Like many other states in the country, there are a lot of guns in Idaho. I don't know a single person in Twin Falls that doesn't own at least two firearms, and many of them talk as if they are awaiting some sort of conflict that's never going to happen.

Let me begin by saying I am a supporter of a person's right to own guns. I own three myself, but none of them are capable of firing more than 50 rounds in a minute. I don't find that owning a high-powered, assault-style rifle is necessary for me, and if I did have one in my safe it would likely just collect dust.

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There are an estimated 24 million AR-15s or AK-47s in the hands of civilian Americans, according to thereload.com. Idaho ranks fourth nationally in gun ownership, according to 2023 data provided by worldpopulationreview.com. Only Alaska, Montana, and Wyoming own more firearms, which means the northwest portion of the U.S. might be the heaviest armed region in the entire country.

I hear a lot of the "they won't take my guns" banter get brought up frequently by people in the Northwest in particular. The second amendment will NEVER get overturned or altered in our lifetimes, so what are people really preparing themselves for? No one is going to come knocking on your door to ask for your guns, and rightfully so no one should be allowed to.

There have been political discussions about making background checks tougher, banning military-style weapons for civilians, and limiting the amount of ammunition a person can buy in one transaction, but nothing to date that implies Americans will have to give up their guns anytime soon. Do these numbers of firearms reflect the most paranoid minds on the planet?

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