Wayne Jenkins,
I think some of debate gets clouded by those bringing the cultural issues into the conversation. It is wrong for the US pro-gun side to bring the right to bear arms into the debate because this issue is light years away from a untrained hunter or homeowner owning a firearm for whatever reason. I believe it also is just as wrong for the anti-gun side to look at this issue with the same emotion as they view the untrained hunter or homeowner owning a firearm for whatever reason.
Both side should look at this issue from the view of risk and probabilities. The pro-gun side cannot dismiss the risks associated with accidental discharge, storage, crew transfer procedures, training, proficiency, aircraft damage while the anti-gun side cannot dismiss the possibilities that these problems cannot be overcome and largely reduce the threat of an airliner being used as a weapon or shot down.
Get SAS, GS9, Delta Force to act out every possible cockpit defense scenario with independent observers, armed and unarmed, and train a small control group of pilots with varying skill levels in defense of a cockpit mockup while both armed and unarmed.
Bringing cultural or political BS into this just means someone is willing to sacrifice someone else for their beliefs.