"I don't feel that Richie playing with guns will have a negative effect on his personality. (He already wants to be a policeman). His childhood gun-playing won't make him into a cop-shooter. By playing with guns he learns to socialize with other children. I find the neighbors who are offended by Richie's gun, either the father hunts or their kids are the first to take Richie's gun and go off and play with it."

How does the historical context of the Vietmam war color your perspective as you examine this photograph?

What issues does the caption raise with respect to proper child rearing? Are these issues still relevent today?

As children, to what extent is our view of the world shaped through the toys we play with?