"You see people come here from all walks of life," said booth owner, Gene Branson. "Some people even come a hundred miles to this show."If gun owners devoted a tenth of that effort and expense to actively championing the right to keep and bear arms, we would be an invincible political force. That most prefer to squabble like learning disabled children over such trivialities as being asked to send an email exemplifies why things are the way they are.
Years ago, before the Great Western Gun Show was forced out of California, I recall being especially bitter over how it could attract tens of thousands of gun owners--yet a counter-protest against the Million Moms preceded by announcements and appeals throughout the "activist" network, only drew a few hundred. And out of all Los Angeles, we'd be lucky to get 50 to show up at an NRA Members' Council meeting, and of those, maybe half a dozen-- of the same people all the time-- actually did any work.
I repeat: If gun owners would get off their lazy, apathetic butts and consistently and proactively devote time, effort and treasure to the cause, we would be invincible. It's easy to point the finger at politicians for attacking us, or NRA management for compromising, and I'm not saying that should stop, but put in perspective, politicians wouldn't betray us if they didn't dare--and compromises wouldn't be made if they weren't perceived as advantageous or necessary.