The States with the strictest gun laws have much higher incidence of violent crime than the States with the most liberal laws.

Well one reason for that might be that a high rate of violent crime could be a factor leading to stricter gun laws, while a low rate ofg violent crime could have the reverse effect.

I'd imagine there'd be a lot of other possible factors involved. People are too ready to pick up a statistic and an interpretation of a statistic to bolster a pre-determined position. As often as not a statistic can be interpreted in diametrically opposed ways.

One reason I prefer our system is that when there aren't legal guns in private hands there is a lot less scope for them to be misused in domestic or neighbourly quarrels and so forth. The other is that guns in private hands are an additional potential source of guns for people who want them for criminal purposes. Not the only source, but an additional source, and I'd sooner see that source removed.

But as I said, it's our choice, either way. My feeling is that it should be your choice in the States, either way; but the fact that it is treated as a matter of human rights rather than pragmatic democratic decision somewhat clouds the issue. But then in the long run, that's your choice too.