Just a few thoughts on big city mayors and gun control.
After the gun control movement was handed its temporary walking papers when it came to national/federal gun control, (this last election may have changed that), the million mom movement flopped - and in many states the gun control movement floundered as right to carry, gun lawsuit reform, anti-confiscation, and stand your ground laws were passed, (excluding states with avowedly liberal power bases like California), it seemed as though the gun control movement started to reassess their strategies.
That reassessment seems to have resulted in the decision to build an alliance of big city mayors. Perhaps they looked at the maps from the recent elections and discovered that that is where their primary support is located, (red and blue not just an indicator of political party affiliation or support but also an indicator of support for gun control or for gun rights.) Perhaps it originated with the gun lawsuit tactic. In any case it seems that they have found a secure powerbase from which to push for gun control. Big city mayors see gun control as a winning political issue, they are not afraid of losing the support of their constituents over their support of gun control.
Therefore, it would seem that if we in the gun rights community want to deprive our enemies of their growing and secure powerbase we must find a way to deprive them of their powerbase and their security.
I would posit that the way to do this is analogous to they situation with the states. When gun control became a losing issue nationally, the gun control movement started to focus on the states. The gun rights movement, led by the NRA started to work to build strong state rifle associations as a counter balance and with some notable exceptions - it has been fairly effective.
Therefore, I would suggest that gun rights organizations begin working to support and/or develop city based gun rights groups. Given the political climates in most larger cities, this would require narrowly focused gun rights groups - organizations that would work singly to educate and to promote gun rights in a positive and otherwise apolitical light. This would allow them to work across traditional political lines, to cultivate and develop political candidates and support from all political parties.
I believe that should this not happen or come to fruition that the gun control movement will develop a powerful base that will not only be able to block further progress with gun rights but also set the stage for a growing national movement for gun control.
After the gun control movement was handed its temporary walking papers when it came to national/federal gun control, (this last election may have changed that), the million mom movement flopped - and in many states the gun control movement floundered as right to carry, gun lawsuit reform, anti-confiscation, and stand your ground laws were passed, (excluding states with avowedly liberal power bases like California), it seemed as though the gun control movement started to reassess their strategies.
That reassessment seems to have resulted in the decision to build an alliance of big city mayors. Perhaps they looked at the maps from the recent elections and discovered that that is where their primary support is located, (red and blue not just an indicator of political party affiliation or support but also an indicator of support for gun control or for gun rights.) Perhaps it originated with the gun lawsuit tactic. In any case it seems that they have found a secure powerbase from which to push for gun control. Big city mayors see gun control as a winning political issue, they are not afraid of losing the support of their constituents over their support of gun control.
Therefore, it would seem that if we in the gun rights community want to deprive our enemies of their growing and secure powerbase we must find a way to deprive them of their powerbase and their security.
I would posit that the way to do this is analogous to they situation with the states. When gun control became a losing issue nationally, the gun control movement started to focus on the states. The gun rights movement, led by the NRA started to work to build strong state rifle associations as a counter balance and with some notable exceptions - it has been fairly effective.
Therefore, I would suggest that gun rights organizations begin working to support and/or develop city based gun rights groups. Given the political climates in most larger cities, this would require narrowly focused gun rights groups - organizations that would work singly to educate and to promote gun rights in a positive and otherwise apolitical light. This would allow them to work across traditional political lines, to cultivate and develop political candidates and support from all political parties.
I believe that should this not happen or come to fruition that the gun control movement will develop a powerful base that will not only be able to block further progress with gun rights but also set the stage for a growing national movement for gun control.