All of these send powerful messages to kids and make killing seem unreal. The second problem is access to lethal weapons. This is seen clearly in the suicide statistics. Youth suicide is far more common in the United States than in any other nation. Firearm suicides are four times as common as hanging, the second most common method, but if firearm suicides are dropped out od the statistics, the U.S. rate is similar to that of other nations.
Many people have moments of despair.
Those with access to guns are far more likely to act on these feelings before a broader perspective emerges. Based on the case I've laid out so far, you might assume that I would say that little boys should not be allowed to play with toy guns. On the contrary, I believe that it doesn't really matter whether or not children should play with toy guns, because the reality is they will. Whether you give little boys toy guns to play with or not, kids will tend to pick up bananas or sticks or, as you pointed out, Douglas, even Tinkertoys, and make them into toy guns. Before guns were invented kids would fashion their toys into swords.