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In 2006 when I was running for state rep, there was a guy who came out of nowhere at the polls and started yelling at me.
"Oh, you're Andy Sylvia? You got a D from the NRA! You don't deserve to be a state rep, you don't know anything about guns, you need to learn!"
And he was livid, out of the blue he just walked over yelling. "What did I ever do to this guy?" I asked myself, perplexed at what had transpired.
Then a conservative friend of mine starting talking about guns, and strangely enough I began to understand it the same way I, and many people on the left see abortion rights, which in itself is enough for an entire article.
That conversation, along with seeing the degradation of our Constitution* gave me new respect for the Second Amendment of the US Bill of Rights as well as Article 2a of the New Hampshire State Constitution, which is almost identical in its scope.
I probably construe the the Second Amendment/Article 2a differently than that guy who yelled at me that day since I don't construe shooting people as part of bearing arms or defending yourself(in 2a) except in a militia (which now I assume means the National Guard).
Fortunately, word had gotten to him that apparently I don't bite, and we had a good discussion at Deliberative Session a few months ago. He's never shot anyone, but on top of that he's a proud union member and is just as angry at run of the mill Republicans for trying to harm labor rights that affect him as a blue collar worker as he is at run of the mill Democrats for trying to deny his Second Amendment rights.
Since we talked back at Deliberative Session, we've talked a few more times, and I figured this time i'd ask for him to teach me about gun issues while doing the NRA questionaire again considering he made such a big deal about it in 2006.
I honestly don't know if i'll submit the NRA questionaire this year irregardless of my new friend's help. There are many people I trust who have told me just to ignore it, and that i'll be downgraded just because I am a Democrat, as it seemed with some other voter guides.
In the end though, the grade from the NRA if I decide to submit the questionaire isn't as important as hearing his views as well as the views of people in Merrimack who favor gun control so I can hopefully be part of crafting solutions to issues that reflect the views of Merrimack in the legislature.
He said I got his vote and he's going to put my sign on his lawn.
*-Ambiguity of "Free Speech Zones" breaking the 1st Amendment, The FISA Vote breaking the 4th Amendment, many cases of ignoring the Geneva Convention among other treaties ratified by Congress and signed by past presidents breaking Article VI, abuse of Executive Signments breaking Article I, etc. etc. etc.
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