In regard to letter writer Ed Chartrand's comments in the New-Democrat on Friday:

What does he want people to do? Take their guns apart and hide the pieces in various rooms in the house and maybe their ammunition somewhere else? Imagine what might have happened recently if neither one of those women in Highland had had a loaded gun handy or had it locked up. Would they now be in a hospital or dead?

The reason most people who own firearms keep a loaded gun in the house is to protect themselves and their families from an incident similar to the one those ladies were involved in. The same is most probably true of many people in other states who legally carry a concealed weapon.

You can't call 911 for police protection if you need it right now. The police cannot be there within seconds and it will only take seconds for you to be injured or killed by an intruder, A gun locked in a safe is not going to help you.

As to the Second Amendment, it appears that if President Obama, the Democratic Party and their friends have their way, that amendment will be erased from the Bill of Rights.

Bob Walter

Glen Carbon