I don't actually think it can be put to rest. Not unilaterally, at least. I had been planning to respond to the previous statement about killing humans (man this web site is a time sink ). Behind many of the arguments against any limits on gun rights is the notion that one day in the not too distant future, representatives of the government will be paying visits to you and me, demanding this or that of our private property to the government's ever-growing pile of assets. "We noticed that you didn't sign up for Obamacare, you need to pay this penalty now." Or whatever the current bugaboo happens to be. And when enough has become too much, the private citizens with these "notions" plan to simply blow that government agent away on the spot. Not today or tomorrow, quite, but pretty soon, and like-minded people will be doing the same all at about the same time in coordination. "Obama's coming for your guns" is the vanguard tip of this expectation that Obama's coming for everything. It's kind of a Walter Mitty fantasy, of saving the country from itself (or, more aptly, from usurpation by unnamed treacherous outsiders, which is why in the case of Obama it's so important to cast doubt on his legitimacy as the president), which is not easily dislodged by arguments about how large the opposing force would really be at such time as it would actually arrive. Compromise proposals such as protecting the ability to shoot for sport are met with tepid condescension at best, because sport isn't at all what they are fundamentally looking to retain. One side of the discussion can not simply "put to rest" the notion of shooting the coming illegitimate government, one member of it at a time. It is part of the core belief. And unless it is addressed in a better way than saying you will be outnumbered, which only encourages an Alamo last stand fantasy on top of it all, the two sides on the Second Amendment issue are merely talking past one another.