Sad thing is.. there is NO middle ground.
Guns are inanimate objects just like cars.
It's the people that control them which are the problem.
As I have said before, vehicles are a prefect example of how you can control an inanimate object through licensing, laws, limitations, insurances, etc. They even have patrols monitoring and enforcing each of the thousands of laws which regulate how you can use a vehicle, and where.
Yet they contribute to more deaths per year than guns and most other means of violent death combined do.
I agree there should be some sort of mitigation on who can have them..
Although I do not trust our government to be a responsible and legitimate regulator and controller of that process.
On the same token in the end it will do little good.
But as my vehicle example above shows, it will do little good if Billy Joe Bob really decides to obtain or create a lethal weapon of ANY kind.
The imagination is the limits, and there is not much anyone could do to stop or deter an intelligent individual with a vendetta. Remember the saying there is a very fine line between genius and insanity, history, and experience has proven this to me so I have no doubts. If you don't subscribe to this idea, I'll give you two scenarios to think about.
First related to the previous. You may not have ever thought about it, but how many ways can you think of that could cause mass casualties with what you presently have access to, if you had no concern if you survive your attack.
Now try to imagine if you had access to a very well equipped garage, and the ability to use those tools.
Now, imagine you have a degree in chemistry, and/or engineering.
After giving that a few minutes of thought, do you still think a gun makes much difference?
I can imagine many much much more effective means.
Second you are presented with a situation where you are in possession of a gun and your opponent has shot someone in front of you and your most certainly next.. Would you let yourself be shot, or would you shoot?
Taking from a politicians playbook.. What if it was your child about to be shot?
I know what my decision would be.
A very large amount of the violent crime in the USA ( and abroad) are committed by well connected, and reasonably intelligent individuals who for some reason or another feel they have been wronged.
So my argument is essentially. The *perception* of necessity is the mother of invention, and it will do little good to ban one device or another. We have to find a well thought out and new approach to how our society works in general. Beginning with fixing this problem with unregulated government, continuing with fixing our (in)justice system, and drug pushing medical society. Where we are heading has been the downfall of entire cities/cultures throughout history.
We could also greatly benefit from a new approach contrary to handing a criminal a lifetime of room/board and food
I mean a criminal that has been eye witnesses by many, caught in the act...and absolutely without a doubt caught committing heinous crimes. But again this wont address those who expect and or hope to die in their misdeeds.
There is a dire need in this country to setup legislation to allow unhampered public watchdog processes where NO politician/policeman/force has unrestricted un-monitored and unquestionable control of our rights.
This is supposed be that way now, but most if not all those processes have been corrupted, and made almost entirely ineffective
Back to guns
Those scared or ignorant of guns really do not realize that our country *WILL* be lost if guns are banned.
Guns are the core of why the USA exists its in *fact* the very reason we have our independence.
It is my, and likely the majority or this countries opinion that a major factor why our government has not gone the way of total communism or totalitarianism today is they risk a real and present danger of a civil war that is beyond what anyone have ever dreamed as long as all these guns are out here.
In fact this legislation may end in such as well if not defeated, as guns are so ingrained in what makes the USA.
It may be hard for non USA individuals that are "used to" gun control to understand what the big deal is.
To many/most of us here, its tantamount to taking away your right to go to the kitchen in your own home.
Ok , these are MY opinions, but this site should remain essentially neutral.
I do welcome *intelligent*, thought out , and well presented debates on the issue.