“If a parent doesn’t want her child to build a periscope from a toothpaste box or a tongue-depressor catapult that launches mini-marshmallows or a so-called Candy Glock from a balloon, a playing card, and a plastic soda bottle, he doesn’t have to buy the book.” – Liberty Science Center spokeswoman Mary Meluso in Liberty Science Center defends book teaching kids how to make fake guns [at nj.com]

15 COMMENTS

  1. “And of course, if a parent wants an emotionally stunted metrosexual euro-manchild with no courage or respect for personal freedom, they could simply point to this book and hyperventilate. All the bases are covered, here.”

    ^how the quote should have ended

  2. Michael C. Alcamo, who saw the book during a recent visit to the Jersey City science museum, said tragedy can ensue from teaching kids how to make toy guns…

    The Stupid is strong with this one.

    The only toy gun that has a potential for tragedy to ensue is the PopTart gun, overuse of which can lead to obesity and diabetes.

    The 256-page book, “Mini Weapons of Mass Destruction 2: Build a Secret Agent Arsenal,” published in 2011, is filled with illustrated instructions on how to make a “semi auto dice launcher” made out of a box for playing cards, a catapult to fling breath mints and a blowgun for cotton swabs or toothpicks.

    It also includes details on how to use markers to build faux magnums and Berettas that shoot hard candies.

    As if you’ll shoot your eye out, kid! wasn’t overused already, thanks to A Christmas Story.

    “We shouldn’t be teaching children that it’s easy to make a realistic-looking Beretta out of things you can find around the house,” Alcamo told The Jersey Journal. “That’s a way to guarantee a tragedy.”

    Yes, because nobody can tell the difference between a real Baretta and one made out of a marker and a Pez dispenser. I wasn’t aware of the Hoyle Special Edition Glock, either.

    • Several points: One, I don’t have diabetes, but I’m living proof you’re correct about Pop-Tarts making you fat, but then that’s even if one doesn’t shape them into a gun. But then, I probably shouldn’t give gun-grabbers any ideas about outlawing Pop-Tarts, too, ’cause I’m sure they’d agree with Nanny Bloomberg on that issue, too.

      Two: “You’ll shoot your eye out!” wasn’t just “A Christmas Story”. Plenty of us gun lovers had over-cautious moms who believed no child (especially a male one) should ever be allowed to use a gun without direct supervision by adults until he was old enough to drive, but had dads who gave us guns, anyway, and told her to get over it. In like manner, this humorously over-cautious (and humor-less, btw) lady just needs someone, anyone, to tell her to get over it and move along. WAIT! Wuzzat you say? It was a DUDE who said this stuff? Like, a guy, a man, a male-type person? Well, then, that cinches it. Our society is screwed. Heaven help us if he’s reproduced.

      Three: “…but, but…I was a REALISTIC-looking marker and Pez dispenser. In fact, when I first saw it, I thought it was the Beretta/Wilson 92G Brigadier Tactical.”

  3. Sweet! Now I know what my grandson is getting for Christmas. He’s already modifying Nerf guns to shoot farther. He will love this.

  4. How dare they teach children that things can be made with… stuff!

    These folks would shit bricks if I showed them my plans to build a black powder golf ball cannon this summer.
    I bet their heads would explode when they found out its 100% legal too.

  5. These books are available on AMAZON.COM for very reasonable prices. They rate 4, 4.5 and 5 Stars.

    These books teach children very fundamental mechanical skills and understanding of how to build things that work and why they work.

    What’s NOT to love about this? Oh, yeah, it might enable a kid to think for himself/herself, inspire creativity, develop problem solving skills, learn how to accept and deal with challenges and, God forbid, have some genuine fun learning the value of work and inspiration…all of which is anathema to the Nanny State Mentality.

  6. Nice to see that the science center still remains in the world of reality, where a marshmellow is not a deadly projectile at low velocities.

  7. God forbid kids use imagination and don’t play a video game. Little boys have been known to make dang near anything into a gun…

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