Soccer mom Melanie Hain's days of carrying her Glock 26 to her daughter's games are over. Police discovered her and her husband, Scott, 33, shot to death in their Lebanon, PA home Thursday. Hain, 31, made headlines on September 11, 2008 when she brought her holstered Glock to her daughter's soccer game. For some, she became a heroic advocate for Second Amendment rights. For others, she became just another right-wing nut job. Police are hesitant to rule the case a murder suicide, but in my opinion, the only thing unclear is which victim was the murderer and which committed suicide.

It's difficult to look past the obvious irony explicit in the circumstances surrounding her life and death. Just take a quick stroll around the blogosphere and you're sure to find those who've dismissed Hain as crazy and deserving of her fate; however, to do so would require ignoring many of the facts of the case.

Back when Hain first made headlines for bringing her loaded weapon to the soccer game, Lebanon County Sheriff Michael DeLeo revoked her permit to carry the gun. Citing a breach of her constitutional rights, she filed a lawsuit against DeLeo with the aid of her attorney, Matthew Weisberg. The lawsuit sought $1 million in punitive and statutory damages as well as reimbursement for attorneys' fees and lost wages. According to Weisberg, Hain had informed him she was separating from her husband and wanted to remove his name from the lawsuit. It's important to note her husband was a parole officer, and as such, carried a firearm. Hain had also considered filing a restraining order against her husband.

For these reasons, I don't find it altogether imprudent for her to own a weapon. It's tough to say she got what came to her. The "live by the gun, die by the gun" argument doesn't hold much weight since there would have been a gun in her household even she didn't own one herself. However, it is remarkably imprudent to carry a loaded firearm to her daughter's soccer game. Even is she had done so because the threat of her husband (doubtful) the benefit of defense is outweighed by the potential harm that could occur from a firefight. To fire her weapon would also mean endangering the lives of numerous children who couldn't care less about your desire to exercise your rights at inappropriate venues. The argument comes down to rights vs. prudence. I have the right to free speech, but should I shout in the faces of passersby, yell at town hall meetings, or heckle the President of the United States? Just because you have the right, especially one that's meaning is not altogether clear, doesn't mean exercising it all the time is the right thing to do.

However, her foolish actions at the soccer game have little bearing on the circumstances of her death when you consider all of the facts. The lesson from her death isn't that gun control laws should be stronger. I'm sure her husband had been properly screened and, as far as the state is concerned, appeared deserving of a firearm. I do believe gun control laws should be stronger, but not because of Hain's death. No, the lesson is that carrying a weapon does not guarantee your safety. Because there is no absolute guarantee, prudence should be considered when assuming the responsibilities of owning a gun. Am I hunting? Am I protecting myself or my family? Under what circumstances is it appropriate to carry a weapon? No, "just because you can" is not a good enough reason. A youth soccer game is no place for weapons. Sadly, Melanie Hain failed to protect herself with the firearm she owned. Her three children are, however, safe. Whether or not that is a result of her actions isn't known at this time. There are right and wrong reasons to carry a gun. Keeping a gun or machete in the home to protect you and yours may be prudent. Sporting a loaded weapon at soccer games, Arizona bars, or political rallies with the U.S. President present, is not. Lets not use Melanie Hain's fate as fodder against Second Amendment activists. But lets not use her actions in her last moments to justify her actions last September. It's time to acknowledge tragedy but also to dismiss hubris.