The rights of law-abiding citizens to own and use firearms must not be abridged--whether for sport, personal protection or simply the pleasure of ownership. We, in Montana, have a long tradition of responsible gun ownership. As a gun owner, I support our Second Amendment Rights. Given the proliferation of gun violence, mass shootings and the ever-increasing destructive power of new weapons, however, I stand with the majority of gun owners who support firearm education and reasonable measures, such as universal background checks that protect our communities and still respect our constitutional right to bear arms.