I believe in the second amendment. However, like all of the freedoms granted in the amendments,they are not unlimited.
I grew up in NJ in the 90s. My father has worked in NYC for his entire childhood. From 1985-1995 he was held up at gunpoint and mugged. No this wasen't late at night and it wasen't in a bad area of the city. This was during the morning rush hour outside of his office which was at the World Trade Center. Then Giuliani became mayor and instituted tougher gun laws and got guns out of the hands of people who commit violent crimes and as we all know violent crime was cut by 2/3s. Yet, if you were a law abiding citizen with a clean record, you could get a gun.
I understand in the rural areas of the country gun laws seem nonsensical and I agree. Having tough gun laws in rural middle America is pointless.
That illustrates the local nature of the issue. Rudy understands that and that is his posistion. He knows places like NYC need tough laws whereas Kansas does not. Therefore, like a true conservative he believes that it is a state right.