Keith, you forgot shoot-em-up video games, and killah-rap. Your point is well taken, but whether there is a simple solution remains to be seen. We've opened Pandora's box, and. like nuke, Chem and Bio weapons, once out of the box, they're not going to go back in easily. There's also the $$$ in the arms industry. The ATF (Feds) destroy tens of thousands of guns annually. That sounds great, but it's a drop in the ocean and in my opinion almost meaningless.
I don't have an answer for the 'big' picture. On a personal scale, however, it seems we have two options in dealing with potential threats, a) depend on the state/police to protect us, or b) take responsibility for our own defense in case the police don't show up "in time".
Re. being victimised by an armed assailant in London, it may surprise some to know that weapons training here in the States requires you to hand over the wallet even with a gun in your pocket. The law does not protect you from shooting the assailant unless you feel your 'life' is being threatened. Robbery does NOT count. (They also teach you that, in the event you actually shoot someone, don't answer any questions until a lawyer is present, regardless of the circumstances. An armed citizen is obviously still very much liable. It is NOT a free-for-all shooting environment. The tenet is that it's marginally better to be alive in court than dead on the street.)
The choice has to do with individual beliefs and personalities. Some feel they would readily shoot an intruder threatening their family...and because of this willingness, they're afraid of themselves owning a gun. The logic, then, appears they would rather either stand by and allow harm to befall the family, or just as bad, fight back withOUT a weapon and possibly die in the process, leaving their family defenseless. No one can fault a person for coming to their own individual conclusions, and I respect their choices while wishing they never have to face the situation.
For myself, the answer is obvious, praise the Lord, but pass the ammo while we're waiting.