TO THE EDITOR: Regarding Miles Snider's letter to the editor suggesting that homeowners should arm themselves, a study by the National Institute of Health (a non-partisan organization) concluded that "individuals in possession of a gun were 4.46 (P < .05) times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not in possession. Among gun assaults where the victim had at least some chance to resist, this adjusted odds ratio increased to 5.45 (P < .05)." Nothing else need be said.