Can you be a Progressive Democrat and still the support the Second Amendment?

[trc]

9. Interesting question.

I am a progressive who owns a small 45 for conceal and carry (which I don't) and several long rifles I have inherited from one source or another. I firmly believe this country would be less dangerous if handguns had been banned after say, 1900, but they weren't. It would take a constitutional amendment to ban guns, but that will not happen, The 2nd Amendment however, is not fully incorporated into the Constitution like speech or warrantless searches. That is why the laws concerning guns vary state to state. So we have situation where local governments with the consent of the governed have put in place laws that seem to conflict with the 2nd amendment, but really do not. If you are a Democrat running for office, say, in most of California you will not have to worry about gun control even being an issue. But rural America (I am in Texas), that is another thing altogether. As a Democrat, embrace gun control/banning if you desire, but a better choice for most of us would be to profess our respect for the rights of fellow Americans while pushing for more diligent gun ownership. For example, your child gets a hold of your gun, you go to jail for a bit, make gun ownership have consequences. Eliminate the stand your ground laws that make it open season simply because you "feel" threatened; work with police to stop open carry laws that are used simply to intimidate. But talking about outright bans will get you no where in much of rural, red America, and like it or not, we need to win rural, red America...at least some of it.