Old Maine proverb:

A sword, in its scabbard, keeps another so."
Florida used to be very dangerous until they passed a "Right to carry" law. Now, anyone who wants to commit a crime knows that his intended victim may also be armed. Criminals don't like a fair fight.

Actually, according to what we have been told recently, the bigger danger now is pilots who are also terrorists, and S.A.Ms. There are about 5000 of these things unaccounted for, and they have been used. Sooner or later, one will be used here.

Peg, I believe the facts I stated were per capita. Furthermore, most of the gun killings in small towns are committed by people who know the victim. I don't ever recall a killing in Maine that was mugging related, or random violence.

We are a cowboy society, and it is the attitude that must change, not the tools.