I fired a rifle for the first time at the age of 8, under the supervision of my father. By the age of 14, I was going hunting for small game on my own. The small game that I killed genuinely supplemented the protein in our family diet I used to really enjoy the "ke-o-ow" sound of a powerful rifle being fired in open space. In the Army I fired "Expert" with the M-1 rifle. Felling a 30 caliber machine gun and a BAR ((Browning Automatic Rifle) was a real power trip that felt good.

I am not anti-gun. Many families in rural areas need rifles and shotguns to get rid of varmints that prey on the animals and plants that are their livelihood, to supplement he protein in their diets, and to get rid of rabid animals. But, no civilian in other than a very few circumstances, ever needs to have or carry a pistol, semi-automatic weapon or automatic weapon Those weapons are designed solely for killing people. And, he facts are clear: Widespread ownership of guns results in many more gun deaths, whether from accidents, carelessness, use of a gun when one is very angry or when committing another crime, or in a terrorist attack. So much tragedy occurs in a society allowing widespread ownership and open carry of such lethal weapons.

Just because one enjoys the feeling of firing a gun, or loves the macho power trip of firing an automatic weapon is no excuse for wanting and carrying a gun in public. That is putting one's own hedonistic urges ahead of he public good. The same is true for the act of firing a powerful automatic weapon.. Perhaps some arrangement like keeping and firing a deliberately lethal within weapons could be allowed within the closely guarded confines of a gun club could be allowed -- but never having such weapons at home or on one's person. I believe in the second amendment, nut the interpretations of that amendment by right wing gun nuts is absolutely absurd.