Dear future president,

Vigilantes have been coming up more frequently the past decade with advancements with technology. They break the law and are considered criminals. But what they are doing isn’t morally wrong, is it? They are trying to stop crimes that would hurt more people, and the people they do hurt are the criminals. Even though they are not professionals, they do more good than harm. I want you to make laws to protect vigilantes who are already protecting us.

They do this because they want to do what is right, and they don’t get paid to do it. The police sometimes abuse their power and take advantage of it, and a lot of them don't get in trouble because people turn a blind eye if the person enforcing the law does it or other police don't want to get their friends or acquaintances in trouble, this is not an appropriate use of power.

My friend was almost killed by a mugger with a knife, but a masked vigilante who had a concealed firearm saved him. The masked man didn't go for a kill shot, either. He shot him in the leg and disarmed the criminal. When the police arrived, they arrested the mugger, but the ‘vigilante’ had already left the scene. Later that week my friend was called by the police station to identify a man they caught matching the masked man’s description. It was him and he was sentenced to jail for vigilantism. Arrested for doing the right thing. He saved someone's life but in the process destroyed his own.

Why punish a hero? And if you think vigilantes kill people, you're right—some do. But those ones can be punished for using excessive force to get the job done. A lot of people loved Batman because he didn't kill people (until Batman Vs. Superman).

Another thing that needs to be discussed is concealed weapons. Laws on firearms have been getting more strict, making it harder for citizens to possess them. But if citizens who abide by the law don't have guns, how can they defend themselves against a criminal who broke the law to acquire a firearm illegally? My dad carries a concealed firearm, not because he wants to use it, but to have a sense of protection. According to the Greenhaven Press about "Laws Permitting Concealed Weapons Ensure Public Safety" made in January 2009, citizens carrying concealed firearms have prevented about “1,570 murders, 4,177 rapes, and over 60,000 aggravated assaults each year”.

So please, Mr. or Mrs. President, allow people to defend themselves and others without consequences from the law. Criminals can't just fear the police; they need to fear every one they see so they will be less likely to break the law for their own personal gain.

Sincerly Sam Hiddleson

MLA

Stearns, Cliff. "Laws Permitting Concealed Weapons Ensure Public Safety." Concealed Weapons. Ed. Kacy Lovelace. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2011. At Issue. Rpt. from "Concealed Carry Permits Are Life Savers." Human Events (26 Jan. 2009). Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 27 Oct. 2016.