Toy Guns on the Playground

A few weeks back, on the 10th anniversary of Columbine, I took the boys to play at our local playground.  When I got there I found 3 kids running around with toy guns (one was a toy rifle).  I thought to myself, "wow, unbelievable" and tried to piece together whose kids they were.  Finally one boy gave his father his toy rifle and the father spun it like a baton for several minutes as he was chatting with a mother.  I thought again "wow."  Zay was frightened by the guns on the playground maybe b/c I've always been really opposed to them having anything that even resembles a gun (yes, I buy non-gun shaped water squirters) and in general just kind of assumed that was the norm these days.  Well, not here.  I could see that there were a few other parents that weren't thrilled and plenty who didn't seem fazed but no one said a word.  I managed to speak to the father and explain that my son was frightened....as a result I got a big eye roll.  We didn't stay much longer but I have to wonder....if we live in a world where kids pretend to point and shoot and kill and thats OK, where are we headed as a society?  I know some might think, come on, they are just playing.  But, you know, I can't help but think that this kind of play desensitizes them to actual violence.  Why can't we encourage play that promotes peaceful behavior later on...cooperative games, games that teach conflict resolution skills....I refuse to believe that "boys will be boys".....my boys have lots of energy and certainly like to compete with each other but violence, thats where I draw the line......