I've stayed out of this thread until now because I wanted to gather my thoughts. I am so beyond fed up with the gun lobby in this country. I thought that things might actually change after Sandy Hook. I thought that when dozens of little 5 and 6 year olds were killed in their school, something might change. I thought that for all the bluster about video games and mental health systems, the gun lobby would finally look inward and realize that something needs to change. But they didn't. They doubled down. Gun sales went up. The NRA sent out emails about Obama trying to take everyone's guns and they went up some more. Obama didn't try to take anyone's guns. He knows the battle is lost. He didn't even try and still more guns were bought than ever before. Now we have new laws passed every year expanding places where people can carry guns. Churches, bars, public transportation. Whatever! More guns, for everyone, wherever the feck they want. The gun lobby won. They will always win. And every few months we will have another horrible mass shooting and every year we have another 30,000 gun deaths in this country. And we just have to chalk it up to the price of doing business. Because when it comes down to it, some people care more about owning guns than about dead children. I know responsible gun owners who like to hunt. I know responsible gun owners who go to a gun range on the weekend and like to feel the power. I know responsible gun owners who live in bad neighborhoods and want to protect their families. I understand all the arguments. I sympathize with them. But at some point, we have to reevaluate. We have to ask, is this worth it? Is never being able to feel safe worth it? Is a routine school shooting worth it? Reasonable people ask this. Reasonable gun owners ask this. But not the gun lobby. The answer is always more guns. If crime is low, it is because there are so many guns. If crime is high, it is because we need more guns. And not only more guns. More guns for absolutely anyone who wants it. Background checks? They oppose it. Waiting period? They oppose it. Restricting on types of guns? They oppose it. And they've won. They will always win. Nothing will ever fecking happen to change this. Dozens of children were gunned down in their school, a place they should feel safe and where they make friends and dream about the future. Polls showed widespread support for changes to gun laws. But nothing was done. The gun lobby wins and children die. It will never ever change.