I am really becoming very depressed about the fact that the entire left-right divide is being ignored over the single issue of gun control.

How about the fact(s) (if they be fact(s)) that the UK has just woken up to the fact that you can't trust capitalists to run a safe railway (=railroad in the USA) and the governor of California has just woken up to the fact that you can't trust capitalists to deliver electricity to the state, and even Bush may have spotted that if you scrutinise a really reactionary bathmat you will find they think it's OK to import thier personal slaves.