Let’s encourage more gun owners

I appreciated reading Larry Simoneaux’s column of last Monday, “‘Assault rifles’ a place to start much-needed discussion,” concerning his proposals for more effective “gun control,” but I have another proposal I think he ought to consider instead of the half-measures he advocates. I, too, am a life member of the NRA, though much less active and accomplished in the shooting sports than he.

I believe much more gun ownership ought to be strongly encouraged. Instead of demonizing gun owners and guns in general, to better insure a civil society we should promote guns being distributed widely to those who wish to carry them. In societies such as Switzerland and Israel where guns are freely available (and even mandatory in some cases) murder rates are low and people are respectful of others. Guns truly are “equalizers”: the smallest, most elderly, and weakest have a means of protecting themselves from the meanest predators out there.

Is this a perfect solution to the mayhem and violence rife in our world? Certainly not, and nothing is or will be until men’s hearts are changed. There will be those who are determined to spread death and destruction regardless of the potential of meeting up with a citizen with a gun who can stop them.

But at least it will give some hesitation before attacking those who are defenseless, because who will know if, in fact, their intended victim(s) is/are truly defenseless.

Sam Crager

Stanwood