The two main purposes of owning a gun are to hunt, and for protection. Keep in mind, many Americans hunt for food in rural areas and that is the way of life. Some Americans also live in very impoverished neighborhoods, where the chance of them living tomorrow is 50/50 - this is where a firearm becomes useful. I do not think that heavy automatic weapons should be allowed, but other guns should be. I also am a firm believer in heavy mental background checks and criminal background checks in order to obtain a gun permit and to purchase a firearm.