[Badray]

" But even speech is not absolutely protected. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes said, "The right to free speech does not allow one to yell 'fire' in a crowded theater.""

This is a specious argument at best. The fact is that you can be punished for the misuse of words (yelling 'fire, slander, etc), but that doesn't stop the use of words in that manner or prohibits you from doing it. Anything, including guns, can be misused, and misuse should result in punishment for the individual, but not prohibition for us all. Otherwise, there going to have to start banning cars and . . . Ooops! Don't want to give them any ideas. ;-)

[Pat Bateman]

I've always wondered what would happen if you yelled 'Movie!' in a crowded fire station...

[Myrddin]

You must be held responsible for the consequences of your ACTIONS. It's not illegal to yell fire in a crowded theater, but if it causes a stampede resulting in injury or death, then you bear responsibility for inciting that behavior. Likewise, merely possessing a firearm is of no threat to anyone. If you USE it inappropriately to threaten harm or cause harm by misuse, then you bear the consequences of that ACTION. The problem boils down to whether or not your ACTION with a given tool results in criminal harm to others. If it does, then prosecute according to the harm inflicted.