So many people, so many different points of view. But there are some common themes here. I see several issues raised and rationals brought forth in favor of guns. Maybe to separate them out would help to look at the different angles. Note also that not all of us who are for gun control are against guns or the ownership there of. One issue brought up is the one of national defense. And although I personally feel that that is the least persuasive argument for personal gun ownership, I think it needs to be addressed as I feel it's the one for which the 2nd amendment was intended. This country hasn't seen ground war on its own soil in over 100 years. The technology for war and large scale invasion is so sophisticated by now that the thought of defending your own home even with a granade launcher seems ludicrous, aside from the fact that we have one of the finest military defense systems in the world. Another 'war' argument brought up is the one of defense against our own elected government. This may work well for the fanatic 'Freemen' in Montana or the Branch Davidians, but I wonder how many average Americans use that argument and truly believe it, knowing full well the priviledges we enjoy as being one of the most democratic countries in the world. Guns for sport is another issue. The one I am most likely to support. But someone who owns and uses guns just for sport (hunting, target practice)really shouldn't have any difficulty with strict gun control. There are gun clubs and hunting clubs overseas that have very tight controls on how and where a gun is kept, licensing requirements and background checks. It works very well. The most contentious issue I see here in the threads is the one about personal protection. And that is also where most of the accidents happen. To say that the kids were just 'bad' or had parents that didn't do their jobs is abdicating the responsibility to our own communities. It is a way of sticking your head in the sand and saying that because people are inherently good or bad, I don't have to do anything but defend my rights. The fact is that even the most attentive parents cannot prevent children from exploring. And best intentions go awry many times. People get angry and sometimes people get violent. By having much stricter gun controls we can prevent those situation from being serious or even fatal. It is about giving ourselves time to think and exercise that which separates us from animals:choice. Regarding personal protection against attackers and intruders: there are other options. I am afraid that by making guns as the method of choice for self defense we are teaching our children a terrible lesson. Self defense can be passive: alertness, alarm systems, and many times plain common sense.

Sorry for the length of this dissertation.