The other reason this would never work is that a large section of the country sees their weapons as a way of defending against the government not just for the government. They will never agree too change like that.
We all know that and Justice Stevens knows that. He was just expressing his opinion as to what would make the US a more sensible place, if it were possible. A bit of wishful thinking.
Too many people in this country have convinced themselves (or they use it as an excuse) that "the government" will come after their guns, even though no governmemt since the US was formed has even suggested doing that. In addition, how long do the gun nuts think they could hold off the government if they were coming for their guns? What good would their guns do in the face of tanks, heavy military weapons and other military equipment? They are crazy and that is just one indication of it
It's true, the Second Amendment will never be changed, and that's why the US will always be a dangerous, violent and gun-obsessed country. There is no way around it. But it's a crying shame that a country with so much promise had to come to this.
Lois