This will probably open up a can of worms.
1. Guns are made to kill things, and I don't like to killing things. Now I'm going to contradict myself some when I say this I do own bows & crossbows, I collect swords and other period weapons and have trained period fighting styles (think of it as western martial arts.) But, to me there is a skill and an art to use these and use them effectivly--any idiot can use a gun (I'm not calling anybody here an idiot, but many of you have relayed stories on this thread of said idiots.)
Well, first of all, it does make you a hypocrite. Sorry, there's no nice way to say it.
Second, this nation was founded by firearm wielding men. Being a rifleman/pistoleer, IS the American martial art.
Third, you're not as well educated as you think if you think that firearms do not require, as you say, "a skill and an art to use these and use them effectivly." Yes, any idiot can use a gun, but not effectively. Any idiot can use a sword/bow/crossbow, but not effectively.
Fourth, I find it funny that with modern medical care, someone shot has a decent chance of surviving. It's well known that knives/swords/arrows and bolts are more lethal typically than gunshot wounds becaus ethey slice flesh, not allowing it to close in on itself like it tend to do with a gunshot wound. So you prefer the more lethal weapons, although firearms offend you because they kill people. . .
2. I dislike handguns more than other types of firearms as handguns (at least the vast majority) are designed to kill people, and I don't think that there is a need for the average citizen to be able to own handguns.
No, they are designed to protect people where other people have forbidden them to carry more effective long arms. They are also better at protecting yourself in close quarters, such as your house.
Another gap in your education -- handguns are almost universally seen as defensive weapons and rifles as offensive weapons. Some countries such as Turkey, allow citizens to carry pretty much any handgun they want, but forbid them owning rifles. Rifles can overthrow a government, handguns can defend a citizen. You're offended by the wrong thing.
Another thing you fail to recognize is that the vast majority or reported incidents where a gun was "used" to defend oneself, the gun is never fired. It's mere presence ends the encounter.
I'm certain that some of my encounters would not have gone so well had I not been visibly armed.
BTW, Re: killing people. Handguns are used for hunting all the time. Anything that can be hunted with bows and crossbows (which is everything) can be hunted with handguns. They generally have the same range limitations (other than the single shots that fire rifle cartridges). Before you try to limit the TYPE of handgun, keep in mind a lot of people hunt fairly good sized animals with Glock 20s (10mm). So even the "tactical mankiller" guns are hunting guns. Ask Mr. Zumbo.
See I think required gun courses are a great idea. We make people go thru a courseand testing to get a drivers liscence and a gun is just as dangerous if not more-so than a car (I say this only becasue you can fit a car in your pants; statistically more people are probably killed by cars per year than guns)
Do you also support required courses be required before you can own knives, swords, crossbows, etc? After all, knives can be carried in the pants, swords under a coat. . .More people are killed by knives than guns. More people are killed by swimming pools than knives (let's restrict/ban swimming pools. I see no reason why a civilian needs to own a swimming pool in the first place.). While we're at it, let's ban screwdrivers, they are the weapon of choice with many ne'er do wells. Perhaps screwdriver's licenses? Because licensing works, right?
We license cars, yet cars kill more than all of the above, combined.
We license doctors to practice (practice!!) medicine, yet doctors kill more patients each year than guns OR knives. Let's ban doctors.
Cars and doctors, two examples of licensing that doesn't save lives.
You know, I have no problem with you not liking them, nor with you not wanting to own them. But when you want to restrict others, that's where the problem lies.
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But I took it anyway and became an instructor.