Well Trap, to start with no one should have access to a gun on demand. I point to the famous scene from the Simpsons were Homer buys a gun and the background check reveals he needs to wait....the first is "But Im angry NOW!!!!" and then the tough part of waiting as multiple targets of his anger walk past him. Buying a gun should be a multi-stage process with a serious background check. It should be IMPOSSIBLE to buy a gun the day you walk into the store.

I find it funny that you dont take issue with the state having all kinds of data and safety requirements and driving requirements on your car (not a weapon really). Why are car owners not outraged? Why because we want to live safely and securely--we make you test for a drivers license, we make sure the cars are safe, and we track the ownership closely. We have a registry of motor vehicles in fact.

Now look at a gun-a device which is specifically designed to deliver deadly force. Any idiot can pay a few bucks for a .22 or a .38 at a gun show and MAYBE there will be a background check. Guns bought legally are often sold at yard sales and flea markets and find their way into gangs and other less than safe ownership. Quite frankly it is way under regulated.

As to your point about owning lots of guns, thats a great example. If I see you buy old flintlocks and such, I probably wont be afraid you're up to something. If I see you bought twelve glocks, I doubt you did that for your personal collection. But at least if I know you are accumulating weapons I can make a determination based on what you are buying as to whether you are a hobbyist or a danger. Even then I would need to get a warrant to take your guns and in doing so I would need to prove there was a danger (case in point was WACO Texas--should we have assumed Koresh was a hobbyist?)

Again Trap you arent convincing me that you are in any danger of losing your right to own a gun or two. All the laws have been against owning truly dangerous weapons which are well beyond mere target shooting weapons or hunting equipment.

But really...do you think in the USA we could successfully ban private ownership of guns? The checks and balances would stop such an effort as would the SJC.

Liberals like me who support legal and safe gun ownership will be the first to fight against the outright banning of guns wholesale not to mention abuse of power. Liberals can be your friends if you are reasonable about guns. And no Trap-you dont need an AK-47 and yes, the guy with a family in Iraq probably does-he is in danger of being shot by any number of Iraqis and equally in danger of being shot by "accident" by US troops. I can think of no better reason to own an AK-47 as a lawless society like Iraq. Its the same reason the American west was a good place for private firearms.

As you pointed out so well, the current firearm laws are not well enforced. They require a shot in the arm.....