[OldDave]

I thought this thread would go away because it would quickly become loud and hate filled. Surprisingly it has done neither. I appreciate the very thoughtful comments that have been made. I especially like the comments about lobbyists deciding things and congress making deals that have nothing to do with the subject matter. I also liked Billy's Mark Twain quote. I have not heard that before. (Although Billy I have trouble every time you sign off btk. Having grown up in Wichita and lived 4 blocks away from one of the victims of the infamous btk killer, it makes me kind of shiver every time I see that. BUT, I see no reason for you to change. Just an unpleasant memory)

So, I'd like to toss in my 2 cents into this sane and meaningful discussion.

I'm not a gun person, never have been. Hunting doesn't appeal to me, I've never had the urge to shoot anything. As to home defense, I'd be one of those people who would shoot myself by accident of shoot the dog because I thought it was a burglar. Having said this, I don't mind that you want to have guns.

Shotguns and rifles for hunting if you like that sort of thing; handguns for your own self defense if you believe you need it, I don't think it's up to me to say you shouldn't have them. But we certainly need to be able to agree that assualt weapons are something we just don't need.

The NRA has used the "foot in the door" argument to stir people up for decades. I just don't think it's true, and I don't think they believe it either. The more excited people get the better for their fundraising and lobbying. They are first and foremost a lobbying group.

The people that have commented here are gun owners and supporters yet you've all said you think reason has a place in trying to reign in people who like to be able to kill dozens of people at once.

This thread gives me lots of hope. The fact that will need to be decided by a disfunctional congress that only cares about winning the next election and crushing the other party, doesn't so much.