Playing Army Takes a Turn....

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Jun 4, 2007 | 07:58 PM

kw5413

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From: Great State of Texas

Playing Army Takes a Turn....

The other day while driving thru the neighborhood I saw a couple of kids running thru the yards with toy guns (clearly identified by the orange muzzles). Unusual these days I thought. So, while at the stop sign I decided to wait and watch since there was no traffic. They ran behind a car and hid for a brief moment then took of running again.

As I looked a couple of houses down I saw two other kids in hot pursuit. It was obvious that they were the bad guys (I hope). The Jihad. These two boys were clad in black...black hood and all. They carried their toys guns as well. But, they had something special.

Stuck inside their belts were plastic swords that looked like pirate swords maybe from a Halloween costume.

If I had to guess, these boys were around 10 - 12 years old. I have fond memories of playing Army and cowboys & Indians when I was a child in the late '50s / early 60s....However, I never recall myself or any of my friends playing the roll of the bad guys. Not only were these kids playing the bad guys but, I wondered if they simulated be-headings as well as simulated gun battles?

A little thought provoking...for me anyway.

Jun 4, 2007 | 08:07 PM

bf250

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the only way the kids would have even have the concept of the beheadings that are occuring at that age is from thier inept parents letting the tv and computer raise them instead of themselves, the parents, taking the time raising the kids themselves. my cousin is a perfect example of this.

Jun 4, 2007 | 08:16 PM

Mil1ion

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How about because of "Pirates of the Carribean" that is or was currently playing ?

I'm sure if they were up to no good ....when they got home...Heads would roll

Jun 4, 2007 | 08:24 PM

76supercab2

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Meh, When I played Army, someone had to play the role of the German army.

Jun 4, 2007 | 09:01 PM

kw5413

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From: Great State of Texas

The bad guys were always imaginary to us....that way....we always won. I was either Sgt. Saunders (Combat)...or some character of John Wayne.

Jun 4, 2007 | 09:28 PM

sierraben

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From: San Francisco, Ca.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kw5413

I have fond memories of playing Army and cowboys & Indians when I was a child in the late '50s / early 60s....

Late 1850s/early 1860s?

(kidding)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I remember cowboys and injuns and war in the late 1950's/early 1960s.

I sometimes played the German or Japanese soldier or the Indian because of that dam rock/paper/scissor game.

Jun 4, 2007 | 11:44 PM

85e150

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Ya, it was standard issue playtime activity to play army. I remember my neighbor's dad telling me to grow up when I played it a year too long...

And the other version, cops and robbers.....Well, my sister, having seen it on TV, took that pot metal Dick Tracy cap pistol she had been issued and applied it to the back of my head in the style so often seen wherein the character is "knocked out".

I wasn't, but it sure hurt.

As for kids playing with guns.... I never banned it per se, but I never encouraged it. Kids aren't interested. I would ban airsoft or anything that even looks like a gun as the cops around here shoot first and determine they were children with toys later, or so it seems. No room for error imo, so no room for realistic play.