Dave Knight

Date published: 11/23/2005

Lawfully carried firearms are like insurance, not just for the person who chooses to carry, but for everyone around them, in the case of an emergency, as happens all too often these days (kidnappings, rapes and other violent predations) ["Have a gun? Fine, but stay out of public parks!" Nov. 16].

Prohibitions against alcohol and glass containers do not diminish safety in parks, as they do not encourage violent criminals to seek victims therein.

A firearm ban will only prevent law-abiding folks from carrying a gun; it will not prevent violent criminals from doing so, as they have already decided to commit crimes more serious than violating some silly gun ban.

Criminals do not care about "laws"--that's what makes them criminals. In general, gun bans are like free health insurance for violent criminals.

Criminals fear armed victims far more than they fear the police. Prohibitions of lawfully carried firearms encourage violent criminals to seek victims in the "self-defense-free criminal-safety zones" such bans create.

If letter-writer Manuel Cizek does not want to take responsibility for protecting himself and his family, that is his choice, but how dare he suggest that his irrational fear of lawfully armed citizens should be a reason to prohibit others from accepting that responsibility.

Aside from that, Virginia's statewide pre-emption statute prohibits localities from enacting firearm laws or regulations more restrictive than state law. Imposing a "gun ban" in a public park would violate that state law.

Radford

Date published: 11/23/2005