FWIW, an AR-15 or pistol are like kid's toys compared to serious hardware, and most definitely do not 'shoot fast', compared to stuff like Mk-19's or M2's, which are still spitting distance from 'small arms'. Though admittedly the Mk-19 actually does shoot pretty slow, not that it matters.

As for hunting, nuts to that, I give a damn about hunting. I want a gun to defend myself from people, not deer, and people are stupid-hard to kill. I wouldn't give a snot if we outright banned hunting, I get guilty just chucking a rock at the deer who poach my tomatoes, but humans are another story. And frankly, if we had one of these schools shootings every day it wouldn't justify banning guns to me any more than free speech. Amendment 1 is the one that represents a free society, amendment 2 is the one that gives us teeth to protect it. And I know way to may cops, troops, judges, and legislators to ever trust them 100% to the task. You want total safety from the police, you need 3 cops for every single person, and then who the hell watches them?

I guess it comes down to respect. I respect most people to act sane with guns... albeit I've got no problem with mandatory (reasonable) training courses for them... and here's the key, if I didn't trust most people with the power of life and death, I sure as fuck wouldn't support a democracy. I mean, seriously, what is that, "I trust you with life and death decision for us all, but not those involving gunpowder"???