Well, first off, where's Kathryn in this discussion? - I mean, if you're out in the middle of nowhere and you find yourself and one of your children face to face with a poisonous snake - well fuck the snake (although Marc's argument would be wtf you doin' in the desert to begin with)...back to the snake - it endangered itself by doing it's natural thing - trying to make a meal out of someone/something we love.

I agree with RJP's sentiment that a pistol is a weapon meant to be concealed - however, if I were in Kathryn's or maybe even Kevin's shoes in a desert with a Gila or life threatening critter around - it might be more expeditious to have a hand gun...

'Round here - I 'own' my grandfather's 30.06 - and as a relative of my [englsh - Kettering just outside of London]Aunt's said "It's like holding on to the end of a ruddy cannon!" - and I've dropped a couple of deer with it. I also have a 12 gauge split barrel. Both guns 'live' with my Dad - who still has his .38 service revolver...As Will knows, I'm still lusting after a dual shot over/under - 12 gauge under - 30.30 on top - just for hunting.

The first time I lived in an apartment - I always said I'd never kill anyone if they wanted to take my stereo or computer or whatever - it's just stuff, after all and everyone I knew thought that was remarkable..later on I clobbered a guy trying to do just such a thing with my aluminum softball bat and he was busted...I don't have guns at my house because of my son's youth and my ex's unwillingness to have me teach him gun safety - it's going to happen sooner or later anyway regardless of her concerns...

I'm not sure here why Will was alluding to the events in N.O. (perhaps it's an armed populace - I just read 1776 by McCullough) but yes, I think it's good to know how to track and hunt - I am, despite being the oldest, the worst, at this art in my family...

Back to my Aunt for a moment - she was a little girl during the Blitz - and I am in no way diminishing her experience - but she told me one time - "No one's ever invaded the U.S." - before I could answer - my father interrupted - "Who the hell would TRY? EVERYONE's armed" Hence, perhaps, the redneck view of 'security'..

I want a type of gun...I see no use in heavy caliber, automatic or semi-automatic weapons with regards to personal use (you riddle a deer with bullets guess what you get? - deer that tastes like bullets - yeck) - however, I am a member of the NRA just like Marc...I don't know about him - but I have my gloves on and I can catch some darts...proceed!