This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

I was born with something ingrained in my subconscious — self preservation.

As I grew older, I learned there are times when I have to defend myself because there is no other choice. When I got married and started to raise a family, my right to defend myself grew into a responsibility to protect my family.

Now people are trying to deny me the tools I may very well need to defend myself and my loved ones. Criminals don't care about bans on assault weapons or high-capacity ammo magazines; they will still use those in committing crimes.

Passing these bans will take away the necessary tools we need to protect ourselves and our families.

Les Christensen

Centerville