--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's tempting to engage in anti-gun…" description: "\"It's tempting to engage in anti-gun polemics and hope that popular opinion will dramatically shift, but it is also likely a mistake. The smarter course..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/adam-cohen-6582_amendment_it-s-tempting-to-engage-in-anti-gun-pole_2269310.jpg" --- # It's tempting to engage in anti-gun polemics and hope that… ![“It's tempting to engage in anti-gun polemics and hope that popular opinion will dramatically shift, but it is also likely a mistake. The smarter course for those who want stronger federal gun-control laws anytime soon is legislative stewardship and compromise.” quote by Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/adam-cohen-6582_amendment_it-s-tempting-to-engage-in-anti-gun-pole_2269310.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/adam-cohen-6582_amendment_it-s-tempting-to-engage-in-anti-gun-pole_2269310.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c7/adam-cohen-6582_amendment_it-s-tempting-to-engage-in-anti-gun-pole_2269310.jpg) > “It's tempting to engage in anti-gun polemics and hope that popular opinion will dramatically shift, but it is also likely a mistake. The smarter course for those who want stronger federal gun-control laws anytime soon is legislative stewardship and compromise.” [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Relying solely on shifting public opinion for gun control is ineffective; legislative compromise is a more realistic path. **In simple terms:** Changing opinions isn’t enough; work through law. Key Takeaway Pursue pragmatic policy solutions with bipartisan support. Themes policy gun control politics compromise Mood thoughtful analytical Type political policy When to use this quote - Congressional hearings - state legislation - community forums - advocacy campaigns Key Concepts legislation public opinion advocacy Questions to Reflect On - How can activists balance ideal goals with practical steps? - What compromises are acceptable? A Different Perspective Compromise may dilute strong reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amendment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amendment/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Gun control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gun-control/) [Hope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hope/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) ## Related quotes > [ ... immediately call on Congress to pass far-reaching industry regulation like the Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act ... \[which\] would give the Treasury… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-sugarmann/immediately-call-on-congress-to-pass-far-reaching-industry-regulation/) [Josh Sugarmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-sugarmann/) > [If gun laws in fact worked, the sponsors of this type of legislation should have no difficulty drawing upon long lists of examples of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orrin-hatch/if-gun-laws-in-fact-worked-the-sponsors-of-this-type-of-legislation/) [Orrin Hatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orrin-hatch/) > [When the gun lobby fights gun-control legislation, its logic is clear: it does not like laws that prevent people from owning or using guns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/when-the-gun-lobby-fights-gun-control-legislation-its-logic-is-clear/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms . . . disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [If you ban them in the future, the number of these high-capacity magazines is going to decrease dramatically over time because the bullets will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-degette/if-you-ban-them-in-the-future-the-number-of-these-high-capacity/) [Diana DeGette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-degette/) > [Wherever standing armies are kept up, and when the right of the people to keep and bear arms is, under any color or pretext…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-george-tucker/wherever-standing-armies-are-kept-up-and-when-the-right-of-the-people/) [St. George Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-george-tucker/) > [Before a standing army can rule, the people must be disarmed; as they are in almost every kingdom of Europe. The supreme power in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-webster/before-a-standing-army-can-rule-the-people-must-be-disarmed-as-they/) [Noah Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-webster/) > [ When we got organized as a country, \[and\] wrote a fairly radical Constitution, with a radical Bill of Rights, giving radical amounts of freedom… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/when-we-got-organized-as-a-country-and-wrote-a-fairly-radical/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [All political power comes from the barrel of a gun. The communist party must command all the guns, that way, no guns can ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mao-zedong/all-political-power-comes-from-the-barrel-of-a-gun-the-communist/) [Mao Zedong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mao-zedong/) > [The measures adopted to restore public order are: First of all, the elimination of the so-called subversive elements. ... They were elements of disorder…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benito-mussolini/the-measures-adopted-to-restore-public-order-are-first-of-all-the/) [Benito Mussolini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benito-mussolini/) > [I don't care if you want to hunt, I don't care if you think it's your right. I say, sorry, you are not allowed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-o-donnell/i-don-t-care-if-you-want-to-hunt-i-don-t-care-if-you-think-it-s-your/) [Rosie O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-o-donnell/) > [We can't be so fixated on our desire to preserve the rights of ordinary Americans...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/we-can-t-be-so-fixated-on-our-desire-to-preserve-the-rights-of/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/laws-that-forbid-the-carrying-of-arms-disarm-only-those-who-are-2/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [For an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/for-an-unarmed-man-may-be-attacked-with-greater-confidence-than-an/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [The most foolish mistake we could possibly make would be to allow the subjugated races to possess arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-most-foolish-mistake-we-could-possibly-make-would-be-to-allow-the-2/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) ## More by Adam Cohen > [Congress needs to toughen the laws protecting elections and make clear that anyone interfering with democracy will pay a stiff price.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/congress-needs-to-toughen-the-laws-protecting-elections-and-make/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [In a perfect world, we would have put users in control of their information when the Internet was first created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/in-a-perfect-world-we-would-have-put-users-in-control-of-their/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [With increased awareness should come greater caution about how confessions are used at trial - and a greater willingness to overturn convictions when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/with-increased-awareness-should-come-greater-caution-about-how/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [Being unemployed - or working at minimum wage - is rough in the best of circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/being-unemployed-or-working-at-minimum-wage-is-rough-in-the-best-of/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [The Supreme Court's most conservative Justices have presented themselves as great respecters of precedent and opponents of 'judicial activism' - of judges using the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/the-supreme-court-s-most-conservative-justices-have-presented/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [To be rejected on account of old age may or may not feel the same as being rejected on the basis of race or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/to-be-rejected-on-account-of-old-age-may-or-may-not-feel-the-same-as/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [Our movements reveal a great deal about who we are. A record of our locations over time can reveal whether we go to tent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/our-movements-reveal-a-great-deal-about-who-we-are-a-record-of-our/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [A federal Voters' Bill of Rights could press the states to put non-partisan managers in charge of elections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/a-federal-voters-bill-of-rights-could-press-the-states-to-put-non/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [There was a rule, back when I was an education lawyer in Alabama, about visiting public schools: always go on a rainy day so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/there-was-a-rule-back-when-i-was-an-education-lawyer-in-alabama-about/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [When the government takes video of people in public places, the images should only be kept as long as they may reasonably be needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/when-the-government-takes-video-of-people-in-public-places-the-images/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [Set in the advertising world of the 1960s, 'Mad Men' is stunning to look at - a Camelot-era parade of smartly dressed professionals lounging…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/set-in-the-advertising-world-of-the-1960s-mad-men-is-stunning-to-look/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [Twitter, Facebook, and other social media outlets have a great deal of information about all of us - and the government wants to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/twitter-facebook-and-other-social-media-outlets-have-a-great-deal-of/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [There is a lot of talk in conservative circles about judicial modesty and deferring to the political branches. That view of judging often overlooks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/there-is-a-lot-of-talk-in-conservative-circles-about-judicial-modesty/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > [Age discrimination is illegal. But when compared with discrimination against racial minorities and women, it is a second-class civil rights issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/age-discrimination-is-illegal-but-when-compared-with-discrimination/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) > ['Hard Times' does not romanticize the Depression, but at least a few of Mr. Terkel's subjects managed to find silver linings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cohen/hard-times-does-not-romanticize-the-depression-but-at-least-a-few-of/) [Adam Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) [Explore all 98 Adam Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cohen/) ## More Amendment quotes > [There are a lot of people who want to retain the Eighth Amendment - I don't agree with that view myself - there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/there-are-a-lot-of-people-who-want-to-retain-the-eighth-amendment-i/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [“Let's just make this easy. 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Polsby > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [This separation was absolute in our original Republic. But the sky-godders do not give up easily. In the 1950s they actually got the phrase…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/this-separation-was-absolute-in-our-original-republic-but-the-sky/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Guns aren't the problem; sick people are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-sessions/guns-aren-t-the-problem-sick-people-are/) [Pete Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-sessions/) > [The proliferation of right-to-carry laws throughout the states has drawn plaintive complaints from the criminal element. They feel that it makes their profession too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-cooper/the-proliferation-of-right-to-carry-laws-throughout-the-states-has/) [Jeff Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-cooper/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I don't think anybody who carries a rifle carries the future. 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