if you honestly believe that the only possible recourse for all citizens is to turn on each other in times of crisis, then we are just going to have to agree to disagree about the message the NRA has been pushing, especially over the last couple of years. i can think of no left-wing group in existence in the US who pushes a false, dystopian image of life in American society that the only recourse is to turn on each other and has the legislative clout to make sure it passes through Congress.

the fact that we can sit here, 20 years after the first assault weapons ban, and have the exact same debate about guns in the exact same context should say something to how little we have moved as a society in terms of making things actually safer for everyone.

i have zero problem with responsible gun owners who treat their weapons and fellow citizens with respect. but if we're going to arm everyone, at that point we're telling everyone that laws are only as good as the person shooting the biggest gun, and that is not a society i want to be a part of. with everyone carrying a gun, we devolve into a society in which disputes are settled by whoever draws fastest rather than through a jury of our peers. if this is really what you envision for America's future, then i have nothing more to add to this discussion.