If you served in the military, you can own a gun. Otherwise it's illegal to own one.

[spin]

31. That may work for you but will it work for a 100 pound woman, ...

an elderly citizen or a person who is handicapped?

I have had martial arts training in jujitsu with an emphasis on self defense. Much of the class time involved techniques to take away a gun or a knife from an attacker. You learn quickly that while it can be done it is difficult. If you are attacked by an individual with a knife you can expect to get cut and perhaps seriously cut. Your chances of disarming a person armed with a handgun at more than five feet from you is at the best 50/50.

Since legal concealed carry became common across our nation there have been a large number of instances where an attacker fled once he realized that his victim was armed. Often the encounter ends without any shots fired and no one ends up in a hospital or six feet under.

The mainstream news media has an intense dislike of firearms and especially legal carry by civilians. Stories where a person with a carry permit misused their firearm or had an accidental discharge often make nation news while reports of successful use of a concealed handgun to stop a crime are usually only reported locally. Those incidents where the victim shows he is armed and the predator flees never make any news report.

I will agree that anyone who wishes to obtain a carry permit should be required to pass a course that involves gun safety and legal issues involving self defense and legitimate use of lethal force. They should also and be required to show proficiency with a firearm on a range. Of course they should also have to pass a comprehensive background check.