[Jeff Higgins]

Studies have shown conclusively that the mere presence of a firearm, carried by the intended victim, discourages the crooks in the vast majority of confrontations.

The analogy to a fire extinguisher is a good one. Similar analogies can be made to insurance policies and other prudent behavior. They are merely a safeguard against the potential of falling victim to circumstances beyond your control. Guns are just a tool like any other, with an intended purpose for which they are designed, like any other. They can be used properly or miss-used, like any other.

Their miss-use, of course, gets the vast majority of the publicity surrounding them. Handguns are broadly painted as the tools of the criminaly deranged. As more and more countries limit their citizens' access to them, that image gets strengthened among those unfamiliar with them. Those of us that have grown up around them, on the other hand, have an easy acceptance of them. We just don't get all that excited about them. Unless, of course, some one tries to take them away. I guess familiarity removes the "forbidden fruit" fascination over them. Like I said, just a tool like any other. The man that picks it up decides what it is going to do...