There are certain buzz words which immediately cue one to the state of mind. Vigilantes. Wyatt Earp. Gun crime. Cowboys.
To anyone who has not done so in an ongoing scenario, guns when required to be carried or available do quickly lose their glamour. They are tools in much the same way as an aircraft, a hammer, a rake. They are utilised in a certain way and if any are misused they can all cause fatality. The idea is to adress a specific danger and not to create a bigger one. specific calibres types of weapon and bullet loads can be easily tailored to provide a specific tool for a specific task ie protection of the flight deck. The idea of missile decoys and anti-missile equipment is now being considered, items vastly more costly and complex for ground based threats, why should it be so emotive to consider the threat within.
The idea of killing or having to defend oneself, is to many not only unpalatable but until now probably been unthinkable. The actions of some rather extreme fanatics may just require a change of attitude. Sadly the odds of an event of this nature have increased considerably whether anybody likes it or not. The psychologist was probably right however I see that there are still armed policeman available. Why?