Looking back on Pro gun advocates of the past, are we more unified than before?

[Kimio]

Just looking back at how things have progressed, and while I wasn't even aware of the original ban of 1994 at the time (I was still a wee whelp at the time) and other major points in our fights against gun control, it certainly appears that in recent years Pro-2A and Pro-gun rights groups have become increasingly more active, and more recently more focused and unified in our campaign to retain and hopefully regain our rights to RKBA.

Comparing what I've read about the 94 clinton ban and the reactions of the US populace to now, shows a fairly stark contrast in how much the gun culture has changed in America. I think we can partially thank media outlets such as Sons of Guns and Top Shot for encouraging people to get into the sport of shooting among other things.

To me it seemed the sentiment was back in 94 that there was stiff opposition, but there were a lot of folks who did not believe anything drastic was going to happen. So long as they had their shotguns and hunting rifles all was well in the world. "Assault" weapons were just toys for the most part and served no real purpose other than looking cool (This is just a generalization mind you, not to say everyone thought this way)

I'm not sure if it was complacency or the fact that gun owners had been beaten down so many times that they were just tired of fighting at the time, or even just blind ignorance/laziness (Maybe a combination of all of the above plus more?) that Clinton got his bill passed in the first place. It's clear that the momentum has changed and not necessarily in favor of the Gun grabbers I'd like to believe.

So what do you think?

Am I right in my assessment? Are we more driven this time to prevent any more infringement on our rights as opposed to how our community was in the past?

 

[UtopiaTexasG19]

There are a lot of different factors going on this time compared to the past. I believe there are more middle class Americans now that have huge doubts about the way our government works and how much it can be trusted. Look at how many first time gun buyers have bought in the last 5 months and all the renewed interest and posting that has gone on forums here on the Internet. Our financial system is doing a huge balancing act, the government gets larger and larger while seeming incapable of passing common sense laws and is spending us into oblivion. We now also see other countries threatening to dip into personal bank accounts to "save" their banking systems which pay off huge sums to those at the top that make decisions that are terrible for investors and common depositors. The "trust" factor in our government and big business has gone down tremendously and folks want to protect what they have left. We now live in a era of uncertainty and no one knows the future so we adapt as best as possible. Many are not only fearful of losing gun rights but many other personal rights also.

 

[gaseousclay]

Am I right in my assessment? Are we more driven this time to prevent any more infringement on our rights as opposed to how our community was in the past?

I don't know if i'd say we're more driven. are we divided on the issue? yes, we are. it's not so black and white. what you call an infringement on your rights I call a necessesity (ie. expanding background checks). the 2nd Amendment guarantees us the right to bear arms but it doesn't unequivocally say that you can just go out and get whatever you want when you want. there's just something about private sales that don't sit right with me, especially when gun owners treat these transactions with due dilligence, as if the person they're selling to is an assumed criminal. a simple background check would eliminate the hassle of selling to someone you have doubts about

 

[MLeake]

No checks of any kind were required prior to 1968.

There is no evidence to support that gun control laws passed since then have reduced the use of firearms in crime.

Without supporting evidence, your declaration of necessity is based on your feelings.

Your feelings should not impact my individual liberties.

 

[BumbleBug]

We definitely are a divided group when it comes to BC's.

The issue from my perspective is very simple. By law, gun buyers, through all commercial purchases, including internet & GSs, must go through a BG check of some sort. The fact that state entities & gov't agencies won't/can't keep a good national database & won't/can't provide appropriate follow-up procedures is a failure of the law makers, not gun buyers. Now the failed law makers say we need more of what they can't seem to do now. It's absurd!

I guess it's not possible, but I feel like gun-owners should be rallying that gun laws go the other way - be abolished. Let's get rid of all the laws that don't work now, then we can discuss rationally what measures will reduce violence in American society, including gun violence & better ways to monitor the mentally ill & violent criminals. Think of gun control as a giant failed experiment & learn from that.

...are we more unified than before?

I see gaseousclay's point & I really do respect & understand his position, but I hate to see that this issues reduces gun owner's unification.

IMHO...

..bug

 

[FoghornLeghorn]

Are we more driven this time to prevent any more infringement on our rights as opposed to how our community was in the past?

The average joe schmoe did not realize the true intent of the gun grabbers in times gone by. I think he truly bought into the notion that govt was simply making necessary "adjustments" to gun ownership.

Now that we've seen what the gun grabbers (in states like Colorado, New York, Connecticut) have done in the wake of Newtown, now we see that their goal is to take away all guns ......... forever.

Yeah, I think we're more unified than before. We've never been this scared before.

 

[Chaz88]

I think we look more unified because more like minded people are more informed. The factor that has changed is the proliferation of the internet. Back in 94 Gore had just barley invented the internet. Information is much more widely disseminated and digested now.