Ted, humans are complicated, all of us. Here's my personal take, using example of my life in public affairs. I'm from a long line of activists, grandfather early assistant to founder Salvation Army and later director of Gipsy Smith, leading evangelist of his times, grandmother a vote-demanding suffragette, my father a communist in early 20s during Depression when anyone not thinking of a better way wasn't thinking at all.
I was National Councillor of the American Newspaper Guild, in early days of setting up separate and independent branch in Canada, and later the national CWSG, led the English section of the producers' strike which successfully wrested control of Radio Canada, French sector of Canada's public broadcaster, from the autocratic premier Duplessis. All concerned with social welfare of workers. Currently president of a provincial woodlot owners organization.
My interest is social justice in the workplace, healthier and happier communities through cooperation, peerless consultation at the heart of it. The results are satisfactory. Now, the complication, a seeming contradiction. I've participated with gun owners to get rid of the gun registry and protect gun rights. I regard ARs as affectations---"a studied display of artificiality of manner"---and an egregious part of our flagrant consumerism.
That's just me. If gun owners want to keep them, they'll struggle as I did for what I considered the public interest. I will be no part of theirs. Brotherhood has never demanded lock-step; it accommodates wisdom and ignorance in different ways. Consider also that my principal interests are advancing needs of minority groups and AR owners may be one of them. I'm picking my battles while agreeing with you on your mentioned contradictions.
Like a loyal and conscientious Republican or Democrat saying no, enough is enough, eh?
I think you give too much credit to power-group strategy, at government or commoner levels. The powerful won't give up its advantages. There won't be civil war. The influential got us to drink the Kool-Aid. In that respect, there's no difference between Americans and Canadians. Both sides recognize contradictions in their positions. Doesn't matter.
But like Stalin said to Churchill at Yalta, "How many divisions has the pope?" The majority in Canada has time on its side. It will muddle through. It has the votes---Trudeau was elected on a ban---and in true democratic fashion the test of public opinion will be answered again at the next federal election. There's already talk of a snap election this year.
Somewhere in the bowels of the CIA building an agent is thinking to himself...
...I knew I should have taken that assistant manager job at McDonald’s in Hoboken...standing on his workstation desk, eyes glazing over as he stares at the noose in front of him, remembering the words of his recruiter ...fantasizing of Morocco and maids and fancy embassy parties...willing to settle for...
__________________________
...hockey and motorcycles. We have failed you, secret agent man.
