Sigivald,
The ignorant are unaware of that distinction. Those who take the time to listen to the debate and discussion have learned. Sadly, most of the people on one side of this debate haven’t stopped to actually understand it. Those who understand it end up on the other side.
Does understanding lead to the position, or the position to understanding? Yes. Most people who know about firearms like to be able to have them around. (I’m an exception; I’ve never felt the need.) People who look at history, look at the actual results of policies that have been tried, look at the likely reactions of people to the passing of laws are likely to come down on the same side. (And while I fear the day that I feel I need a firearm, I damned sure want to be able to have it without the State creating a secondary hazard, beyond the already questionable restrictions on the right of self-defense.)
