But if we all had guns...First of all, many people would legally qualify to own them who shouldn't for a variety of reasons. Lack of coordination for one. Lack of common sense for another. (And yes, there are a lot of people driving cars shouldn't oughtta be.)

Second, with a gun in every hand, every dispute has the potential for ending in anything form a small disaster to a large-scale disaster. Disagreements escalate, and the next thing you know, someone whips it out. When they fire, they can seriously injure not only the intended victim, but anyone else who unhappily is in the area, or even out of the ares. Stray bullets travel, dontcha know.

And unlike with a fistfight where the injuries are likely to be survivable, the resulting gunfight is more likely not. Imagine this going on all over the place. Imagine this in schools, in hospitals, in shopping malls, on Main Street. In the homes, where isn't there already enough accidental (or intentional!) gun mayhem?

No, I am afraid that the presence of a gun automatically escalates whatever is going on. Gun laws? Well, some of them are too weak, like the allowances for military-type guns that no civilian reasonably needs. And if they were enforced better and waiting periods were honored...

But I realize that I am dreaming. There are too many voters out there who are willing to vote ONLY the gun issue to the exclusion of all other issues. So we are likely stuck with this situation for the duration.