I just recently added this to a different thread in support of an opinion, however I think that it is an important enough subject to warrant its own thread. This was a speech given by Charlton Heston (yes the president of the NRA whom I would very rarely agree with, but everyone has their shining moments) at Harvard Univ in 1999. I appologise for its length, but it is worth reading...
http://193.78.190.200/historic/files/heston.htm