*sigh*...my dad, granddad, and great-granddad grew up with guns as a part of their daily lives. The code they lived by, never drawing them in anger, never pointing them unless they meant to kill, understanding the responsibility and consequences of owning and using a gun, is not a general code among many who own guns in this day and age. There are too many who own guns with no thought as to their lethal power.

Also, I believe America is much more violent, today, with the proliferation of gun ownership, than it ever was in their day. People just didn't resolve things with firepower as much back then. Of course, the exception was in self-defense as in the case of my great-grandfather.

There has to be some solution. I'd vote for Clinton's, too, if it was practical, i.e. if it excluded me and mine!**bg**

One more thought: it becomes much more difficult and more up close and personal to kill someone/thing with weapons other than guns. Anything which takes more thought and preparation can be a good thing if it gets a person cooled down enough to really think about what they are doing.

Also, I can't help but think all of the children I know of who have killed themselves or others with their adult family members' guns, may have had a lot harder time doing so with a long bow, knife, etc. At least with those, they could only take out one person at a time. Yep, that 14 year old in WY who was afraid to tell his parents he'd made less than "A"s on his report card would have had a hell of a time locking himself in the bathroom with a long bow, after school, and blowing his brains out as he did with his dad's hunting rifle.

As to self-defense, if it's up close, use a can of spray paint to the eyes.