Obviously this is not popular, it may even be as some of you suggested, utterly retarded. My concern is that coming to the table with nothing is not going to suffice with 20 dead 6 year olds. I'm not married to either of these ideas, just looking for something that might be palatable.

in response to your objections there are no absolute rights left. Every right has limitations. Maybe that's your point. In that I am probably wrong, but we don't let anyone drive without proof of minimum competence. How do we continue to justify ownership without weeding out the mentally unstable.

How do you recommend stopping acquisition by the mentally unstable? That's what we'll agree the real issue in these shootings is.

Also, the Jefferson quote references his belief that government should not be inherited, but built and shaped by the governed each generation anew. I like the constitution and the 2nd amendment just fine, but Jefferson envisioned no government would be intergenerational.