[Dave S]

I dont think Jim and the others are going to like your post. "Generally No" indicates some potential for rational thought as do your questions asking me to define what I mean by mentally ill and severely retarded. I just had one poster say that any weapon just be legal except perhaps nuclear and chemical/biological.

By mentally ill I was thinking of pyschotics, not those who are depressed (if they want to kill themselves, they will find a way w/out a gun) or neurotics (arent we all). By severely mentally retarded I mean someone that has no conception that a gun is anything other than a toy. BTW, I live in St. Louis and we have had two or three gun killings this week with eight year olds accidentally killing their younger sibblings.

[Richard-SIA]

If the environment in the company contains potentially explosive vapors, high pressure vessels that could be penetrated, caustic chemicals, etc., then prohibiting firearms may make sense.

The circumstances where prohibition is justified are VERY few.

You did not respond regarding "felons", or when children gain the right to defend themselves.

"we have had two or three gun killings this week with eight year olds accidentally killing their younger siblings."
A statistical anomaly, many more kids drown in buckets, or suffer SIDS from being placed too close to a wall heater, eat Ant poison, etc., every year than die of any sort of gunfire.
Of course the open buckets and wall heaters don't usually make the headlines that what you describe do.