Stupid?.......perhaps not.
Up untill a few years back I would have dismissed the attitude tha Hillburg takes as being a relic from the days of the American war of independent with no place in modern society.
And then came the TSA & in the UK airport security, two organizations set up with the best of intentions but with a total lack of oversight and control, I find myself regularly abused by operatives of these organizations who have been allowed to function without the proper checks and balances that the police have apon them. These organizations are self perpetuating as they ramp up the security paranoia if threatened and to increase their income.
Hopefully these organizations will become subject to the usual democratic restrictions soon, there is a UK govenment report underway on the UK airport security industry that is likely to mandate proper oversight of the industry.
If the security industry is not properly regulated then I suspect the justification for gun ownership on the political grounds Hilburg quotes will have further justification as other elements in society use the security issue as a cover for reducing the people's democratic rights.
The security industry is just the thin end of the wedge and if we don't want to be oppressed by various quasi governmental organizations using security as a justification for doing what the hell they like we have put in place proper legislation otherwise eventually it will only be the nutter with the guns who will be able to do anything about the problem........god forbid !