American citizens have the fundamental right to defend themselves. Americans also have the right to resist any crime that has the potential to cause great bodily harm or harm. To ignore these rights would be downright ignorant. Here in America, the right to bear arms to defend oneself is a tremendous privilege that citizens of other developed countries do not have. Sane American citizens should lawfully bear arms to defend themselves from any act of violence committed against or directed against them. John Lott once said, “Some people use guns for horrible things, but some people use guns to keep horrible things from happening” (Interview with John R. Lott Jr.,4). It is legal to use firearms to prevent serious bodily injury or death. The Second Amendment allows an individual to keep and bear arms in the event of a confrontation (Right-to-Carry, 1). The definition of resist is “to resist, struggle against, or oppose.” Healthy American citizens have the right to do just that when it comes to any crime that has the potential to cause them serious physical harm or has the potential to kill them. Criminologist Gary Kleck concluded: "victims of robberies and assaults who used a gun to resist were less likely to be attacked or suffer injuries than those who did not use a gun or any other method to resist, or those who They didn't resist at all." (Right to transport,1). Concealed weapons laws reduce violent crime for two reasons. First, criminals are afraid of potential victims who can defend themselves. Second, gun victims are able to protect themselves (Interview with John R. Lott Jr., 1). Criminals who risk more severe penalties, such as a gunshot wound, tend not to commit crimes. For every year that a concealed weapons law goes into effect, homicide r...... middle of paper ......September 9, 2008. America's Gun Owners. April 3, 2014. https://www.gunowners.org/sk0802htm.htm “Guns and Violence: A Summary of the Field.” Catb.org. April 8, 2014. http://www.catb.org/esr/guns/point-blank-summary.html“Gun Ownership at All-Time High.” Nraila.org. 15 February 2013. National Rifle Association. April 7, 2014. http://www.nraila.org/news-issues/2013/more-guns-less-crime-2013.aspx?s=self+defense&st=&ps“Most Americans say guns make the safest homes." Washingtonpost.com. April 18, 2013. www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/04/18/majority-of-americans-say-guns-,make-homes-safer/“Right-to-Carry.” Nraila.org. 28 February 2012. National Rifle Association. 11 Strahinich, Helen. Think about guns in America. United States of America: Walker Publishing Company, Inc., 1992