More than 940 Texans with concealed handgun licenses were arrested between 1996-98 for crimes ranging from murder to drug charges. Regardless of what rabid gun lobbyists may say, the majority of gun-concerned Americans do not want firearms snatched from the hands of responsible citizens who maintain them correctly, secure them properly and keep their shooting skills up to par. There is no huge conspiratorial plot to seize privately owned guns. There is, however, a legitimate concern among many women that guns are too easy to come by and their mere presence constitutes a risk to themselves and their children. Those almighty statistics bear out that what begins as a domestic dispute can too often escalate to a fatality when guns are present.
Firearms ownership is a legal and oftentimes reasonable response to the public's fear of crime.
That's something Maria Franco will never know. Judith K. McGinnis' column appears in this space on Thursdays. Users of this site are subject to our User Agreement. Please read it.