I have to agree to disagree with the point of view of a Dec. 27 letter writer. How do we protect most of those individuals who can't properly protect themselves?
The president of the U.S. has many individuals who are armed protecting him. Our courthouses have armed officers to protect jurors and judges. Hollywood celebrities hire armed bodyguards. Many states have had the policy of having an armed guard at schools. Most high schools in the U.S. have an assigned police officer at their campus.
Statistics comparing countries that limit or ban citizens from owning a gun versus the USA is a ridiculous comparison. What would be the statistics of death by drowning in central Australia (arid desert) and the Virgin Islands?
Death by guns should not be the issue. What about the crime statistics in these countries than ban gun ownership? Do you know the violent crime rate in England is 10 times higher than the U.S.? This statistic of increase in violent crime rate is directly related to taking the guns away from British citizens. More people die each year from death by car accident, stabbing and drowning than by gun deaths.
When all the guns are taken away from law-abiding citizens then only criminals will have guns, and I would personally wish to be able to protect myself and my family.
Michael Cooke
Lahaina
