he benefit of the firearm. Taking guns away from law - abiding citizens while felons continue to use them is not the answer. It is your constitutional right to keep and bear arms. Clearly we have seen that outlaw guns would not be in our best interest. We have seen that doing so would not reduce the number of innocent people killed each year. Criminals have misused firearms, often with tragic results, but I must point out that a few individuals committed those crimes. We should punish the individuals who commit these crimes, and we should imprison those who pose a threat to society so that they do not have the opportunity to cause harm. Punishing law-abiding citizens by passing restrictive gun laws is wrong. Guns are not the cause of this country's crime problem. Criminals are. Effective crime control must control criminals, not guns. Effective crime control should provide more prisons to lock up these criminals, and more police officers to capture criminals. Effective crime control should give the law-abiding citizens of our country the means to defend themselves. It should not restrict the rights of responsible citizens to own or carry firearms. Firearms can be dangerous in the wrong hands, that is why I believe firearms training is important. The best training consists of parents passing on our firearms heritage, respect for people and property, and some common sense safety rules to their children. For many people this training will be enough. Formal firearms training courses, like Hunter Safety Courses and the course required to obtain a concealed carry permit, are also very useful. These courses reinforce the basic safety rules that everyone who handles firearms should know. They also teach the legal requirements specific to hunting or self-defense, depending on the course. Society does benefit from firearms in the hands of responsible citizens. It is our responsibility to use them properly and safely. ...
