Hunters Beware!

Is it OK to confess that I'm getting some sort of sick pleasure out of the story about Vice President Dick Cheney shooting another friend in the face?

I'm guessing it would be OK, because all of the late night shows are really playing it up. Actually, tonight I went to the Daily Show's web site to hear their spin on the story. I don't watch TV, but if I did, The Daily Show would be on my favorites list. And of course, they did not disappoint.

A part of my own reaction to the story is not one of shock. I grew up in the north woods of Minnesota. Hunting was a way of life there. We got "fall break" off from school - which happened to coincide with the opening of deer hunting season. My family did not hunt, but we lived among about 50 hunting cabins. Every year, there was at least one hunting accident, and usually someone died.

In Minnesota, the gun debate has been around criminal activity. I guess I have my own take on it. I've known more people die in accidents than in homicides. I still don't think guns are safe - mostly because people still don't know how to use them properly.

And so you will get to hear how this story plays out. You will hear John Stuart and Jay Leno crack jokes about Dick shooting his friend in the face. You can laugh...I probably will, too. But maybe some good can come out of this. Maybe we can learn a little more about gun safety.

Ya think?