I'm still trying to wrap my head around so many staunchly pro-gun folks on DU

[derby378]

167. You've touched on one of the reasons why people like me are so stubborn on the gun issue

I am a liberal, gun-owning Democrat in one of those states you mentioned (Texas), and I've been working hard with my fellow precinct chairs and other activists to support Democratic candidates for local, state, and Federal office. We've been making slow but steady gains throughout Texas over the past six years. If the national party pushes hard for new anti-Second Amendment legislation, I fear that everything we've worked so hard for in Texas will be pissed away overnight. Just look at what happened in 1994 if you want to see what happened the last time the Democratic Party signed off on a sweeping gun ban.

Now, just because I own one of those "scary black rifles" complete with 30-round magazines doesn't mean that I cannot see opportunities to improve public safety while still respecting our Constitutional rights. I'm in favor of improved NICS checks, civilian armories, and a greater emphasis on diagnosing and treating those who suffer from hidden mental illness. But in all fairness, do you think a Republican-dominated House or Senate will ever lift a finger to implement any of these? I seriously doubt it, and I'm one of those folks who came in from "the other side."