I support gun owners but...

There's always a "but". Just one more "reasonable law" that will "reduce crime" and "for the children".

To a point, I really do sympathize with gun-rights advocates...

but..

Past a certain point, though, my sympathy evaporates.

enter his true feelings:

That point is where gun-rights advocates respond to proposals to try to limit the number of freely circulating firearms with aggrieved paranoia, a hyper-literal interpretation of the Constitution and a fusillade of clichés evincing an air of indifference to how often guns are used to ventilate the innocent.

By defeating :

Basic idea: Require background checks for private sales of handguns

The "basic idea" requiring all handgun sales to go through FFL dealers who Daley et al are trying to sue and legislate out of existence.

I will nevertheless continue to extend my sympathies to gun-rights activists. All I'll ask in return is something more helpful than their old slogans and reflexive stubbornness.

Then obviously you're not doing much research into the matter beyond what your other Trib buddies and the Brady Bunch are telling you.