The only reason a gun exists is to kill.

"A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

The second amendment to the United State Constitution was proposed September 25, 1789; it was ratified December 15, 1791.

These twenty-seven words continue to be misinterpreted into the 21st century.   I am alarmed by how many states are leaning toward and adopting carry weapon laws.  And, on  January 6, 2011, New Hampshire legislators were given the right to carry handguns onto New Hampshire's House floor . . . they just can't flash them.
(Now that's a mental picture!)

And,  here, in my part of Oklahoma, on a relatively quiet country road, we have a neighbor down the road that drives around looking for his dog with a revolver sitting on his passenger seat and another neighbor, during last year's ice storm, that walked around his front yard with a visible holstered revolver.  I don't feel any safer knowing these guys are carrying guns.  Instead, I find it alarming.

In 1780, the estimated colonial population of the United States was 2,780,400. (Source for colonial population.)

In 2010, the population of the United States was 308,745,538.  (Source: US population as of 2010)

When the second amendment was written, much of the North American continent was still unsettled. I'll not deny the rights of settlers to maintain weapons to kill for food supply and protection, but the second amendment clearly sets out that the right to keep and bear arms is for a well regulated Militia, not for the entire population to have guns. The United States is settled now and all of our states do have National Guards as well as state guards. 

Our founding fathers never envisioned over 308,745,538 of us, living in close quarters, running around with handguns or semi-automatic weapons. 

Forget those fictional "death panels" that have been bandied about by conservative pundits over the past year.  The United States already has a culture of death.  Everyone is afraid of everyone else and unfortunately we all have the right to keep and bear arms.

Passions run high and triggers are easy to pull. 

The only reason a gun exists is to kill.

Link to a cause I support:

Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence