The Legendary Dragon Alephwyr, named Alephwyr, BA

This piece is primarily about democracy, not gun control. My claim is that a minority can't simply declare certain questions off the table of democratic deliberation, and try to enforce that declaration with threats.

I support a legal right to own a gun in self-defense. But the recognition of that right poses real risks to others' safety. I think I'm obliged to persuade my fellow citizens that this is a right we ought to recognize. Trying to bully them into agreement just isn't okay.

Way too much right-wing discourse is about why it's OK to immunize minority policy preferences from the scrutiny and authority of democratic majorities. It's a rejection of the republican ideal of popular sovereignty, the idea that political authority needs public affirmation.

Deep and intractable disagreement about the good and the right is a basic condition of political life in a pluralistic society. Democracy is a tool for managing those disagreements to keep them from becoming violent.