Free People II

[Erikus4@aol.com]

>Everyone who has a legal right to possess a weapon 
>ought also to have formal training from qualified persons.

Rights are not thing you must go qualify for.  Those are privileges.  Rights 
just belong.

>Gun clubs and the like can be much better monitored than they are now.

What the hell is wrong with gun clubs that they need monitoring?  

>It's interesting that the two nations having the highest rates of 
gun-related 
>deaths per year (over 500 per million inhabitants, I believe -- I have 
>the data somewhere on my shelf) are the USA and Russia.

That's an amazing 0.05%!  Don't we have other things to worry about?

>Our state and national police associations all agree that it is. 

You've bought to whole argument, haven't you?  That's exactly why the whole 
thing is a damned foolish, and dangerous, idea.  

Additionally, associations often don't speak for the membership - but just 
speak.  You ever hear about the concealed carry permit holder down in Arizona 
who stopped after seeing three criminals shoot and kill a police officer?  He 
engaged in a brief gun battle, wounding one or two of the killers - capturing 
all three.  I'm sure the brother officers of that LEO just HATE citizens who 
carry guns.  And you likely haven't heard of that one because the media 
certainly doesn't give much of a damn about the actual usefulness of 
firearms...

Finally, NOTHING you've stated applies to criminals in the slightest!  
Criminals are the damned problem - not guns.  Not the availability of guns.  
I own guns and I'm not the problem.  Everyone I know who owns guns is NOT the 
problem.  Why the hell are you coming after us?

Why would you trust a government that doesn't trust you?  

E. O'Daniel
IDAHO