Reply #7: Reducing the presence of firearms merely creates armed criminals vs unarmed civialians...

[spin]

where is the advantage for an honest citizen in that.

As you point out gun restrictions are futile. You might argue that a total ban and confiscation of firearms would alleviate the problem. This is politically impossible in the United States. I would contend that if such a law were magically passed, the results would be a disaster. You might easily have a civil war or a revolution that would break this country apart.