by Sarah Thompson

About the author: Sarah Thompson is a retired physician. She writes an online column, “The Righter,” which focuses on civil liberties.

The right of law-abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms for purposes of self-defense has become a hot and controversial topic. Claims have been made citing everything from “the presence of a firearm in the home increases the risk of homicide by 43 times” to “there are up to 2.5 million defensive uses of private firearms per year, with up to 400,000 lives saved as a result.” There are people who feel endangered by the presence of a gun nearby and other people who feel vulnerable when not carrying a gun on their person. Some law enforcement agents welcome the increasing numbers of lawfully armed citizens while others view them...