"When did we decide that our right to bear arms was more important than protecting the lives of our children?"

@yahialababidi, we have the right to bear arms so we can protect our children – against mass shooters, invasions from hostile forces, and tyrannical governments.

I understand some people think a society without guns will be a utopia. That's just not true. People who want to kill others will find a way (read: mass bombings).

Should everyone have a gun?

No.

Owning a gun is a responsibility to yourself and others, and anyone who wants one should be properly trained first.

Most people who say "assault weapons should be banned" are irrationally fearful of these types of weapons, and have little to no training in how violence situations unfold and how to handle them.

Guns are guns.

Killers don't need assault rifles to go on a killings spree. A single action rifle can kill just as many people as an assault rifle (and the shooter will be more accurate with a single action than with an assault rifle).

I don't even like guns. I wish everyone just got along and loved one another.

But since we're not living in an ideal world, it's important that those of us who want to protect ourselves (and others) are able to do so.

And those who don't want to protect themselves take the time to get educated on the realities of violence. Then they'l be able to understand that there are good people (your neighbors and fellow human beings) who own assault weapons because they want to protect people like you when you're unable to protect yourself.