the critter hunting desire is the expression many use to sound friendly to the gun lobby and to excuse inaction on the real issue. the real issue is the second amendment.
as you say, there is a slice of people who think gun ownership protects them from tyranny. all i can say about that is, if i was a drone operator or a pilot of a stealth bomber, i would think such folks were quaint.
and from the point of view of a parent, i am far more concerned about the risks of untrained people carrying weapons than i am of the government.
yes, the argument you cite exists. but the supposed sensible middle ground is occupied by the duck hunters. and unless they are prepared to concede their guns, the problem won't disappear. at least to a level similar to other industrialised countries.
what i would say is - the right to bear arms is an extremely unwise and dangerous thing. critter hunting is the excuse that gets in the way of actual change. it's the hiding place for those afraid to address the issue of gun violence, which results from widespread gun ownership.
the real issue is gun ownership. it is the second amendment which is the problem. no one dares address the issue. so american children will continue to be killed in this way.
ridding america of assault weapons is a sticking plaster on a gaping wound. scuse the appropriately graphic analogy.
only folks with a practical need to bear arms ought to bear them. farmers, yes. people in bear country, sure. people in cities, nope.
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