what's the difference between "a well-regulated militia" and "any nutter with a gun?"
Well, the problem is culturally, Americans see owning a gun as protection against a corrupt state.
And given that "benevolent" governments are pretty rare, and historically very new, (10k years of civilisation vs a hundred or so of "benevolent" governments), It's not really that crackpot a viewpoint.
Take the recent middle east uprisings, they would not have happened with an unarmed populace.
And the danger of gun regulation, is who get's to decide who a nutter is or who a "well-regulated militia man" is, that's right, the state.
Though in fact many states do have checks, and do ban the mentally unstable, no system is perfect.
Gun deaths per 100,000
1.5 Sweden
0.22 UK
And the homicides rates are...
1.0 Sweden
1.2 UK
but you have to remember america is NOT a civilised country.
What a very civilised argument.