Real reasoned discourse at Sharp as a Marble

It's rare enough to find a citizen disarmament advocate with whom it's possible to have "reasoned discourse" (although such advocates sometimes lament that fact, and imply that it's the fault of the freedom advocates). Robb, at Sharp as a Marble, believes he has found one.

I've been having a conversation with Brandon Bryn of Prevention Works regarding a post he wrote about the Gun Show Loophole. I, of course, disagree with the term "loophole" and have been arguing my point and Brandon has been respectful in his replies. This is what true reasoned discourse is like.

I'm not sure I'll enter this debate, as I'm approaching the point where I'm one of those gun rights advocates who cannot help but take personally what I see as an attack on my Constitutionally guaranteed fundamental human right of the individual to keep and bear arms, even when the guy doing the attacking does so in a "reasonable" manner.

I'm also starting to lose interest in the pragmatic arguments for gun rights. Although I believe restrictive gun laws do not save lives, and can be demonstrated to have cost lives, I have come to believe that the utilitarian arguments for or against so-called "gun control" miss the point.

The point is that life and liberty, and the means to defend them, are fundamental, natural rights (and, as it happens, protected by the Constitution). Whether this or that gun law constitutes a net increase in safety to society, or a net decrease, is, to my way of thinking, window dressing.

Still, it's an argument that won't go away anytime, and for those interested, Brandon seems a decent sort with whom to debate it.