Ms. Pettie's letter advocating a concealed carry gun law ("NIU shooting shows need for concealed carry law," YourViews Feb. 21) offered a few valid points, as do most letters on either side of this debate. I won't argue too hard against her opinions because I share some of them.

At the risk of alienating 50 percent of my friends, I offer my own thoughts:

A person who cares not if they live or die will not be deterred by an armed population. If they are so sick that they don't care about taking precious human life, then no law or lack thereof will stop them.

Any person who plans such a heinous crime in advance will have the element of surprise on their side and will have great advantage against their victims.

If you "get the drop" on someone you will win the fight. Ask any law enforcement official or military veteran.

Besides, most of these sorry souls take their own lives soon after their carnage is complete.

Unless a person has extensive training in the use of firearms via law enforcement or military experience, they have no idea how to react to such a situation and should not be carrying a weapon.

Imagine this: If 10 of those students or professors in the room at Northern Illinois University were armed when the gunman attacked, is it too far fetched to think that in the confusion and panic that some of those 10 armed citizens would have begun to fire their weapons and that some of those who began to fire might mistake those who are firing as attackers?

I have come to believe that the only private citizens who could possibly be qualified to carry guns are current or retired law enforcement and military personnel and they should all have to pass established mental health requirements on a yearly basis.

Russ Manuel

Hudson