Mr Gryphon: I'm not suggesting that driving a motor vehicle is a "right". I'm suggesting that we can learn a lesson from the licensing of drivers. One of the issues we have with the gun culture in our country is that there are very few entry barriers to owning and carrying a firearm. If you are of legal age, not a felon, and have money (or credit), you can walk into a firearms dealer and buy a wide variety of guns. There is no demonstration of competency, of knowledge of your rights and obligations, or of safety knowledge. You can just pick "the big one on the left", pay your money, and be out the door. Then you are free to do all kinds of stupid and harmful things with your new "toy". I'm suggesting that, in the interest of public safety, we require potential gun owners to go through the same kind of training that we require of car drivers, hunters, pilots, nurses, etc. You show up, do a couple of weekends of training, to include range time to demonstrate both safety and competency, and get your firearms license. When you walk into a firearms dealer, you present the license showing that you are a competent gun owner. Then shop to your heart's content.
Case in point: A couple of years ago I was in a Subway grabbing some lunch. The gentleman in line in front of me was carrying a handgun holstered on his hip. Now, I don't know if this guy is an off-duty police officer or former Navy Seal (doubtful, from his attire and lack of physical fitness) or just a local crackpot who'll get pissed off if I take the bag of chips he wanted. I don't know that, if some altercation starts, he is competent to handle a firearm in a tactical situation. As a citizen, I have a right to some measure of public safety.