i’m in no way trying to argue with you, i don’t understand people and society well enough to have an opinion one way or the other. but in your scenario, where everyone who is able to wield a gun has a gun, what about the people who cannot? if people are allowed to have the best weapon they can afford, what about all the people who can’t afford the best? how are we supposed to trust the richest among us with weaponry that vastly out-performs what the people can afford? what about small-framed women, or disabled people, or the elderly? i would never say that those people cannot wield and properly use guns, because i know many of them can and do! but not all of them can. i’m a small woman, and disabled, and i cannot properly wield a gun. i’ve taken many a class. many others can, but are still unable to reach the skill levels and of more talented gun people. in an ideal world, other people with guns would protect me. but i know from life experience that there are many people i encounter every day who wish me harm or at the very least feel strong indifference. bad people get access to guns now, under weak and flawed gun control, and bad people would get access to guns under your proposed system. we don’t have any sort of accurate way to predict future crime or future mental illness in people (not that i think we should try; seems inherently flawed). so how do we protect people from them? domestic terrorists, mass shooters, mentally ill, people with anger issues, domestic abusers, sociopaths, etc etc? even for those who can wield a gun, you can never be always on alert. or maybe you feel you can, but others cannot. how can we expect teachers, concertgoers, children, sleeping people, the disabled, the elderly, folks performing complicated jobs, and so on from being victimized? again, in no way do i mean to say you’re wrong or dismiss what you said, this is just something i think about often and i am genuinely interested in hearing your point of view so i can fully understand where you’re coming from. sorry if this is long and regardless, thank you for sharing your thoughts in your initial comment