I, like Kendal, am a gun carrying Liberal. I am exceedingly well trained, would likely never pull unless all other options had been exhausted, or someone's life was in danger. If there is one problem with the conceal carry laws in many states, it is that the training component is not comprehensive enough. In my home state, one need only take a weekend class which involves a couple of hours of range time. My personal view is that any citizen should be allowed to carry providing they pass the appropriate background check. But they should also have to go through very comprehensive training, much the same as a Police Officer, with extensive range time and requalification on the range at regular intervals. This would insure that if one pulls in an urban area, they would be well trained in the skills of target acquisition and surgical shooting necessary to minimize shooting of innocent bystanders. This ain't a game, kids!! I resolve this problem by spending a great deal of time at the range shooting target and combat.

Let me point out that the folks that brought you 9-11 hijacked the planes using boxcutters. As tough as it is to contemplate (and I would have hated to have been the one to have to make the decision), do you suppose that we would have rather had to sacrifice one hostage to save the thousands that perished? Had there been an armed sky marshall on those planes, we would likely be debating the loss of something less than 30 people. Never mind all the impact that that day has had on our society and economy. As a society, the USA has a short memory. There was a time when we had armed sky marshall's on many flights. This is one air traveller that will be very happy to have trained professionals on those flights again. Admittedly this is 20/20 hindsight, but to not learn from past events is to insure they will happen again.

All the best,

Mick