Hale,

If you truly believe that, then our views are too far apart to even bother arguing. But you might want to seek out a country which does not have anything equivalent to the Second Amendment ... like freedom-loving China, Cuba, or North Korea. Or, if you prefer your oppression in a milder form ... there are other alternatives, mostly the semi-(or outright) socialist European nations.

For me, guns are a hobby, and a means of self defense. I enjoy going to the range on the weekend and honing my marksmanship. Most firearms are beautiful machines, finely crafted to exacting specifications, and they often have a lot of history. I have a rifle from each World War - a 1917 Enfield from World War I and an M1 Garand from World War II. (And where the heck is the Garand in Battlefield 1942, anyway? BARs were squad weapons!)

Guns can also serve a useful purpose, in the hands of law-abiding citizens. If Steph and I are home at night and some idiot breaks into our house ... well - the Texas judicial system is quick, but a trial by Darwin and a Smith & Wesson is quicker. We'd have to flip a coin to see who gets cleanup duties.

That's my $0.02. :-)