If the Government decides you are a threat, they will take you down. Some overweight Sunday warrior with an assault rifle is not going to save us from tyranny. The way you protect the country against that is to promote democracy and vote for people who aren't trying to overthrow the Government if they lose an election.
I would agree, but the evidence is that this isn't really true. Waco and Ruby ridge are examples of the government deciding someone was a threat and their guns allowed them to have considerable political impact. Yes, they were taken down, but their actions drastically weakened gun control in this country.
Individually? No. Collectively? Then I would say it does. Will it cost tons of lives? Yeah of course. But the US cannot bomb its own civilians into a functioning economy or obedient populous. The only force even remotely in a position the challenge the US military is the US population.
If the Government decides you are a threat, they will take you down. Some overweight Sunday warrior with an assault rifle is not going to save us from tyranny. The way you protect the country against that is to promote democracy and vote for people who aren't trying to overthrow the Government if they lose an election.