I do not have guns,
have not had a gun for over 40 years, have defended myself against people with guns and could do so again. We were a bit lax one weekend, visitors and all, a gate was left open, someone went in the back of my garage, he stole a 25 year old body board, he also realised he was face to face with a camera the other side of a window as he left. He is 11 and his mother can't understand why he won't come with her to visit any more. Because all the locals believe I will brand anyone I catch. Our place is known by those who visit as "the fortress" only obvious from inside, it is hard to get in, and if we decide, it could be impossible to get out. That scares people more. I know who has guns legally within a few miles/klms of me can guess a couple who have them illegally. Australia may be invaded one day, it would not be worth the effort, damn inhospitable place to be honest. We have a tiny defense force, huge coastline and most of us are unarmed. Can I defend myself with lethal force? Hell, I can make accelerants from seaweed and have the means to do so, couple of pencils and a bit of copper wire and I can extract almost anything. My family and I are much safer because so few people have guns, all are trained in martial arts and self defence but someone with a gun could take us out easily.

A necessary evil sad to say

First and foremost, guns are tools for killing -- of humans or other animals. Second, they are tools for control and intimidation. Third, but leas important, they are tools for self-protection. The simple fact is that the more widespread the ownership of guns, the greater the incidence of human deaths from the use of guns. Mo one can deny that and be in his or her right mind.

I own a rifle and a shotgun, but I believe strongly that all assault weapons, automatic and semiautomatic weapons, and pistols should be banned.

This argument, while common, is not valid in the 21st century. We can live in a fantasy and accept this ridiculous argument without question because, just like Religion, we are expect to, or we can recognize the reality and move forward with common sense gun control.