Paul Valone

As Hurricane Earle bore down on the east coast, a state of emergency order makes criminals of concealed handgun permit-holders, sport shooters and hunters.

In all likelihood, you're a felon and don't even know it. Despite your best efforts to be a law-abiding gun owner, the vast number of arcane, misinterpreted and sometimes misdirected gun laws in state and federal statutes means that almost inevitably, you are a law-breaker.

Laudable though Thune's goal of national concealed carry may be, understand that the entire exercise was nothing but a sham in which (surprise, surprise) the amendment failed by a vote of 58 - 39. So before gun rights supporters contact the 39 ever-so-brave US Senators (including 20 Democrats) to thank them for supporting the measure, all should understand that its failure was preordained by Democrat Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, and quite probably sanctioned by the NRA.

Exploiting the tenth anniversary of the Columbine tragedy, perennial gun control advocate Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced his latest gun show bill.