I've read thru this whole thread over the last couple of hours and gotta say that I'm impressed with the quality of discussion.
With that said, here's my thoughts:
Our country was fought for with guns, won with guns, and ever since has been defended by guns. Guns, America, and the 2A are inextricably linked. All of our inalienable rights only exist because of guns (and men with the will to bear them).
America was settled by people who wanted freedom from the oppressive old world. Later our nation was founded by men who wished to further break ties with them and enjoy hard won "Dangerous freedom". Knowing all too well how governments devolve into tyranny, our founding fathers crafted a short document that was meant to establish every individual's freedoms/rights, while clearly restricting the federal gov't's power.
Since then, those in power --backed by old world wealth-- have done what all powerful people do: they've expended endless amounts of energy, money, and other resources towards gaining more power. The federal government has usurped the Constitution at every opportunity and grown far beyond what it was meant to be. The next big step is eventual disarmament, as discussed in UN Agenda 2030 and 2050.
Some of you talk about amending the Constitution like it's no big deal. You think it's out dated. You think that Ar15s are weapons of war and shouldn't be blindly protected under the 2A.
Well let me tell you, when the 2A was 'relevant' (by your standards), muskets and canons were "weapons of war" and were privately owned. Nowadays our military uses M16s, M4s, 249s, etc etc. Police have tanks, exploding drones, etc. Those are weapons of war. So how can you even think, let alone argue, that an AR15 is even in the same ballpark as modern weapons of war?
Furthermore, with all the gov't overreach and outright corruption since 9/11 and especially the last couple years, how can you trust them? Do you actually believe you are represented by your gov't and that they'll do right by us? Wake the hell up...
The reality is that our country is swimming in guns and no amount of legislation is gonna undo that. Buzz was wrong about some things but he was correct in saying that these mass shootings WILL continue and that the shooters will not be deterred. I dealt with insurgents in Iraq for 2 1/2 years and can tell you that terrorists will always go for soft targets and all you can do is kill them. You either sway them from becoming terrorists or kill them afterwards. That's it.
The truth is that the Western world has entitlement issues. The average person EXPECTS the gov't to figure everything out for them, the police to save them, for random people to respect them. When they don't get what they feel entitled to, they throw a fit, flee to Facebook to complain and recruit other babies to help 'cancel' whatever entity upset them. Nowadays they burn down buildings with the financial and public support of corporations and gov't.
Our society's moral decay stems from lack of personal responsibility. The power-hungry gov't conditioned us to surrender true freedoms in exchange for comfort. But the reality is that no one can protect you from all the evil out there. Ultimately you are responsible for your own safety.
The Ar15 is the best tool I own for defending myself and my family. I think most people would be well served by one as well. I'm glad that they're modular enough that I can build and upgrade them without the gov't being up my ass about it since the gov't is no longer trustworthy. I will never give mine up nor support restricting the rights of other people so that we can all have the illusion of safety. Even if it means that evil people might get ahold of ARs too and do evil things with them.
I have two school-aged children and so events like these terrify me. I am in favor of well trained school security and other countermeasures. It doesn't need to look or feel like prison either. Truth is, quality security measures and personnel blend right in with their environment.
Anyways, Im done blabbing. Sorry for the long-winded rant!