Spot on.  We have been aggressively sold on this idea that we need to be afraid of ______ (our government, invading hoards of scary brown people, our neighbors, zombies, etc.), and also sold the easily debunked theory that we need a gun to defend themselves from that.  Personally, I own firearms; I hunt and I sometimes go places where I'm not at the pinnacle of the food chain, and there may be bears, honey-badgers or vicious, feral Chihuahuas around.  They are kept locked up unless I'm taking them somewhere.  I do NOT need them to protect myself from my own government, from being punched in the nose by some road-rager, or that I need to kill someone to keep them from stealing my TV.  I have bear spray and two large dogs for that.  They won't have a good day if they try, but at least they'll have another chance to think that over tomorrow.  Do I value human life?  Yup, I do.  Am I civilized?  Sort of!