I'd have them shoot the neighbor, as any rational chooser-of-lesser-evils would.

That is insane! That is not a healthy society, nor behavior you want to encourage! If that was as widespread a belief system and if the rules were as rigid as you imagine you better pray you're the loudest, quickest and most ruthless person in the room because otherwise your neighbor will get you shot instead!

You have such a lack of imagination and perspective and are so caught up in a worrld of imaginary bullshit rules that you would actively, and deliberately, hurt those around you. That is the problem!

My neighbor is my friend as well. The only reason to "play" the gunman's game is to distract them while we work together to disarm them. That is the only move I see in that game. What am I missing?

As they say, first they come for your neighbor, then for your friend, and when they come for you there's nobody left to speak up for you.

What's stopping your preferred politician/party from simply doing what you accuse/worry Rs and Ds (will) do?

In this metaphor: absolutely nothing! That's the whole goddamn point! Get out of your own head and try a different perspective! How do you change the situation so that isn't the case?

Stop advocating for your neighbors death you psycho!