DC Dux, I'll take you up on that,
I have six points to make.
First, as of now, gun ownership is limited to those who have no felonious records (generally speaking, as with everything there are exceptions). In addition, Straw purchases are also illegal.
We have in effect, waiting periods, gun background checks and mental checks. Consequently, with the gun laws already in place, the extreme majority of gun owners are limited to law abiding, hard working americans who are as crime prone as you and me.
Second, what is so unreasonable of gun bans right now? It's as if sensible gun control never happened-- *it's already in place. *
Third, the last assault weapons ban restricted pistol grips (on rifles), collapsible stocks (on rifles) and magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds.
With respect, just what the hell does that do? It's as if a criminal who intended to kill people will somehow suddenly be unable to now that they can only shoot 10 rounds instead of 30 rounds before reloading. -Or- if pistol grips on a rifle suddenly make it capable of effectuating mass death.
A murdered person is a murdered person, regardless if the perpetrator used a knife, a baseball bat, or an Ak-47. But the media will pick up on the Ak-47 because it harkens images of terrorists and gangstas. People *LOVE* invoking the Ak-47, but in reality, it's just another rifle.
Fourth, the problem with gun laws is that they're mostly feel good legislation--at the cost of Constitutional right. They. Do. Not. Accomplish. Much. Again, with the examples I drew earlier, one sees geographical areas with *extremely strict* laws--yet have some of the highest crime rates. Of course, there are other factors beyond guns but it goes to demonstrate that gun restrictions are mostly feel good and aren't substantially effective against reducing crime rates.
England Murder Rates vs USA (England after WWII de facto banned guns, yet crime rates continue to rise)
GunCite-Gun Control-International Homicide Comparisons (showing that gun control isn't correlated with crime rates)
GunCite-Gun Control-International Homicide and Suicide Rates (further support for that...at the 5% level, there is no significant correlation of gun ownership with homicide rates)
Fifth, DC_dux, while I understand DC has a de-facto ban on guns, I'd reccomend you go out, shoot some, and learn about them. As I stated earlier, the majority opinion on supporting an AWB is supported by an underlying proposition that guns are evil. They are, in effect, no more evil than fireworks, or even chainsaws (fun or useful when used properly, deadly when misappropriated). Furthermore, an AWB will do no more but make it harder for law abiding citizens to enjoy their hobby.
Finally, even if an AWB is supported by the majority population--it does not mean that it is correct. At one point, this great nation supported slavery, jim crow laws and segregation. Were those laws inherently correct because people supported them? I submit to you that they were not. Like I stated before, majority opinion, although given great weight, is not intrinsically correct as it may be based off of false beliefs.