Should we try to form an alliance with gun dealers?

[BlueStreak]

46. Thank you. Many of us are afraid of all gun owners

Some of us have a feeling that a certain amount of mental instability is required for one to feel so strongly about shooting things.

I know that isn't fair. I am simply pointing out the distrust goes two ways. Intellectually, I can tell myself that most (probably better than 90%) of gun owners are like you: responsible, reasonable, and no threat to me, my family or society in general. But the reality is that you want to be able to keep devices that can do great harm. The other 10% scare the hell out of me and I have no good way of knowing who is in the 90% and who is in the 10%.

It seems to me that the non-crazy gun owners really need to step up now and help find common ground.

I see a strong parallel with the religious fundies like Pat Robertson, Mike Huckabee, Reverand Phelps and people like that. Most Christians are not insane, evil people, but if the reasonable Christians don't stand up, then they are represented by the extremists. Same deal with gun ownership. (You can substitute "Muslims" for "Christians" and it is equally true.)