I see some comments that want their RIGHT to feel safe in the woods and they "feel" safe now and say this petition would make them "feel" unsafe. Well, unfortunately their feeling of safety is naive. The people who would do them harm in the woods and have ill intentions will already be carrying handguns or other weapons most likely concealed illegally. So the fact that they "feel" safe now and would "feel" unsafe if the law were to allow me to protct myself legally from animals (2 or 4 legged) that woudl do me harm.
My RIGHT to protect myself and those who do not know any better have that same RIGHT to protect themselves if they so choose, would be infringed if the "feelings" of those whose safety they enjoy now would be changed if we could legally carry handguns in the national forest. The basis for the argument against this petition is once again all in "feelings". The key to changing the feelings is the understand thata ll the stories you do here and many you don't here could and do happend to ordinatly people like me and those of you who "feel" safe now without handguns in the forest. So if those who "feel" good now would come to understand that the many places that handguns are banned now are on the list of those of us good guys who want to protect ourselves in these places as well, since the signs and laws prohibiting the carry of handguns in those places do not stop the bad guys who will be breaking laws with much more severe consequences than the possession of a firearm in a location it is illegal to do so, so they do not care about those laws and they only serve to leave the lawfull citiznes at the mercy of the criminals.
Feelings are great and I think many of us need to be intouch with our feelings more and care about those around us. That is one of the reasons I want to have my handgun so I can care for the family and friends that may be in the national forest or anywhere else with me and give me the most level of "feeling" of safety that I can reasonable have in this world and have some say in the outcome of a crimanals intent to harm me. Feelings of safety are great for your health and well-being, but understanding the reality and training/preparing for what may happend is more logical and factual and can bring that same level of "feeling" of safety with some real options to keep that feeling of safety intact should some one or some animal decide they would like ot change that.
The Virginia Citizens Defense league I see mentioned does have as its goal to allow my right to protect myself and my loved ones as its intention, and yes, in most cases that means removing gun control laws that do not control gun crimes, but merely controls the ability of legal citizens who would obey those laws from protecting themselves from those who do not ovey them. Again, that NO GUN sign will not be obeyed by the murderer; not rocket science here, just plan logic and common sense. Gun laws need to be based on facts for all our well-being, not just our "feelings" of safety founded in lack of edcuation on guns and there use and the real threats that may be around us on any given day. If you know the facts, and fail to prepare then you can live in fear. If you know the facts and want to "feel" as safe you one can reasonable feel, then plan & prepare for what may happend, hoping it never does. And for me that means training wiht and carrying a handgun to have some level of a chance to control a situation where someone may want to do me harm.
God Bless America even though we do not deserve.
