mread, excellent post. You really laid it all out there. We who are gun owners aren't "gun nuts" but law abiding citizens who want to keep our families safe. It's also nice to know that "IF" order broke down, you could at least defend yourself. My guns are a great responsibility. I always preach safety and understand that to use a gun is my last resort. Use of a firearm is DEADLY FORCE and I must remember to not use that unless all other ways to stop the situation have failed. On Mr. Whitlock's comment, let him move to the East End of Newport News, VA for a few weeks and see if his opinion would change. The NRA is the farthest thing from the KKK. Mr. Whitlock should hang with the New Blank Panthers to find that today.