Peg - I can see we are talking about two different things. You say, "Semi-automatic weapons shoot lots of bullets in short periods of time," which I agree with. But, it only takes one bullet to kill someone in the same way that it only take one knife slash. I'll agree that if someone wants to do it they can kill more people faster with a gun than with a knife/axe/what-have-you. But being able to do more, faster, does not make it dangerous.

No disrespect intended, but I don't see the logic in "Guns are a problem precisely because they are implements of mass destruction". Bulldozers, wrecking balls, jackhammers all fit that criteria but aren't a problem. And I thought the problem was usually one person being killed at a time, not simultaneous mass murder? Other than the military, the press I usually see about mass murders involves bombs, not guns.

I don't agree that "a killer with anything other than a gun tends to be a lot easier to disarm." Again, it depends on the wielders knowledge of the weapon and state of mind of both attacker and defender. Outside of movies (where all fights are choreographed), do you have much firsthand experience witnessing disarming scenarios?