We have the means to prevent the ignorant and criminals to not acquire weapons legally. So they get them from illegal means. Stealing, robbery, and other sources.

An increase in weapons does not necessarily mean an increase in deaths related to people's use of firearms.

My issue with folks making broad statements about the heritage and intelligence of a particular gun owner, or all of us, is that for 99% it is untrue. And the addition of those adjudicated mentally incompetent just removed another group from owning weapons.

I'm not a member of the NRA. The NRA has made concessions to the gun lobby in the interest of easing up on more restrictive legislative fights.

Bottom line - guns are not the problem any more than cars are responsible for traffic problems. It is the people using them that are the problem. In Idaho one does receive additional hard time for gun related crimes. Even if you threaten and do not have possesion it is inferred that you used a gun.

I am educated, Master's Degree, own my own home, never filed bancruptcy, served my country honorably, and am entitled by the Constitution to own firearms. It is not an issue of "need" - it's an issue of "right". I cannot judge your need or want any more than you can judge my needs or wants. What I can do is be responsible with my guns and teach my children the same.

I was proud to have purchased my grand daughters their first 22 rifles. And helped them learn how to be responsible with them. They were both 5 years old when I started with them in concert with their parents. I can tell you that both those kids are in accelerated school programs and already mini-leaders in the little community they inhabit.

That is what I want. Responsible ownership and use of weapons. And only parents can teach that. It can't be legislated, it can't be ordered, it can only come from responsible people teaching civic-minded responsibility to their kids. Unreasoned fear is not the means. It's why I took Mr. Olesko's statement personally. He's lumped me with the -1% group that really does not need to have arms.