this thread is kind of blowing up, so let me add a couple more things. Yes the bows hurt, and yes I've already listed many easy counter-play options. The bow's damage IS a vanilla thing, as someone else mentioned. It would not only be probably be difficult to nerf a vanilla thing, but it would likely add more latency to bows which is a terrible idea in any form. Assuming it's a perfect remove 2 hearts of damage, we are at a point of "why have a bow?" It's high damage is needed to provide users who aren't good at pvp an option to help, and the bow's mostly better on defense anyway where the better players should be attacking, so the defenders having a powerful option is balanced in my opinion. In a game where everyone is the exact equal skill level, you can't bow two people, so more attackers would win the game. The biggest thing about bows being strong, however, is that WE ALL have them. If bows feel strong to you, practice with one. It might give you insight on how to NOT get destroyed by a bow user, or you might pop off, who knows? But I seriously think bows are okay.
and good luck!