Quote:
Originally Posted by Wise_A
I consider it a solid education on what's going to happen to a lot of people eventually. Everyone says "oh, only in the NE and California, never in my state!"
Last bunch of folks to say that lived in Colorado. Arizona or Nevada's next. Gotta get out and vote in every election--you get the wrong governor, then you lose a commanding majority in the state assembly/senate, and along comes one good tragedy--you get what we got, overnight.
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It needs to be more than just getting out and voting. The trend lines on gun ownership are not good when you look back over the last 50 years. In 1972 49.5% of all households had at least one gun. In 2014, that had decreased to 32.4%.
In other words, when push comes to shove we're out voted anytime there is an anti-gun ballot issue and good voter turnout.
We need to recognize that we are in fact a minority, and conduct ourselves accordingly. We need to portray gun owners as responsible people with jobs and families who you stand next to every day and don't notice.
We need to point out to people that if you're standing next to two other average looking people at the grocery store, one of the three of you is a gun owner. If you're a gun owner, be aware that statistically the other to are not, and tread lightly so as not to give them a reason to oppose your ownership of guns. If you are a non gun owner, be aware that the person on your right or left probably is, and you probably can't tell which is which.
There is a very vocal and visible minority of gun owners who tend to shape the image of all gun owners as mostly being irresponsible red necks, or right wingnut extremists. In the long run, that image works against us, as it isn't the votes of the gun owners that decides gun related issues and elections on ballots - it's the votes of the moderates in between who don't own a gun, but who don't object to gun ownership. Being responsible, average people who just happen to own guns and pose no threats won't move them into the anti-gun camp - but it doesn't make many people trodding on their rights, pushing them out of their comfort zone, or portraying gun owners as dangerous, threatening or extremist to get them to vote anti-gun.
Be nice to the moderates - they are the people that keep the anti- gun folks from winning.