1: when I first moved to Texas it was a big thing when some nutters decided to go on a rampage in a Luby's (regional buffet type of restaurant...pretty damned good too)...more than a couple of people were also packing and said nutters met his end
2: one of the supposed reasons for the second amendment was the wisdom that perhaps one day we, the citizens of the US, would need to take back the government from corrupt officials...Outside Independence Hall when
the Constitutional Convention of 1787 ended,
Mrs. Powel of Philadelphia asked Benjamin Franklin,
"Well, Doctor, what have we got, a republic or a monarchy?"
With no hesitation whatsoever, Franklin responded,
"A republic, if you can keep it." ...sounds like current day to me...and way past time the government was ousted...
army type weapons are pretty much illegal...the Batman loser was using a semi-automatic, not a fully automatic weapon...
the way I look at it simply is this: history shows us that when the 'government' takes away the right to bear arms it is because they want to enslave the population...as far as Japan..well they've had arms control for ages upon ages upon ages...only Samurai could wear/use swords...any other meant death...the point being that it is, and has been, ingrained into their culture...I for one feel far more comfortable knowing I have the legal right to DEFEND myself in time on need...