In the UK, you get in a bar fight, smack the shit out of each other, both come out of it alive (usually).
In the US, you get in a bar fight. He pulls a gun on you. You are now VERY dead (Usually).
I mean, I like guns for target shooting and collecting, but it makes me nervous that almost anyone could have a handgun. I think that a psychologist should personally look over ANYONE trying to get a gun license. After that, well, you are mentally stable, so do what you will. Yearly renewing of the license too, so as to account for sanity slippage.