Growing up in the 80s me and all the other kids played with realistic toy guns all the time. I had a plastic AK-47 that looked very real. There was no moral panic. One of our favorite places to play army was a big field right across from our elementary school, and nobody ever freaked out.
Something has changed alright, and I don't buy that it's the lunatics on shooting sprees that has changed. It's the posture of Authoritahs, and the crisis-mongering from the chattering classes that has changed. There's also been a gradual evolution of this new premise in law enforcement, this idea that "officer safety" is the unquestioned supreme consideration. Virtually all these questionable acts stem from that premise. It used to be accepted that there is a built-in degree of danger in the job and that part of that danger was the fact that you'd be dealing with situations where you couldn't just go guns blazing anytime you felt unsafe. That's also why the job used to be considered heroic, just like with firemen and soldiers. Hell, maybe firemen should start subordinating everything to their safety too? "Unfortunately the family perished in the burning home. Our men, in fear for their own safety, were unable to enter the building because there was clearly smoke coming out of it."
So they killed a 13 year old kid. Great job, such heroes. I hope they get a parade in their honor.
