"Why not value life as much or more than we value an ideology?"
Our ideology values life a great deal, because we are willing to meet evil on equal terms with equal force instead of crying to legislators to beg criminals to obey laws they already ignore. I was in law enforcement for 7 years. There is a reason the vast majority of police officers support the second amendment and want law abiding citizens armed. We know first hand what is out there, and they don't give a shit about any laws you will pass. Not even a little bit. They prey on soft targets and would love to have more.