I think most Americans do, but the small vocal minority of extremists on both sides deny the rest of us the responsible reasonable gun control we need and want. I cannot say, "no one wants to let everyone legally buy any gun they can afford, no questions asked," because a small radical fringe demands EXACTLY that. I cannot say, "no one wants to ban/confiscate all guns," because a small radical fringe demands EXACTLY that. They are not rebutting, but VALIDATING, each other; neither would have any public credibility if the other would SHUT UP for five seconds and stop making their opponents alarmist fears so plausible.

I do not know a single rational person who thinks anyone with a felony record, mental illness or no idea how to even LOAD a gun should have one. Yet the law cannot SAY that, because the radical fringes dominate the gun control discussion, debating whether to ban all guns or let anyone who wants any gun buy it, even if still wearing their prison uniform and/or a straitjacket. The vast majority of America does not support either option, but those are the only ones we are presented, so here we are.