Jamie Young:
Re the raids you mentioned, so far as I've seen/heard/read, neither of the local papers in Pittsburgh Tribune Review and Post-Gazette have the uttered the proverbial peep, though it is possible that I missed something of interest. Professor William Tonso, University of Indiana, once wrote about media being "gate keepers", he wasn't being complimentary re what he had to say about media either, however they do get to pick that which they want to call attention to, or what they wish to "cover".
As to what you so politely described as "those fence sitting hunters", I often wonder as to exactly what it might take to awaken these people, our brother and sister gun owners. Despite the fact that the anti gunners have plainly told all who would listen, again and again, that their ultimate goals are THE TOTAL PROSCRIPTION OF FIREARMS, these people simply do not seem to get it. I wonder why?
For instance, how often have you heard, from trap and or skeet shooters, about how "they will never bother my shotguns", whilst at the same time these horses hind ends denigrate rifle shooters, and pistol shooters, and let's not even get anywhere close to what these idiots have to say about those who choose to actually carry concealed arms, being licensed to so do. Then there is the drivel about how "nobody needs those assault weapons", or some similar version of this ridiculous pap.
It goes on and on, and personally speaking, I find it difficult to, at times, when I hear such idiocy, keep from telling these clowns off. I usually decide that they simply aren't worth the effort, and simply go out and, to the best of my ability, do what I believe needs to be done.
By the way, as to the "backlash" that you predict, I would not hold my breath, for these do nothings might well conclude that "they, whomever they might be, must know what they are doing", and or that it must be "for our own good", or better yet, that "they are doing it for the children". I suppose that one might conclude that some people simply are undeserving of freedom, but then such conclusions are not without problems of their own.
Coming to the end of this particular rant, you might, somewhere along the line, have heard the following: That gun owners tend to be their own, worst enemies. There might well be more truth that one would care to admit in that old saw.
