My name is Susan Stewart.  I am a professional web developer; I work from home so that I may spend more time with my five-year-old son. I volunteer at the local elementary school teaching a computer club for junior high school students. I am as nonviolent a person as you could possibly meet, yet my government prevents me from carrying a firearm while violent criminals do so freely.

Over the past couple of days, I've had the unusual opportunity to discuss the right to bear arms with some proponents of "gun control" legislation who were very open about why they felt as they did. There is a lot of misinformation out there; I'll try to address some of that in another post. What really stunned me, though, was the level of outright Fear Uncertainty and Doubt, especially with regard to what kind of person wants to own a firearm.

The anti-second amendment folks hold up the gangster, the strip mall murderer, or the university shooter and say "You don't want to be this, so you don't want a gun" and conversely, "If you want a gun, you must be a dangerous criminal." It's a costly lie, and it's not the outlaws who are paying for it: it's you and me. Arms and the skills to use them aren't just my right as a citizen; they are a moral responsibility to myself, my son, and my community. I am one less rape victim because I was able to defend myself. My son deserves to be protected by his mommy, his grandma, his grandpa, and his uncle, no matter where we go. My community deserves to take a stand against the current influx of crime rather than abandon our homes and move to safer places, only to be routed again by the next onslaught of violent crime. The most heinous crimes happen when the police aren't there, and that should one happen right in front of me, it is my responsibility to intervene, with deadly force if necessary, before another shopper, student, or bystander is needlessly murdered.

Generally speaking, gang members and nutcases don't buy guns legally, take marksmanship classes, and engage in disciplined practice. That's why of the 37 people shot in Chicago in one weekend not long ago, only seven died. These aren't gun users who are stopped or even limited by gun control laws.  Let's get a picture of some of those who are. Now that you know a little about me and the FUD I hope to counter, I invite all law-abiding firearms owners to introduce themselves. Are you a mom, a dad, a big brother? What kind of work do you do or school do you attend? Why are you passionate about bearing arms? With just a short paragraph, you can help show what a diverse group of people legal gun owners really are.