Finally!

[madamesilverspurs]

[kairos12]

1. Put name plates for all the victims on the desks to make it about right.

[zentrum]

2. Do people realize this is

…..a picture of kids in the 50's being taught to "drop and cover" as defense against an incoming Nuclear Bomb?

They'd give these drills routinely and often in schools across the country, K-12. They terrorized kids well and deeply into cold war paranoia, distrust of "foreigners", willingness to grow up and endlessly fund the arms race. It was profound, whole body propaganda.

My understanding is that more of the gun culture grew right then—because, you know, you might have to defend your own little house from the Russians coming over the hill specifically for your family. You better arm yourself.

To do this, some people slept with a gun under the bed.

I wonder how involved the NRA was, (if at all) with Cold War propaganda?

[TNNurse]

5. I did this in school. I am a child of this time.

I am not a part of the "gun culture". I do not sleep with a gun under the bed.
There was no mention in my part of the world (small town Georgia) of using guns to defend ourselves.

Wayne LaPierre has much more to do with the gun culture.

[TNNurse]

6. My husband also pointed out

that as children of the 50s we were children of WWII vets. They had seen and participated in war. They did not glorify or encourage a gun culture. They knew that guns were meaningless against a nuclear attack. They did not brag about the horror they had seen. Guns were for hunting for food. Some of them built fall out shelters and they were stocked with food and water......not guns.

[zentrum]

7. Not implying

…that everyone got caught up in the paranoia.

But the meme of the Russians are coming to get you was definitely out there.

The gun culture has deep roots in this country going all the way back to the armed cowboy walking around fully loaded.

For goodness sakes—I'm not accusing you personally or any child hiding under a desk of being part of "gun culture".

Just making a point about the history of paranoia in America.

[TNNurse]

8. I understand that you were not saying that

I am just saying that I think that recent activities like the NRA has done had nothing to do with international threats but are homegrown bigotry and hate.

When I was young the NRA was an organization that taught gun safety. It is now an organization that promotes reckless and gun proliferation.

[ProudProgressiveNow]

3. K&R nt

[FailureToCommunicate]

4. Photo from another angle:

[yellowcanine]

9. Well those Russians were scary!