I was taught at a young age how to use, and be safe with weapons. After serving overseas a few times, a weapon is much more than a tool. I consider it a life saver and has bailed me out of more situations than I care to talk about. But educating stupid people is deffinately a start. Not to mention the use of locks on trigger housings/chambers is one of the best ways to keep a weapon safe. I don't keep one in the chamber on any of my firearms, for the simple fact it takes me but a second to throw one in the chamber. No matter what seems to happen criminals will get firearms, there's no real way around that. But CCW carriers can deffinately help lower the crime rate. I'd love to use Virginia Tech as a case, since the police dropped the ball on that one. If one teacher had a weapon on him/her, that kid would've never taken down that many students, plain and simple. But another case is, well the kid was able to pbtain firearms legally, and look what he did. It's like the alcohol debate too. You have the good and the bad.