High capacity, military derived rifles like the Bushmaster .223 that killed 26 at Sandy Hook have no clear benefit to our common good. On the other hand, they put civilians at great risk to mass violence from lone shooters. Although gun control alone cannot end violence, the reinstating of the expired assault weapons ban-- WITH provisions that prevent easy workarounds for weapons manufacturers-- would be one definitive step toward reducing the scope and magnitude of mass violence in the U.S.
One person's freedom to bear arms must always be tempered with the consideration for others' freedom to reasonable safety. We already regulate "arms;" for example, private citizens can't own missiles or manufacture IEDs. The question is: where do we draw the line? I say, we draw the line HERE.