Guns are definitely the most important issue to me. From a practical standpoint, we have no rights at all without the ability to back up those rights with force, and that requires guns (primarily rifles). All authority is ultimately based on force -- not votes, law, popular opinion, morality, or ethics. The only true laws are the laws of physics -- the government can break its own laws any time it pleases. If our government has all the guns, all the heavy body armor, and all the night vision equipment, then it can do whatever it pleases in spite of any votes, protests, complaining or wailing. We'll have to obey like dogs -- period.
Being pro-gun (and that
doesn't mean "supporting the rights of hunters and target shooters") is necessary but not sufficient to get my vote. I won't vote for any politician who blatantly opposes the Constitution in any way, whether it's on the issue of guns, free speech, warrantless wiretaps/searches, or anything else. That means I won't vote for 99% of politicians. The only politician I currently like is Ron Paul, who is more pro-gun and pro-Constitution than any other politician I've ever heard of.
Redworm said:
How is your gun going to get you back your 4th and 5th when a swat teams busts in for no reason?
The SWAT team would be very foolish to bust in your door for no reason if you have a rifle powerful enough to penetrate most of their armor, a gas mask,
and a willingness to die rather than give up your rights. They'd almost certainly win the confrontation in the end, but if one of them got killed or lost a limb, it would give the others something to ponder before assaulting another citizen without just cause. A single resister might only make a statement and lose everything (but retain his dignity) by fighting back. But if enough people fight back, the government's thugs will have to back off.
Besides, if it gets to the point where that sort of thing is happening (e.g., political dissidents are being rounded up), then those who would resist should not be sitting around their homes waiting to be surrounded anyway.