Letters to the Editor
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Three months ago,
I would have been rolling my eyes at the NRA party line that people need to keep their guns. Now, however, I know that their argument -- that a law abiding citizen with a gun can deter or prevent crime -- is absolutely true. Last January, three armed thugs kicked in the door of my stepson's house at about 4:00 a.m. He had time to run to the kitchen and grab his gun as they forced their way in, and to order them out (or, to be more specific, tell them to "get the f--- out of here." When they responded along the lines of "F--- you, m-----f-----, he fired twice, and hit one of the intruders. They immediately fled, were apprehended soon afterward when they took their wounded member to an emergency room, and are looking at serious prison time, because this was at least their 10th such offense, and they'd attacked several homeowners in the past. Because the guy's blood was on the premises, the DNA evidence along with the ballistic evidence is pretty conclusive.
So, now I agree that IF you are very well trained in gun handling and safety, as my stepson is, then yes, a gun can be an important protection and crime deterrent. But I still think that licensing and mandatory training for legal gun owners is a good idea.