The Winnie The Pooh blood and honey teaches kids about gun violence — while grown-ups stick their heads in a jar of honey

Is this really the best our neighbours can do to keep their kids safe? There are now more firearms in America than people and more mass shootings than days in the year.

The book, “Winnie-the-Pooh and the AR-15 Too,” fortunately did not come into existence.

Living in close proximity to the United States feels like residing next to a dysfunctional family. Their perpetual conflicts and widespread possession of firearms are perplexing. Our neighbors indeed have a significant issue with guns. The number of firearms in America surpasses its population, and the frequency of mass shootings exceeds the number of days in a year. Shockingly, guns are the leading cause of death among children. If plastic building blocks posed even a fraction of the danger, LEGO would be illegal across all 50 states. Kinder Surprise eggs face more stringent regulations than guns.

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Earlier this year, Business Insider compiled a list of the most devastating mass shootings in U.S. history, with Texas accounting for six out of the top 15 incidents. Among these tragedies was the horrifying attack at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde last year, where 19 children and two teachers lost their lives.

Now, enter Winnie-the-Pooh. Texas, running out of sensible ideas they are unwilling to try, has resorted to using the beloved character created by A.A. Milne to educate children about active shooting events. Perhaps next, Bugs Bunny will be tasked with solving the opioid crisis.

According to a recent report by The Guardian, Texas schoolchildren as young as four years old are provided with Winnie-the-Pooh cartoon books, teaching them the principles of “run, hide, fight” in the event of a gunman entering their school. The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, shared pages from the “Stay Safe” book in a mocking manner. One illustration depicts Kanga and Roo wearing boxing gloves, advising children: “If danger finds us, don’t stay, run away. If we can’t escape, we must FIGHT with all our strength. Following the example of Kanga and Roo, it is better to fight together.”

Raising awareness, providing training, and educating the public are undoubtedly valuable endeavors. “Run, hide, fight” is a tactic suggested by the FBI, but I highly doubt the agents who coined those words envisioned four-year-olds, who can barely tie their shoes, overpowering a homicidal maniac armed with a weapon of war in a classroom.

Is this truly the best our neighbors can do to protect their children?

Now that Winnie-the-Pooh is in the public domain, one can only imagine future scenarios from the “Stay Safe” series. Tigger giving a literal trigger warning. Piglet donning a bulletproof vest before story time. Eeyore hiding in a janitor’s closet. Rabbit reading an NRA brochure while Christopher Robin pulls a concealed Glock from his shorts to engage in a shootout with a masked assailant near the snack area.

As one Dallas teacher expressed to The Guardian regarding the unexpected arrival of these books, “I found it extremely disturbing and was very uncomfortable with the entire contents of the book. The fact that people believe it’s a better idea to give this book to a child rather than take real actions to prevent shootings in our schools really upsets me. It makes me feel angry and disappointed.”

The Winnie The Pooh blood and honey teaches kids about gun violence — while grown-ups stick their heads in a jar of honey

Yes, it is both infuriating and disheartening. But what can be done? How can we assist our neighbors in breaking free from this epidemic of shootings? When the Second Amendment was ratified, there were no Bushmaster M4s. Perhaps Joe Biden should issue an executive order limiting firearms to those available in 1791, saying, “Let’s confiscate that Honey Badger. Here’s a musket. You can take your flintlock pistol to 7-Eleven.”

Alternatively, maybe Chris Rock had the right idea when he jokingly suggested solving the problem of gun madness by significantly increasing the price of bullets. Implement a $5,000 tax on each bullet. Or make prospective gun buyers pay exorbitant fees for mandatory background checks.

Take action, anything, instead of relying on the hope that Winnie-the-Pooh can transform into a reincarnated Elmer the Safety Elephant while elected officials bury their heads in jars of honey.

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What’s truly disturbing is how our neighbors are becoming desensitized to the senseless carnage occurring in their own backyard, how learned helplessness is dulling the noise of rampant gunfire. After the 1999 Columbine High School massacre, months of media coverage ensued. Now, one mass shooting is swiftly followed by another, and the thoughts and prayers all blend together, inducing collective numbness.

From our perspective on this side of the neighborly fence, it is simply unfathomable. When I drive my daughters to school, the thought of a lockdown or an active shooter situation doesn’t even cross my mind. Unlike our American counterparts, the number of gun-related deaths among Canadian children did not surge by 50 percent between 2019 and 2021. A recent poll conducted by PBS/NPR/Marist revealed that 40 percent of Americans believe that schools in their communities are not safe from gun violence.

We hold deep affection for our neighbors. But why is their house the only one on the block grappling with this crisis?

America, it’s crucial to recognize that it is no longer 1791. This notion of an unrestricted right to possess and carry firearms is resulting in the loss of innocent lives, including those of your children. President Biden, to his credit, has advocated for reforms and sensible safety laws. However, what can he truly achieve when Republican politicians, swayed by the gun lobby, continue to loosen restrictions as the body count steadily rises? If Governor Greg Abbott had his way in Texas, every pickup truck would be equipped with a bazooka or howitzer.

Best of luck, Winnie-the-Pooh. May your teachings reach the children.

Hopefully, you won’t be silenced by gunfire.

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Mai Linh Pham

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