Regarding capital punishment... Tolkein summed up my feelings very well indeed...

"Death? I daresay he deserves death. Yet many who live deserve death, just as many who die deserve life. Can you give it to them? ...Do not be swift to give one without being able to give the other."

In other circumstances, taking up arms to defend my wife, step-daughters and grandchildren is something that is omni-present for me, particularly where I live. (Having had the police over last night for two hours dealing with local thugs.)

Pere