The Bill of Rights guarantees the right to bear arms -- not necessarily for hunting (although it is), but to guarantee that we are armed so tyranny can't transform this country into something like Russia under Stalin (30 million people were murdered) or China under Mao or what happened in Cambodia after the Vietnam War (where more than 1 million people were murdered) or what is happening in Africa now where the government has confiscated weapons and is systematically murdering anyone who would dare speak out against those in power.
Once the government takes weapons from its citizens, criminals and the government can, and will, usurp power over the law-abiding citizen. It happened here during Katrina where law enforcement came into the area confiscating weapons while gangs moved in right behind them -- raping, pillaging and looting. The law-abiding citizen had no protection. The more governments are allowed to take our rights away, the more criminals and politicians will take advantage of the situation.
It has been proven that states with concealed-carry permits have less murders and crime. Look at Chicago or Washington D.C. Where they have strict gun laws, there is more crime. The criminals know they have the advantage facing unarmed people. Some say it would become the Wild West if everyone carried a weapon, but if you look at the numbers, the states who have concealed carry laws have less murders and violent crime.
I would at least like to be able to defend myself and am really getting tired of people trying to change the Constitution and taking my God-given rights away.
-- Mark handy, Richland
Comments