So, I am a philosophy major in college, and I've tried to avoid the gun control debate for the longest time. However, this being a difficult issue, I feel the need to find a constructive outlet for my opinions, and gain insight from my fellow atheists.

    First off, I love guns and support our right to own them. Where I differ from the majority is that I do not feel that our rights, as stated in the Constitution, are in fact meant to be absolutes. When it comes to the ethics of gun control I seem to tend towards the Utilitarian or Relativist perspective.

    Utilitarianism, as most will know, is essentially "doing the greatest amount of good for the greatest number." Relativism as I see it would be not only the standard definition as it relates to cultural norms, but also as it relates to the greatest good relative to a particular society's needs (NOT wants). If a given society has shown that its members have a need for gun control, then controls should be implemented. The difficulty with this perspective is that it is hard to find when and how controls should be implemented.

    I hope this is a good starting point, but keep in mind this is by no means the entirety of my perspective. Can't wait to hear from everyone.