On Feb. 27, me and my wife, Judi, attended our second laws of armed self-defense class given by Federal Way Firearms Lawyer and Mirror guest columnist Mark Knapp.

We were given much needed information that actually every citizen should be aware of. The right to keep and bear arms is not something that we (as law abiding U.S. citizens) should ever take for granted.

Mostly in America, we do live in a country that is safe, but the harsh truth is that laws that stop law-abiding citizens from keeping and bearing arms only embolden violent criminals. The violent criminals — the ones who commit the murders, assaults, rapes and armed robberies — are not concerned about the law when it comes to arming themselves. They are not going to worry about getting a concealed carry permit. They are not going to register their guns and learn all the best safety procedures and practice safe gun skills with a legal gun club.

What violent criminals will do is arm themselves in any way that they can and take whatever they want, especially if they know you do not have the tools to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Keeping and bearing arms is a grave responsibility and everyone does need to know what their legal rights and responsibilities are.

I do highly recommend Mark Knapp’s classes to anyone who wants to know more about the rights and responsibilities of private citizens who choose to keep and bear arms in an increasingly unpredictable and sometimes dangerous world.

B.L. Morgan, Federal Way