This was the Ancient Law of Youth

| 24 October 2015

I remember a poster on the outside of my fathers safe when I was growing up. There was a simple message, and this has stuck with me ever since.

This was that poster.

to ride shoot straight and speak the truth

 

What should we be teaching our children? Well, there is no reason for them not to know how to safely use a firearm. There is also no reason why they shouldn’t be able to shoot and hunt with one.

We forget that not so long ago we were all expected to put food on the table. Food we had to hunt for, catch or trap. These were fundamental life skills that you had to know to survive. We were all able, and expected to be able to use a weapon.

Although this quote is credited to Charles T. Davis above, there are also numerous references of Jeff Cooper using it, with Cooper crediting it to Teddy Roosevelt. However, if you look back far enough, you can also find a similar reference by Herodotus, in reference to the Persians. ‘Their sons are carefully instructed from their fifth to their twentieth year, in three things alone—to ride, to draw the bow, and to speak the truth.’

There is nothing wrong with raising children with good morals and strong principles. Teach them what it right and wrong. Ensure they are hardworking and honest. And, most importantly, teach them to look after themselves.

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