I might better add that I am not accusing you yourself, Bill, of being dogmatic, absolutist, or any other stuff like that. I know you are a reasonable and thoughtful person. I am simply talking about the gun debate in general because it so frequently veers toward absolutist rhetoric, and on both sides.

The only thing you said that I truly disagree with...or you implied it...is that just because something is not needed it is therefore okay to legally deny it to people. Not in a free society it isn't! No sir. Hell, we don't need about 95% of the things we have in this affluent society, but that doesn't provide any justification for someone making them illegal, because life is not just about what a person needs. It's about many other things as well. It's also about what we like, love, have fun with, enjoy, and find interesting. My uncle liked, loved, had fun with, and enjoyed his guns. He found them interesting. He was not a criminal or a dangerous person in any way.