Yes, there is likely a mystery behind guns. We see them portrayed fictionally in movies and television. We see them portrayed in dramatic reenactments of actual crimes or other incidents. We read about tragic events that seem to occur with increasing frequency.
However, we do not see a whole lot of stories about children drinking Dran-O, chlorine bleach, bluing, or ammonia. Yes, responsible parenting keeps these hazards out of harm's way. But these products have a built-in deterrent: they smell horrible, and they will burn as soon as they touch our skin. Regarding other customary household goods like tools, knives, and the like, I feel that the effort used and the timing involved in inflicting serious damage is a lot more than the use of a gun. We can run away from knives. A table saw might take a finger but not a life. Guns are instantaneous if not spontaneous. But you are right: Education is paramount. But I feel that the education only serves to reduce the curiosity and mystique behind guns. But it does not eliminate it. People still smoke cigarettes for example.
There is a wide chasm between an enthusiast and a zealot. There are too many zealots on both sides of the debate. I hear time and again that if more restrictive laws are passed then soon enough we will be on the road to zero gun ownership. This argument is trite if not disingenuous. Just as ridiculous would be if the gun control folks asserted that the NRA and their supporters would push for zero restrictions on arms. Arms are not defined in the Constitution, only by the courts, so why not litigate all the way to the Supremes our right to own anything--hand grenades, bazookas, fully automatic weapons, 50mm guns, you name it?
We now have sheriffs who will not enforce certain state laws regarding gun possession because those sheriffs have decided that these laws are unconstitutional. Really? A sheriff is judge and jury, and willing to go to jail for contempt? Now, many Illinois counties are enacting local ordinances declaring their counties to be "Sanctuary Counties" for Second Amendment rights. No concealed permits or fingerprinting are necessary.
This has become a shoving match. I shove you, and you shove me back harder. And so on.
We as a society have taken our freedoms for granted. We no longer place value in these freedoms. We don't feel as though we have to earn them to keep them. We are entitled, and woe to anyone who wants to stand in our way. If we can ever see beyond our noses, we might be able to find sensible solutions to this chronic dilemma.