What I mean is that while citizens are allowed to possess firearms, the government still has a monopoly on force. Attempting to actually use your firearms in so

What I mean is that while citizens are allowed to possess firearms, the government still has a monopoly on force. Attempting to actually use your firearms in someway unacceptable to them will almost certainly result in your doom. It's sort of like mutually assured destruction, except it's not mutual. I don't think they're worried about loose cannons holding grudges. While individual gun ownership is allowed, or tolerated, the government does not look kindly on forming militias. If you ponder fictional police states such as 1984, in that situation it doesn't really matter if the citizens have firearms as they're thoroughly brainwashed that they would never use them. And, just like our world, if they did they would be brutally suppressed. My opinion is that the people of the United States could not and would not stand up effectively to the National Guard, police and military if it came down to such a thing.