right, if someone trys to kill you, you should just let them do it.
forget the personal protection arguement and lemme throw a real curveball, just for the sake of arguement. our guns represent our freedom. America has always been refered to as "land of the free, home of the brave." our 2nd amendment was created to ensure that the people had means to protect that life, liberty, and prosperity from oppression and tyranny. when the british tried to take over the colonies, we banded together and kicked ass. now, lets bring it up to modern times. FOR THE SAKE OF ARGUMENT, consider these 2 scenarios, although unlikely, MAYBE could be possible (especially the way things are going) in the not too distant future:
1.) WWIII comes. it's the US and it's allies vs. whoever. We send our forces overseas just like the in the last 2. this time we fail, due to the weakened economy, opponents superior military strength, whatever. The war comes to American soil for the first time in history. Enemy invasion begins. Our weakened military forces and police, national guard, etc are outnumbered by the enemy's forces. Our cities begin to be attacked by the invading forces. Our citizens band together and form the militia army just like old times as our last stand. GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH! oops, a few years ago we had to turn in all our guns. shit, what do we do now?
2.) A few years down the road our economy keeps getting worse and worse. The banks keep getting bailed out, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Right now some argue that our rights are being slowly chiseled away. This continues and gets worse and worse. Taxes become unbearable. The middle class gets smaller and smaller. Unemployment and crime rises and rises. Our politicians do nothing. The value of the dollar collapses. We are have been in the 2nd great depression for a while now. We as citizens as a whole have had enough, finally wake up from our apathetic slumber, and think it's time to change the way the government works, except the government has gotten too big and overpowering to do anything about it. Our elections have become more of a sham than they already are, politicians have become totally corrupt, and our civil liberties have been virtually totally erased and we live in a police state, similar to V for Vandetta. We as citizens cant take anymore, its time for the 2nd american revolution, this time against our own government. oops, we let them take our guns away a few years back. shit, what do we do now?
although i these scenarios are unlikely (i hope), i think the guns=freedom arguement is valid.
back in colonial times up until i guess the middle of the 20th century we didnt seem to have violent gun crimes we do today, even though guns were always readily availible, maybe even moreso than today. today we have the war on drugs, the war on terror, a bad economy, substantial poverty rates, all these recent things that have contributed to gun violence. maybe we need to look at these social problems as a cause of gun violence, rather than just guns themselves.
if nothing else i hope you enjoyed my scenarios, and remember, just for the sake of argument