Quote from FredBloggs:
an interesting point that i am inclined to agree with.
an eye for an eye - just like the bible says. usa is a very protestant country after all.
as ghandi said: in the land of eye-for-an-eye, everybody ends up blind.
It has nothing to do with revenge or an eye-for-an-eye. It has to do with the right to protect yourself from an assailant. Have you ever been physically assaulted by an armed assailant? Have you ever had anyone break into your home while your were there? Criminals are armed. Law-abiding citizens need to protect themselves. The police do the best job they can, but the last time I dialed 911 it took the cops almost ten minutes to get to my house. If I'm not armed, I'm dead.

Especially the last sentence.