A remarkably rational article, despite being on DailyKos

[unixronin]

Liberals love the Constitution.  They especially love the Bill of Rights.  They love all the Amendments.

Except for one: the Second Amendment.

[... large snip here ...]

This is an appeal to every liberal who never wants to lose another election to Republicans because they [Democrats] have successfully persuaded the voters that Democrats will take their guns away.

(Clarification in the last sentence mine.  In context, it's completely clear, but out of context, may be ambiguous.)

Comments

[jilara.livejournal.com]

Wow, just wow. That is one of the best and most eloquent commentaries I've read on Second Amendment rights.

[ithildae.livejournal.com]

That's good. Thanks for sharing.

[ilcylic.livejournal.com]

It's not the Republicans who have convinced us the Democrats will take our guns away.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Out of context, the quote is ambiguous. In context, I parsed "they" in that sentence as clearly referring to Democrats.

[wyrdling.livejournal.com]

eh, i'm a self diagnosed liberal and i've always thought the second amendment a darn good idea.

but, well, i grew up with a military historian in the house and i know that just about the first thing they do to create a subserviant serf population is to take away their ability to legally own weapons.

actually, it's always been my biggest problem with the party. (besides the part about them being in debt to their lobbyists rather than to their principles just like most politicians.) i couldn't say, however, how many others think like me. *shrug*

[smandal.livejournal.com]

The author's ancillary reason is somewhat suspect. Liberals may like the Bill of Right (sans the 2nd amendment) but have enjoyed abusing the Interstate Commerce and General Welfare clauses -- so the Constitution is no more sacred to liberals than conservatives.

I think the two compelling arguments are: there is a historical, common-law and philosophical right to self-defense (from both intruders and tyrants), and gun control does nothing to stop crime.

[smandal.livejournal.com]

Oh, and the Afghans got a lot of help from NATO.

Of course, if the Soviets had overrun Afghanistan, the old rifles and bombs might have been a successful insurgeny, like we see in Iraq today.

[randwolf.livejournal.com]

I think the hard right political leadership of the NRA/ILA might just have something to do with that perception.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

The political leadership of the NRA/ILA aren't as hard right as you seem to think. I'd argue they're not hard enough. They're far too willing to compromise and give away half of something today, saving the other half to give away tomorrow, for fear of the chance that if they try to keep it they might lose it all today.

But remember, the law that restricted armor-piercing handgun ammunition to law-enforcement use was drafted ... by the NRA. They're not the monochromatic "gun nuts" the left likes to paint them as.