'First time ever touching a gun': Kyle Kashuv triggers with photos of his trip to the rifle range

You might remember it was after not the Parkland school shooting but the Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando, Fla., when it seemed like every journalist out there either 1) purchased an AR-15 to show how easy they were to obtain (if you’re not a felon and can pass a background check) or 2) hit the gun range to try out this “killing machine” and report on it.

Remember the New York Daily News’ Gersh Kuntzman, who wrote that firing an AR-15 at the gun range sickened him with the smell of “sulfur and destruction” and gave him “a temporary case of PTSD”?

Yeah, we went through all that again after Parkland, as CNN sent reporter Gary Tuchman to the gun range to apparently demonstrate the incorrect stance for firing a rifle.

We’re going to give Marjory Stoneman Douglas survivor Kyle Kashuv a pass, though, because he’s personally been thrown into the gun control debate and he’s actually met with quite a few lawmakers (and the president and first lady) — so it wouldn’t hurt to know what he’s actually talking about.

On Friday night, Kashuv posted pics of him with his instructor and admitted it’s the first time he’d ever held a gun.

It was great learning about our inalienable right of #2A and how to properly use a gun. This was my first time ever touching a gun and it made me appreciate the #Constitution even more. My instructor was very informative; I learnt a lot. #2A is important and we need 2 preserve 2A pic.twitter.com/4rcOZbpl88

— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 21, 2018

That certainly triggered plenty of gun control advocates:

https://twitter.com/_DrewSchwartz/status/987670014739255296

I want everyone to learn how to protect themselves. This was my first step in achieving that goal. https://t.co/tkqKycH2fM

— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 21, 2018

It does have to do with 2A. He's learning how to exercise his right to bear arms and my statement was in no way disrespectful, I simply said Kyle is doing what none of the March for Our Lives kids are doing and that is gaining firsthand knowledge of a firearm.

— Joe H. (@Joe_hal14) April 21, 2018

* * *

Update:

Kashuv later shared one of the first things he learned at the range that might be helpful for anti-gun activists to know:

So… I went to a shooting range last night to start learning gun safety and the gun didn't magically turn around and start shooting. #DefendTheSecond pic.twitter.com/eiilvz4MlL

— Kyle Kashuv (@KyleKashuv) April 21, 2018

Related:

'What a WIMP!' WATCH: This CNN reporter firing an AR-15 is a straight-up HOT MESS https://t.co/1YnhlWy998

— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) February 28, 2018