Hi Cockerel:

Happy New Year!

I believe the second amendment dates back to the 1700's and was meant to allow smaller communities to form militias and arm themselves against people or government agencies that might not have their best interests at heart. Discussions these days seem to centre around an individual's right to carry a weapon to be used in self defence, probably in response to another individual similarly armed. In Canada this right is sharply curtailed and I hope we never approach the situation where people strap on their guns before going to work in the morning.

It seems to me that Obama and others who want to curb the violence by restricting gun availability and use have lost the battle. I believe I have read that there are at least 300 million guns in the United States now. Anyone with sinister intent can access one and nothing can be done to correct that situation when there are so many weapons available. The N.R.A. has succeeded in preventing any restrictions to gun ownership through clever lobbying and financial support of sympathetic legislators.

A very difficult situation indeed.