You wouldn't just hand over the keys ...
to a grade-school kid, for your off-road SUV, would you?
NOT without a significant worry about the pending harm and property damage, from such a folly.
Nope, we require people to be of a certain age to drive.
We require people to go through rigorous training to drive.
We require people to be "legally certified" as competent to drive.
We require people to periodically "renew" that government certification.
So, shouldn't we require equally rigorous training and legal certification,
in order for a person to "responsibly operate" another tool, which arguably has as much destructive power, maybe more, than does a motor vehicle?
Shouldn't we require equally rigorous background checks, in order to operate a Gun?
You wouldn't just hand over the keys to your SUV, to a grade school kid, would you? No matter how "careful" they were promising to be. As kids often do.
Someone has to be the adults in the room, right?
Someone has to set our common safety standards.
We still live in a Society -- last time I checked. We still have common safety standards, too. Otherwise known as Laws.
... no matter how much Wayne LaPierre might insist that having such Laws is futile and a waste of their time.
You wouldn't just hand over the car keys ... would you?
The same idea applies to operating Guns, as well as operating Motor Vehicles.
Both have their uses.
Both are potentially lethal, when wielded by the hands of incompetence, or even worse, rage.
Someone has to be the adults in the room, right?