[Turing_Machine]

"A gun is a tool for killing. Unless it is used incorrectly, it always destroys or hurts or kills."

Sorry, that's wrong to the point of absurdity. None of the guns I've owned have ever killed or hurt anyone, and I'm pretty sure I've always used them correctly.

"The U.S.' obsession with firearms is utterly beyond me"

The European obsession with government control is utterly beyond me. Governments with too much power have killed far more people than privately owned firearms ever have.

"(I am from Germany)."

[Raurin]

As much as you might be technically correct, there's no reason to antagonize the other guy, especially if the goal is to have him adopt your point of view. While he might have overstepped in his argument, phorese has a point in that guns are designed to deliver (usually destructive) kinetic energy at a distance.

Why might European governments be more restrictive? Are there any non-restrictive ones? Have there ever been? Where are they now? Might America be a different case, allowed to flourish under another set of rules?

I'm not saying you're wrong. You're not. Maybe I'm just encouraging civil discussion. Maybe I'm bored at work. Maybe both.

[Turing_Machine]

" there's no reason to antagonize the other guy,"

Sure thing. Him going off about "obsessions" and suggesting (none too subtly) that Europeans are somehow morally superior to Americans was totally non-antagonistic. Totally.

[Raurin]

And do you rise above that and present your argument's best face, or do you fight fire with fire?

What's the goal? I'll admit I'm pretty new to this forum, but one of my favorite parts is the civility of discussion that I've seen in the comments.