Looking Back

Ever since paintball was first developed, it has resulted in a lot of controversy. Some people view it as a harmless and entertaining sport while others worry that paintball usage may glorify violence and be potentially dangerous. A lot of the debate around paintball guns focuses on whether or not people below the age of 18 should have access to paintball guns. To determine whether or not paintball guns should be regulated for children under the age of 18, it is necessary to consider the potential safety, options for misuse, and links to violence associated with paintball use among minors.

One of the biggest reasons that people discuss paintball regulations is due to safety concerns. There have been a few highly publicized incidents of children getting hurt while playing with paintball guns, but the reality is that these are few and far between. With only 45 out of 100,000 participants getting injured each year, paintball is one of the most statistically safe sports. It results in far less eye and other injuries than common games like basketball, hockey, and baseball. Injuries tend to happen when people play paintball in casual settings without any masks or other safety equipment. However, as long as minors are wearing proper safety gear, paintball guns are not dangerous.

Another common concern about minors using paintball guns is the worry that it may glorify violence, gun culture, or warfare. This may be a common complaint among those who are not familiar with paintball, but fans of the game tend to disagree strongly. People who actually play paintball report that it is more like a sport than a war game. Most paintball leagues require participants to use neutral language like “I got you” instead of “I shot you,” and the majority of guns are not designed to look like an actual weapon. Paintball may actually be helpful at reducing violent tendencies in isolated teens since it encourages social bonding, promotes physical and outdoor exercise, teaches about the value of teamwork, and provides a way to blow off steam safely.

Paintball may be safe both mentally and physically, but this does not mean that there are no downsides associated with minors using paintball guns. There have been many incidences of paintball guns being used to vandalize signs, damage buildings, scare or hurt random bystanders, and attack rivals. Many cases of paintball guns seriously harming people occur during these sorts of instances, not during actual games. Since paintball guns have a high potential for misuse when minors can access them at any time, it may be wise to provide at least some regulation for how minors can acquire the guns.

In general, statistics support the idea that paintball is typically safe and provides a healthy outlet for excess energy. However, there can be some issues with minors misusing guns for vandalism or bullying. Because there are both pros and cons associated with paintball usage, the best option may be a balanced approach that provides some regulation without banning paintball guns for minors altogether. A good option may be allowing minors to use guns on a regulated course but not allowing them to buy their own. This could ensure that proper safety regulations are followed and that the guns cannot be misused.

Childhood and Early Life

John Sidney McCain III was born in a naval station in Panama known as the Coco Solo on August 29, 1936. He was born into a family of four-star admirals with his father later John S McCain junior later rising to command the United States naval forces in the Pacific. Since Senator John McCain grew up in a family that held military service in high regard he spent most of his childhood years moving from one military base to the other in America and abroad.

Military Career

Following his family history McCain went ahead and joined the United States Naval academy where he graduated bottom his class in 1958, the low performance was attributed by his indifference and he says the subjects that were taught were not in his line of interest. He also graduated from flight school in 1960 which later advised his interest to volunteer for combat duty with the outbreak of the Vietnam War.

His flying training had him fly career-based attack planes bombing runs against the Vietnamese. It was during this period on July 29, 1967, in the Gulf of Tonkin that his jet was inadvertently shot by a missile triggering a fire that killed 134 people and left him with a serious injury. However, he recovered and went back to active duty, that same year on October 26, 1967, his jet was shot down while doing a bombing run over Hanoi, the North Vietnam capital. He was badly injured as the plane crashed into the Truc Bach Lake and captured by North Vietnamese who confined and tortured then later on December 9, 1969, moved to Hoa Loa prison which was famously known as “Hanoa Hilton”.

McCain was in prison for a total of five years being in solitary confinement for most of that time. When his captors learned that his father John S McCain Jr. was a high ranking Navy officer they tried to offer him early release but McCain refused and asked to be released together with other prisoners of war, he also knew the Vietnamese would use his release as propaganda. Finally, he was released in 1973, two months after the cease-fire took effect with other American prisoners, and he got a hero’s welcome back at home with several service awards, including the Silver Star, Purple Heart, Legion of Merit and Distinguished Flying Cross. Despite the injuries he sustained in prison McCain still went back to serve as a naval aviator for a nine-month period.

Life in Politics

McCain joined politics in 1976 when he became the Navy’s liaison officer to the U.S Senate. He then moved to Phoenix, Arizona with his second wife Cindy Hensley and worked as a public relations officer in his father-in-law’s beer distribution firm. McCain used this position to advance his connection in the political arena. McCain used his war record to help him clinch the seat in the U.S House of Representatives, and with the retirement of the Arizona senator Barry Goldwater, McCain went for the seat and was elected senator.

McCain was a force to reckon with in the Senate being bold in questioning the ruling Republican orthodoxy he earned the nickname ‘The Maverick ’.

In 1980 McCain was accused to be involved in a scandal of improperly intervening with federal policy to favor Charles Keating, Jr. He was however cleared by the Senate in 1991 for any illegal dealings. In 2000, he unsuccessfully ran against George W Bush for Republican Presidential nomination. Then after aligning himself with Bush in 2007 he secured a Republican nomination and ran against the Democrat’s candidate Barrack Obama.