughter, but I do have a very cute 17 year old niece who shoots. And my nephew has a very nice fiancee who also shoots. Both girls are getting Ruger 10/22 rifles for their birthdays this year. And no, they won’t be pink.
Well, isn’t this an interesting topic? I am a non-feminist, I have 4 daughters (all of them age 6 and under), and I am graduating the police academy in a few weeks. I also happen to be an avid shooter who LOVES pink guns, and will be proudly carrying a pair of ASP brand pink handcuffs on the back of my duty belt. If anyone chooses not to take me seriously, they will be shown the reality of the situation. My lovely little girls will learn to shoot early on in their childhoods, as well as know how to effectively defend themselves using simple defensive tactics. They will not be killers, they all know the importance of good manners and they all know to use “ma’am” and “sir” when speaking with adults. I think, because of our detiorating society, that the children should be given just enough information to educate them about the evil in our world, without scaring them. Oh, yes, I am also a card carrying member of the NRA.
“Breeding killers” What is that supposed to mean? What a ridiculous statement. If I own a firearm does that make me a killer or a potential one? I’ve enjoyed shooting LONG before a weapon was offered in my favorite color. I figure I already stand out on the shooting range so why not carry a gun in my favorite color. Gander Mountain now sells a really nice Taurus Millenium Pro 9mm in pink. I find it interesting that those who are so against firearms don’t take into consideration that it’s not the law abiding citizen who is out committing the crimes. The law abiding citizen takes the gun classes, learns how to properly handle a gun and goes through all the necessary background checks and passes. Criminials with guns is the problem, not the law abiding citizen who has the right to carry and protect themselves. Oh yeah, and for the record…….I’m no killer.
I shot my first gun on Mother’s Day. I first must say that I am not a gun person….I don’t really like them. I find them loud, scary and dangerous. I was given the opportunity to shoot at a paper target yesterday and at first I said “No!” I was however coaxed into it and my morbid curiosity got the best of me. I might not like them, but I had to know what it was like to fire one. After all, I do always try to understand what makes people do what they do and why people are so consumed with shooting targets and poor little bunnies and deer. Well, I shot the hand gun twice and though I wasn’t half bad and the first shot was very close to the bullseye, I can honestly say that I still don’t like guns. I don’t think I will take up shooting for sport, but it is nice to know that if I had to use one I could and would probably hit what I aimed for! Of course, if I could find a nice small pink gun I might enjoy shooting it more…Guns don’t make killers! Stupidity, ignorance and arrogance breed killers. Is it better we walk around in blind ignorance of their existence and pretend that nobody else knows how to use them either? Do you also believe that our military should walk around with clubs and rocks to defend us in times of war? If guns are the problem, then why not ban swords, batons, bats, knives, or hell anything that is pointed and sharp! After all, can’t any of these tools be used to breed killers?
Wow, You people are ridiculous, I think some people just need to have something to bitch about all the time. Who cares if a gun is pink? And if a girl wants one? Whats the difference between a guy wanting a camo gun? I don’t think it makes a girl want a gun anymore then if she already did. If they dont like to hunt, they probably arn’t going to start because of a pink gun. Maybe a girl, like myself, who has hunted my entire life, happens to like the color pink. Why does this even matter. If you dont like guns and hunting, then you dont. Why feel the need to ruin it for those who do? Get livesss
Wow. What kind of “feminist” is against girls, young women, older women, whatever, learning how to protect themselves from ending up like Meredith Emerson (a name I hope I never forget because she certainly *could* have been carrying a gun if she’d chosen to do so. Georgia is a shall-issue state)? ‘Member her? No? Google her. Martial arts skills won’t always cut the mustard. What kind of “feminist” is against those same female humans taking up a sport that involves the destruction of nothing more than clay or paper targets, while learning a skill that can only add to their positive self-image? What kind of “feminist” believes that inside every girl or woman, there exists a killer waiting for the one magical tool (yes, guns are tools, pink or otherwise) that will awaken her and start a killing spree? Do you believe that the female of the species is too emotional to handle the responsibility of owning/using/carrying a gun?
It might be funny that you apparently think these things if you didn’t call yourself a feminist while perpetuating myths and lies. For the record, I’m a “chick” (eat that mad kane) and I’ve been carrying a gun for just over FOUR YEARS now and have managed to not kill anyone. “But why do you carry a gun if you clearly have never needed it?” For the same reason I buckle my seat belt even though I haven’t had a car accident in over 15 years. For the same reason there are fire extinguishers in my home even though we haven’t had a fire in over 20 years. For the same reason I lock my doors at night even though I’ve never experienced a break-in. For the same reason I lock my car doors even though I’ve never been carjacked. Because you never know when it might happen and it’s better to have and not need than need and not have. And who knows, maybe there’s something about simply carrying a gun that makes a person put something out there that lets baddies know not to mess with him/her. Maybe there isn’t. But if the baddies decide to pick that person, they’re certainly going to get as good as they give.
Anyone interested in the REAL reasons women carry guns might want to check out The Cornered Cat at http://www.corneredcat.com/ . That is not my website and I don’t know her from Adam (or Eve), but the woman who maintains it (and carries a gun) certainly knows more about guns in general and women and guns in particular than this so-called “feminist” who seems to have a problem with women protecting themselves or learning a new skill.
If this Mad Kane is the future of feminism, I’m ashamed to call myself a feminist.
BTW, I am aware that this was an old entry, but its apparent message is old-fashioned and outdated and just plain false. The truth and true feminism are timeless.
As a woman myself, I find this article ridiculous.
Your statement of “Breeding killers” is no different from teaching someone how to drive a car, and then saying that doing so is “Breeding people to commit vehicular homicide”.
You are bad, and you should feel bad.
Teaching you children to use firearms is a very good skill indeed. You teach them early that guns are NOT toys, and that when you shoot someone, they don’t come back like in video games. You teach them gun safety, and teach them how to properly use the gun as well. If worse comes to worse, and your daughter is alone at home, and someone breaks in… Does she have a gun she can grab? Or does she get brutally raped, and then murdered? I’ll leave that choice up to you…
I am a women, and I am somewhat offended by your article. What is wrong with having a tool that also looks good. Its the same concept as pink computers and cellphones. There is nothing wrong with teaching our daughters to defend themselves. Having a gun is not breeding a killer.
I also find your “feminist humor” revolting. Feminism is the reason men have been emasculated and we do not have our doors opened for us by the men. Screw your feminism.
I would just like to say that I am very glad that there are such cute guns out on the market. In fall I will be living alone for the first time and my super protective guy friends think that I need a gun for protection. I am really small, so everyone thinks that any intruders would automatically be able to overpower me. While I am not so game on owning a gun, if I do end up having to get one, I would rather have it be super cute!
Another sad example of extending our culture of guns, and marketing deadly weapons to children.