Letters to the editor

Look it up!

In the growing majority of states which permit CCW, typically less than 3% of the population actually obtains the permits to carry, and fewer still actually strap on a firearm.

Oddly, crime rates are down significantly in most of those states, and the entire popultation derives a net benefit from those few who do carry.

Those who express pleasure at our legal inability to do the same in Canada, ignore the growing evidence that there is a benefit to society for trusting vetted and trained civilians with the same protections that you routinely require of the police agencies.

Handguns were designed for one purpose, and that is to save lives in a last resort situation.  Often the knowledge that a potential "victim" has the means to defend themself is sufficient to end what otherwise might be a tragic incident, and escalation to actual shots fired is very rare.                                                                                        

Do you really believe that vetted and trained Canadians allowed to carry might not afford Canada the same overall benefits as our American neighbours?

Finally, when tragedies like the Colorado AMC theatre shooting occur, they frequently happen in locations which disallow CCW, like the AMC Theatre.

These so called "gun free zones" then become a free-fire zone for any lunatic with a Hollywood movie fixation.  Perhaps you might wish to temper your feelings of pleasure with a small dose of evidence based analysis.

Robert S. Sciuk