Charles, I agree with you in a lot of ways, but to be honest I can't exactly fault people for not having faith in the existing system. It's fairly obvious that on a national level the system is, if not broken, very corrupt.
As Richardson points out in "Confrontation Politics" (I think is the correct reference), "It isn't that the system is broken, it is that it works differently than you think it does."
It isn't that the local governments work any differently, it is just easier to get enough folks who agree on RKBA to be able to make a change in gun-friendly States than it is at the national level.
Our biggest mistake in politics is thinking that most everyone must agree with us. Whether the issue is RKBA, taxes, immigration, marriage, or whatever else, the range of sincerely held view is remarkable.
I think the best bet is trying to improve local government and go from there, which you have done. But even many of our founding fathers did not think this national government would last forever, due to its overgrowth of states' rights among other things. (I hope you are ok without a cite, I believe this is somewhat common knowledge)
I don't promote anarchy, and I believe in trying to keep rule of law and improve things by work, not by fighting. But on the other hand, it's not hard to see the federal government is responsible for most of the rights infringements and abhorrent overreaching left and right of the isle.
I doubt blacks, the disabled, women, or homosexuals would agree that the federal government has infringed rights nearly so much as protected their "rights" (as they see it) from infringement by the States or individuals under cover of State law. Blacks had legit grievances against Jim Crow. Women may have had some legit beefs against taxpayer money being used to promote men's sports without equal regard for women's. Most homosexuals are well convinced that not being provided marriage benefits for their relationships is gross infringements of their rights.
Of course, the feds have been responsible for most infringements of RKBA, but may also ultimately be the force the protects RKBA against State level infringement in places like Illinois, NJ, Cali, etc.
It is said that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. One major lesson from history is that wars are brutal and the outcomes more often than not unpleasant even for the winners. Another is that real change often takes time. We have 25 years of growing success on RKBA. Even most gun grabbers are afraid to make overt efforts in congress and rely on back door attempts since the election results of '94. Why would we change a winning strategy now?
I can understand the frustration. I can appreciate a few specific cases where armed resistance seem to be needed to prevent immediate wrongs (Bundy ranch, The Athens War in post WWII Tennessee, against racist police conduct in certain communities, the Mormon War, etc).
But if war ever comes, I want to be able to look my family and my God in the eyes and say with full honesty of soul that I did everything honorably possible to avoid it, to use peaceful methods.
Not to mention the fact that one is hard pressed to find examples of successful revolutions.
Charles
