On two of my three vehicles, i run all season tires.
However, on my AWD, i run snow tires. I can respect that you guys are defending the all season, but you have less traction with that tire. Even without snow or ice, in dry but cold conditions, the snow tire can have superior performance. The rubber is simply more flexible, and therefore provides more grip, at a lower temperature range.
The tires are THE big bottleneck that constrains how the driver can control the vehicle. They are the ONLY mechanism by which the car can speed up, slow down, or change direction; in any case, it invariably must involve the tires. When you skid from slamming the brakes, it's not the brakes, it's the tires. I know to many of you that's probably obvious but it's worth saying.
In my mind, if it snows regularly, or if it even just goes below freezing regularly, putting on snow tires increases the safety margins of the vehicle. Furthermore, it's not just about "knowing how to drive in the snow," it's also about adapting to unexpected things: a tree falling, a surprise pedestrian, another vehicle that loses control (because some people are idiots), etc.
Again, as someone who has vehicles equipped with all season tires, i understand why you would do it, but my recommendation is to use snow tires.