A Texas Ranger was once asked by a reporter why his weapon of choice was a .45. His answer was simple. “Because they don’t make a .46.”
  The same type of answer can be used for those who wonder why I need a clip or magazine that holds more than 7 rounds. “The guy breaking into my home may have one that holds 10. I simply want to maintain firepower superiortiy.”                                            The “gun violence” debate is fundamentally flawed because it focuses on the weapon wielded rather than the intentions of the person wielding it. This is the underlying dishonesty of the anti-gun lobby and it has its roots in the very government that is sworn to defend our basic constitutional freedoms- in this case, the 2nd Amendment, which guarantees Americans the right to bear arms for self-defense (and specifically against a government that would violate that oath).
  In the last five mass killings (more than 3 victims) in a public area, only one occured in an area where guns were not restricted – Tucson. Unfortunately, press coverage and government response usually focuses more on the cosmetics, caliber and ammuniton capacity of the weapon used than the fact that most of the perpetrators were known to be dangerous or mentally deficient. Each time there is an instant cry, not for harsher penalties for those who use guns to commit a crime or closer supervision of the mentally ill, but for stricter gun control. In practically every situation, one armed citizen might have stopped the slaughter.
  In Chicago, there were 40 murders in January this year, including children. This is not a gun problem. This is not a race problem. It is not a lack of police problem. This is a values problem. It will not be solved until the citizens of the neighborhoods where the carnage is being inflicted rise up and say “enough.” Fear and intimidation are powerful forces but decency and love of family can also be powerful forces for good. Chicago politics are notoriously crooked and voters notoriously complacent but an outraged citizenry can “vote the rascals out.”
  Gun related criminal violence must be dealt with harshly and expediently. A innocent teenage girl was murdered a few days ago, caught in gang war crossfire. The young thug that killed her had 19 priors. A disgrace. Nationally, those cities with the most restrictive gun laws also have the worst violent crime records.
  There has been a national campaign by the anti-gun lobby to dismiss the simple logic of the phrase “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.” It is time to take the focus off law-abiding citizens and put it where it belongs, on the killers.