Skip to main content
Opinion

The JR-15 assault rifle for kids is insane and FTC must step in

Apr 27, 2023

Share

Democrats have been trying to strengthen gun regulation for decades while Republicans, for the most part, believe any meaningful reform would infringe upon Second Amendment rights. But following back-to-back mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York, in which more than 30 people were killed, Congress passed bipartisan gun legislation.

Now comes the JR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle, a smaller, lighter version of the AR-15, marketed to kids.

Straight Arrow News contributor Jordan Reid argues the FTC must step in and ban these dangerous marketing practices.

Now, gun manufacturers have always marketed to children. That’s nothing new. But this effort to indoctrinate children not only into gun ownership but into assault rifle ownership — tactical weaponry — is insane.

Look at these ads from the past few years — ads which I should know Democratic lawmakers and gun safety groups are using to try to push the FTC into setting guardrails for the industry, just as they did with RJ Reynolds.


These aren’t about protection or hunting or responsible gun ownership. They’re about assault. Getting your man card? What?

Wee1 Tactical holds that the goal of the JR-15, which they refer to as a “youth training rifle,” is to teach kids responsible safe gun ownership. But the leap of logic I can’t seem to make is how training children to responsibly use a type of weapon that very visibly has not been used responsibly by adults makes a ton of sense.

And the advertising is so effective. Gun sales in this country are astronomical. And as a new generation of indoctrinates grows older, or I guess just big enough to pick up a 2.2-pound semi-automatic, it’s only going to become more pervasive.

Last July, after Nancy Pelosi showed Wee1 Tactical’s marketing materials on the House floor, Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested that perhaps if the children who died in the Uvalde school shooting had been armed with their own JR-15s, that would have solved the problem, tweeting, “At least they could have defended themselves since no one else did while their parents were held back by police.

I do think that history will prove this to be an inflection point much as with Joe Campbell. Despite years of evidence to the contrary, I still cannot believe that the FTC will not step in and address the blatant marketing of deadly weaponry to children. If big tobacco can be taken down, so can the NRA. Let’s go.

Remember Joe Camel for anyone under the age of say 35 Joe Camel was a cartoon character created by the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company to promote their camel brand of cigarettes and promote he did. In 1991. The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study finding that over 90% of children under the age of six, match the camel or the character of Joe Camel to cigarettes. Now the company’s marketing helped camel Sheriff smokers under 18 rise from point 5% to 32.8%. During the campaign, Joe Camel was as recognizable to children as Mickey Mouse. In the wake of the study, the American Heart Association American Lung Association and American Cancer Society wrote a joint letter to the FTC asking them to forcibly end the campaign. And we now see the Joe Camel situation as an obvious ploy by big tobacco to indoctrinate our children. Why do I bring this up? Well take a look at this

 

Yes, that is a company called we won tactical demonstrating the attributes of its Jr 15, an assault style weapon designed to look like the AR 15 Except far more adorable. It’s 20% smaller so it’s easier for tiny hands to hold and comes complete with semi automatic action. The marketing materials for this company are pretty epic. Check out that badass pacifier on the skull with pigtails and the slogan, get them one just like yours.

Now gun manufacturers have always marketed to children. That’s nothing new. But this effort to indoctrinate children not only into gun ownership but into assault rifle ownership tactical weaponry is insane. Look at these ads from the past few years ads, which I should know Democratic lawmakers and gun safety groups are using to try to push the FTC into setting guardrails for the industry just as they did with RJ Reynolds. These aren’t about protection or hunting or responsible gun ownership. They’re about assault, getting your man card. What’s one tactical holds that the goal of the JR 15 which they refer to as a youth training rifle, is to teach kids responsible safe gun ownership. But the leap of logic I can’t seem to make is how training children to responsibly use a type of weapon that very visibly has not been used responsibly by adults makes a ton of sense.

And the advertising is so effective gun sales in this country are astronomical. And as a new generation of indoctrinates grows older, or I guess just big enough to pick up to 2.2 pounds semi automatic. It’s only going to become more pervasive. Last July after

last July, after Nancy Pelosi showed we won tacticals marketing materials on the House floor. Marjorie Taylor Greene suggested that perhaps if the children who died in the vault a school shooting had been armed with their own Jarrett fifteens that would have solved the problem tweeting, at least they could have defended themselves since no one else did while their parents were held back by police.

I do think that history will prove this to be an inflection point much is with Joe Campbell. Despite years of evidence to the contrary, I still cannot believe that the FTC will not step in and address the blatant marketing of deadly weaponry to children. If big tobacco can be taken down. So can the NRA let’s go

 

Video Library

Latest Commentary

We know it is important to hear from a diverse range of observers on the complex topics we face and believe our commentary partners will help you reach your own conclusions.

The commentaries published in this section are solely those of the contributors and do not reflect the views of Straight Arrow News.


Latest Opinions

In addition to the facts, we believe it’s vital to hear perspectives from all sides of the political spectrum. We hope these different voices will help you reach your own conclusions.

The opinions published in this section are solely those of the contributors and do not reflect the views of Straight Arrow News.

Weekly Voices

Left Opinion Right Opinion

Wednesday

Left Opinion Right Opinion

Thursday

Left Opinion Right Opinion

Friday

Left Opinion Right Opinion