Dem Guns

I have some friends whom I like and respect who are gun owners and will never vote for a Democrat. These friends of mine aren't criminals. They're not careless about their guns. They're not stupid. They are intelligent people who not only own guns, they are well-informed about guns and their history, they use their guns safely and responsibly, and they also belong to the NRA.

Whatever you may think about the second amendment and its interpretation, guns are an integral part of our history, and they're here to stay. Many gun-control laws have done nothing to prevent crime. Some gun-control laws are just plain stupid, like the now-elapsed federal ban on "assault weapons." This was basically a law that banned certain weapons because they look scary.

There are probably political issues that affect the lives and well-being and livelihoods of my gun-owner friends more directly than gun control, and my friends might be more inclined to agree with the Democrats on some of those other issues. But they honestly believe that liberals and the Democratic party are ultimately out to confiscate their guns. You could say this about religion and abortion too, in a way. There are probably many political issues that affect the lives and well-being and livelihoods of conservative religious people more directly than intelligent design or separation of church and state, and those people might be more inclined to agree with the Democrats on some of those other issues. And there are probably many political issues that affect the lives and well-being and livelihoods of some liberals more directly than abortion rights, and some of those liberals might be more inclined to agree with conservatives on some of those other issues. But we all choose what's important to us, and to my gun-owning friends, gun control is the deciding issue. In that regard, gun control is no more or less important an issue than any other. And you can't stereotype gun enthusiasts any more than you can stereotype other so-called conservatives or people who believe strongly in abortion rights or other so-called liberals.

But just because a politician tells you he doesn't believe in gun control doesn't mean he's on your side or will have your best interests at heart. Same for abortion rights and religion, too. I think that the Democratic party would be doing itself a big favor by publicly modifying its position on gun control. It's not a simple issue, and I think most gun enthusiasts are a lot more reasonable and intelligent than the Democratic party gives them credit for. And a lot of them would make fine voting members of the Democratic party.

Damn! Religion and politics. I thought I was going to stay away from those.