There is a fundamental reason for this. We do not view Washington as the focus of our lives. The other side does. We do not view government interference in most aspects of our lives as beneficial. The other side does. We do not wish government to force our views, our tastes, our likes, our dislikes on others who do not share them. The other side does.
On the specific subject of firearms: we recognize their utility, their Constitutional necessity, even their fun. We enjoy keeping, bearing, and shooting arms. But because we are not totalitarians, we are perfectly fine with other people's holding contrary views. We would never push for government action to force others to conform to our view of firearms. The other side does. That is why we are always on the defensive. The last thought that would ever occur to a Constitutionally minded citizen would be to use the government as a bludgeon to drive our views, our tastes, our mere likes and dislikes, into somebody else's head. But we must realize that the other side pushes legislation as their immediate tool of first resort!
The fundamental, intrinsic, irreducible, unalterable nature of government itself is that it is permanently opposed to liberty. We must recognize that fact. The only reason our particular form of government is to be preferred above the others is the fundamental, unique nature of ours: that it is limited. Keeping and bearing arms, as our founders understood, is the crucial backstop to limited government. That understanding also informs the other side, and is the exact reason that we are always on the defensive with respect to keeping and bearing arms.
There is the further unfortunate side effect of preferring liberty: the liberty-minded often lack the courage of our convictions! If the vast majority of public life opposes our fundamental viewpoint, might we possibly be wrong? In a word, no. I agree with your premise. It is long past time to recognize that the other side will always use government force as a bludgeon to force its views on us. The best defense always is a strong offense. We have the advantage of being in the right both morally and Constitutionally. It is high time we took our defense of liberty on offense, as is now happening in a number of state legislatures, and push pro-firearms legislation with such frequency and force as to keep the opposition reacting to us for a change.
Now, as a Constitutional adherent I hasten to clarify that I do not mean by that enacting ever more laws to bolster what is properly an intrinsic right. I mean we must keep pushing for the unmitigated, frank repeal of unconstitutional firearms laws. The correct answer to Oklahoma's wrong-headed firearms laws was not to add the Self Defense Act and open carry legislation. The correct answer is to repeal every law that restricted keeping and bearing arms! That should be our focus in such intensity and frequency as to keep the statist illiberal majority rocked back on their heels.
