Glad your qualified to speak for so many. So if one is no harder than the other, why not use the sights? If I'm only shooting 10 yds, I'll use a handgun not a rifle. I guess some need the crosshairs past 10 feet.
Those "few" that do prefer and are capable of utilizing sights, should have it as a package so that when the gun is brought to the firing posisition, it's all aligned just as with a scope. No searching for crosshairs or aligning sights after bringing it to posisition, it's all there.
Have some rifles with scopes and many without yet I can still shoot them out to 100yds. Depending on the guns purpose, I'll decide which sighting device I'll have on the gun. Not going to limit myself and have all scopes nor would I have all with just sights. Same goes for guns I'll buy just for range use or even those I'll tuck away untouched.

I don't want to get in the middle of a pissing contest between you two guys, but I'd just like to post a couple of my observations from many years of hunting with scopes, open sights and reciever (peep) sights..

Open sights are VERY fast for target aquisition on fast moving targets at close range, as long as the shooter PRACTICES with them...Basically you learn to mount the gun, lock your cheek into the proper place on the stock and just look at the target and pull the trigger..Years back I killed lots of running rabbits with an open sighted Ruger 10/22 and also could regularly hit thrown aerial targets with it.. Of course I never hunted deer with it, but if I did they would be riddled with little .22 caliber holes.. Peep sights work well also.. Just ignore the aperture and look at the bead..Your eye centers ir automtically..

That said, a low power scope is also very fast, again with practice...However, fast moving targets at very close range are a real challenge with a scope, especially in dense cover... When a whitetail streaks by me at 15 or 20 yards in the puckerbrush with the smoke just rolling off his butt, I'd rather have open sights than a scope..

Sounds like someone else knows how to use sights too. Key word...practice. BUT...that's another thing most don't do enough of.

Exactly, open sights are very very easy to quickly aquire a fast moving target at a close range with. I can do it a lot faster than with a scope.

As to the hunting rifles and having a nice looking one. I used to feel the same way. I used to only really like Walnut stocked rifles with a nice blue finish. I bought a Browning BAR to hunt with that was beautiful. It stayed that way for about 3-4 weeks after I got it. Then I got a gouge put in the side of the stock about 2" tall and goes like a z kind of so it's about 2" wide too. Then I've gotten other knicks and dings all over it. Don't get me wrong, it's a great looking gun still, but it's well used looking. I hate to see such a nice looking gun have and scratches or dings, but I guess I'm okay with it since I did buy it to use to hunt with. Synthetic stocks on the other hand don't scratch or show scratches near as easily. While they don't look great anytime, after years of abuse they don't show it near as badly as wood does. I think for a hunting rifle in the future I'd actually prefer synthetic.