If you were by some unimaginable scenario able to disarm a large part of the populace by law, at whose mercy would they be? Let us assume that 75 million people now own legal firearms. I believe that the number is greater by half, who would be left with firearms? The military, police, felons, separatists, and so-called revolutionaries will have firearms.

    Historically it has been proven that for any government to take control and become oppressive they had to first disarm the populace. I do not care if you go back to wooden spears, the only way you could exert your will on upon others was to either kill them or disarm them. Take away their self-defense.

    There are those that would say what is the need for an auto-loading firearm...what purpose can it serve? Well, when you think about the firepower of felons, obtained illegally, it is apparent as to the purpose. You stand a better chance of defending yourself with a large capacity auto-loader than you do with a six-shooter. Once disarmed what chance do you have to defend yourself, your family and your property?

    Some people will say "that is what the police are for". Tell that to the families of the thousands of victims of crime that die because the police did not get there on time. As any well-informed person knows, the police do the best job they can do; but they are primarily reactive, not proactive, and often arrive after there has been an attempt of a crime or one that has been committed, I know I was a policeman.

    Argue all you want about the violent nature of the USA, and I can point out many other places in the world that are more violent and more brutal [Rwanda comes to mind]. Heck all you have to do is watch CNN. Pick up a newspaper and read friends...the people with no means of self-defense are being slaughtered.

We all know about the study of professor Gary Kleck of Florida State University's School of Criminology, he started studying the relationship of legal gun-ownership and violence with a decided anti-gun bias. When he completed his study among one of the facts he found was that the hand-gun ownership prevented more than 645,000 crimes or reduced the severity of the crime, add rifles and shotguns and it is probably 1,000,000 +.

    The recent Chicago study not only confirmed what the professor wrote but went on further to state that the personally armed citizen in a state or county that made the right to carry, law, further reduced violent crime.

    We must have the right to carry in New Jersey. We have one of the highest crime rates. We can further our cause by supporting and voting for pro gun candidates in the coming elections and future ones. We can win this...but not without your commitment. We must select pro-gun candidates and not only vote for them but get off our duffs and our [here I go again] wallets. Friends this is the only way we can guarantee our right to "keep and bear arms". Please read the Association Newsletter, stay on top of the issues, talk it up to your friends, and support and vote for the endorsed candidates.

"[The Second Amendment] may be regarded as the true palladium of liberty. The right of self defense is the first law of nature; in most governments it has been the study of the rulers to confine this right within the narrowest limits possible. Wherever standing armies are kept up, and the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext whatsoever, prohibited, liberty, if not already annihilated, is on the brink of destruction."

-St. George Tucker

    Some choose to be in the flock seeking protection from the wolf. Sometimes the shepherd can not be there or comes to late.

    I choose not to Baaaaahhh!