Dear Editor: I’m glad Joel enjoys his new hometown. I’m told that Nashville is a nice place, I’ve just never had the opportunity nor means to go there. Sorry he was inconvenienced by the presence of so many gun-owners - none of which confronted him on the street with their guns. I’m told that in cities where the NRA Annual Meeting is held, those weekends are some of the low-crime landmarks in those venues. (“Responsible Gun Owners Should Ditch the NRA,” The Downey Patriot, 4/30/15)

As for Defensive Gun Uses (DGU), being as high as 2.5MM/yr: that figure includes situations where a gun is just shown - not necessarily fired. One thing the stats do suggest though, is that where CCW use is widespread, the thugs have gotten the message and don’t confront people, which led to the slogan, “The crooks don’t know who is armed”, which may explain why your visit to Nashville was only marked by your own paranoia.

As to “responsible gun owners ditching the NRA”, this Life Member would just say that it is the “responsible” gun owners who are in the NRA, and keep it 4-5 million strong. Do you think the gangbangers of Chicago, or Anacostia, are members?

Were the people rioting in Baltimore members of the NRA?

I think the question is self answering.

Drew Kelley

Downey

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Published: May 7, 2015 - Volume 14 - Issue 04